The Little Candle: The Ugly Cygnet: A Short Story

By Melanie Schatzel, M.Ed.

This is a fictional short story about a young woman in a blended family, who is known as the ugly cygnet (baby swan) due to her physical appearance and social awkwardness. She has a low self-esteem, but is of good character with honorable integrity and a kind heart. She has been corresponding with her grandma through handwritten letters since she was young. And in the spring of her junior year of high school, her grandma writes a letter requesting her company and help during the whole of the ugly cygnet's upcoming summer vacation.

Her Grandpa has died. Her grandma has been forced to sell their country home and move into a rented home across from the school--in town--where she works as a Librarian. In the letter, the grandma gives the granddaughter a list of the qualities she sought most in the grandchild she desired for this difficult transition, and in it the reader begins to discover the tender relationship between the ugly cygnet and her grandmother.
The ugly cygnet makes the decision to quit her place of employment, and go to her grandma's new rental home just as things are getting exciting with the boy down the lane. But this delicate story begins at its end; the Annual Christmas Ball that she helped plan with the boy down the lane. The little candle (the little cygnet) is seen in the corner, watching everyone. And it is here the readers are introduced to the main character while being given an opportunity to decide how they see the ugly cygnet, or, the Christmas candle. In her position, she is seen in the corner, watching, lighting the way, and setting an example without saying a word.

The story is written in phases that mark her path of change to reveal, after the year, an enlightening change and a beautiful woman.

"The Little Candle: The Ugly Cygnet" is written to inspire young woman to think differently about themselves than they are described by others. It shows how getting lost in service can change one's perspective of one's own importance in expressing love for others, and improving one's more virtuous qualities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 6, 2024
• ISBN: 9781304566133

Book preview

The Little Candle: The Ugly Cygnet

A Short Story

By

Melanie Schatzel

Copyright

The Little Candle: The Ugly Cygnet, A Short Story

First Edition

Copyright © 2024 Melanie Schatzel

All Rights Reserved

ISBN:  978-1-304-56613-3

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my sister, Shay, who has inspired me to return to writing short stories; in her words, You have amazing stories.  You have a creative mind.  I believe in you.  I am grateful for her willingness to read what I write, honestly share her thoughts and opinions, and then continue to encourage me to find God and share His light in my way.

Introduction

I remember as a little child, sitting in the congregation of our church.  Most of the small community members where I spent the entirety of my childhood, was of the same beliefs that our family practiced.  And when I sat in the congregation, I knew faces and heard stories and related to speakers in a way that helped me identify with the theme of the day and understand that person in a new light through their perspective but understandably from a child’s interpretation. 

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In our Sunday religious services, the pattern of the services follows the same format everywhere and anywhere in the world.  Changes to this pattern have occurred throughout my lifetime, but announcements to those changes are made globally and by our modern-day prophet, for all members to hear and pray upon.  Application is pre-determined and announced at one moment.  In this, there is comfort: when I attended my grandmother’s church services-- three hours drive from our hometown—the manner in which the services were conducted, mirrored perfectly that pattern in my hometown’s religious services.  This offered me a sense of familiarity that I craved as an adult when I visited and/or attended services with friends or family who were members of another faith. 

All services begin with a prelude of music. Music, I believe, is the language of angels.  And music was the highlight of my day; however, I came to appreciate one other detail.  After the completion of the partaking of the sacrament—the most important aspect of the services—the conductor would announce who was assigned to speak on a specific theme for the remainder of the main portion of the meeting.  When speakers would include in their talk personal stories, I became whole-heartedly engrossed in the story.  It was from these experiences that I learned I had an unusual interest in the progression of a good story.

I have always been an avid reader.  I love to learn not just historical facts, or scientific research data, but about people.  I enjoy a good story telling, reading, or sharing.  This short story, this ebook, is written with the idea that there is always more to any story about transformation and the growth of one’s unique self.

The Little Candle: The Ugly Cygnet

Introducing The Little Candle—The Ending of Her Story

This story begins at the ending of a year in the life of a teenage girl nearing the age of adulthood.  In the spring of this year, she was only known as the ugly cygnet—the name given to a baby swan for the first year of its life when few think it cute, or beautiful to look upon.  In the spring, she carried the name of the ugly cygnet with acceptance.  She knew herself well enough, she thought,