I had a sweet encounter with a Trumpeter Swan family. These adorable cygnets reminded me of one of my most favourite childhood stories, "The Ugly Duckling", by Hans Christian Andersen:
"A mother duck hatches a brood of ducklings, but one is noticeably larger, gray, and considered ugly by the others. The "Ugly Duckling" is rejected and ridiculed by his family and other barnyard animals. He leaves and experiences hardship and cruelty while searching for a place to belong. Eventually, he matures into a magnificent swan and realizes his true identity."