Ducks, Knights and Ashes to Ashes, Ducks to Ducks.

I must tell you about our duck family. Well, they were a family until they began falling off the perch, so to speak.

Dad , Mum and the Kids.

A few years ago our friend Justin Z asked if we would like to adopt Mum and Dad Duck, as he was selling his house. Over a few bottles of Xmas Lunch champagne, we agreed to take them. On returning to his home after Xmas lunch it seems Mum and Dad duck had had one or two Xmas champagnes as well and suddenly Mum laid 7 eggs. We still agreed to take them, even if there were babies on the way. Which there were. 7 of them.

 Dad and the kids moved in to their new hastily erected bungalow by the dam and had a great life, except the boys used to argue so much that we had to cut numbers and so we had a few adopted out. Mum and Dad and the kids had a happy life, indulging in their rather salacious intra-family relationships which can be enough to cause a queasy stomach to turn.

Ducks being ducks, they do have a tendency to fall foul of various stomach problems, which is no wonder considering their general eating habits and table manners, and we did lose a couple more.

Having then become a Marriage Celebrant, we often joked about performing a Wedding Ceremony for Mum and Dad Duck but alas, Dad's life was cut cruelly short one day. Having survived foxes and dog attacks, Dad suddenly turned up his toes...errr...claws one day, leaving Mum sadly with just one orphan.

I wrote the following little song for Dad Duck that day. It is to be sung to the tune of  "Ten Little Ducks Went out One Day, over the Hills and Far Away". I took the song to Show and Tell at the local pub that night for an impromptu performance, raising more than one tear from the nuggety "Knights of the Round Table", the regulars who hold court at the same table at the Pub, pretty much every day.

I am not sure though, whether the tears were due to the content of the song about Dad Duck, or my singing.

SONG FOR DAD DUCK.  ( To tune of Ten little Ducks ) By Ned Hoskin

Three Little Ducks woke up today,

Dad and The Kids

In their cosy bed of hay,

Dad & Mum and Lulu too,

No-one sure just what to do,

See Dad was sick and wouldn’t leave,

The Hutch in which the three do live,

So Mum and Lulu went their way,

Across the field and in the hay,

Dad lay still and his eyes did tell,

That he wasn’t feeling well,

What can I do for you Dad Duck?

Leave me be , my time is up.

We sat and talked, I patted his head,

He told me that he’d soon be dead,

I’m old and had a great time here,

But sadly now the end is near.

His eyes stared into mine, we stayed,

Then I fluffed up his bed of hay,

A nice fresh drink and fresh grain too,

Nothing else that I could do.

Three favourite Ducks woke up today.

Cosy in their bed of hay.

Mum and Dad and Lulu too.

But by days end there’d  be just two.

Now Dad has gone , leaving Mum and Lulu,

They are both looking sad, not sure what to do,

Bye bye Dad, we loved you well.

Mum dressed up for the annual Celtic Festival

So sad to bid you fond farewell.

Tomorrow Mum and Lulu will wake,

In their hutch down by the lake,

No more Dad to watch over them,

Inside of their cosy pen,

Three Ducks woke up this very day,

But no more hills and far away,

No more Dad and Mum and Lulu,

Dad has gone and left just two.

We’ll miss you Dad, every day so much. 

Ashes to ashes , and Ducks to Ducks,

Yes, We’ll miss you Dad, so very much. 

Ashes to ashes , and Ducks to Ducks.

Ned Hoskin