Marjorie Flack (1933)
Genre
Fantasy / Children's
Reading Time
5 min
Key Themes
See below
Sign in to track this book
A spirited little duck named Ping, fearing a spank for being last, embarks on an accidental solo adventure down the bustling Yangtze River, only to discover the true joy of returning home.
Ping is one of a hundred ducks belonging to a man who lives on a boat on the Yangtze River. Every morning, the man takes the ducks ashore to find food. At sunset, he calls them back to the boat, and they waddle aboard in a line. The last duck to board always gets a loud 'WHACK!' on its back with a stick, though it doesn't hurt. Ping, a small but curious duck, enjoys his life, but he always tries his best not to be the last duck in line to avoid the nightly spank. This routine sets up the main problem for Ping.
One evening, as the ducks are called back to the boat, Ping is busy finding a tasty snail. By the time he looks up, all the other ninety-nine ducks are already waddling onto the boat. Ping realizes with a fright that he will be the very last one. Fearing the dreaded 'WHACK!', Ping quickly makes a decision. Instead of hurrying to the boat, he hides among the reeds along the riverbank, hoping to escape the spanking. The man counts his ducks, but doesn't notice Ping is missing, and the boat sails away, leaving Ping alone.
As the boat disappears around the bend, Ping finds himself completely alone on the Yangtze River. The sun sets, and darkness covers the riverbanks. For the first time, Ping feels the cold night air without the warmth of his family. He huddles among the reeds, feeling very small and a little scared. The sounds of the river at night are new and slightly frightening. He misses his family and the comfort of the boat, realizing what happened because of his decision to hide.
The next morning, Ping wakes up hungry. He swims along the river, looking for food. He soon finds a small fishing boat where a young boy is sitting. The boy sees Ping and, being friendly, offers him some rice cakes. Ping, happy with the unexpected treat, eagerly eats them. This is Ping's first good interaction with a human since being separated from his family. He watches the boy's simple life on the river, which is different from his own riverboat existence.
Later that day, as Ping continues his journey down the river, he sees a large, flat-bottomed boat with many fishermen. They are casting a huge fishing net into the water. Not knowing the danger, Ping swims too close to the net as it is being pulled in. He suddenly finds himself tangled among the ropes and fish. Panicked, Ping struggles hard. With a great effort, he manages to wriggle free just before the net is fully pulled onto the boat, barely escaping capture. This is a moment of great danger for Ping, showing the risks of the river.
After his narrow escape from the fishing net, Ping continues swimming, shaken but determined. He then faces an even greater danger. As he drifts past a sandy bank, he sees a huge, green crocodile with a very long mouth lying in the sun. The crocodile slowly opens one eye and looks directly at Ping. Sensing great danger, Ping quickly dives under the water and swims away as fast as he can. This encounter highlights the wild and dangerous parts of the Yangtze River.
Further along his journey, Ping sees another common sight on the Yangtze River: a young girl riding on the back of a large water buffalo. The girl is playing a flute, and the water buffalo is slowly wading through the shallow parts of the river. Ping watches them with interest, fascinated by this peaceful scene. This moment gives a brief break from the dangers and loneliness Ping has experienced, showing everyday life and culture along the riverbanks.
As days turn into weeks, Ping continues his solitary journey down the Yangtze River. He grows a little bigger and wiser with each experience. One afternoon, as he swims around a bend, his heart gives a sudden flutter. In the distance, he spots a familiar shape: a large boat, just like the one he grew up on. His excitement builds as he realizes it might be his family's boat. He swims faster, hope surging through him, eager to confirm his suspicion and end his long separation.
Ping swims closer and closer to the boat. He can see the familiar man standing on deck, and then, to his great joy, he spots his ninety-nine brothers and sisters waddling around. It is indeed his family's boat! Overjoyed, Ping swims directly towards it, quacking loudly. The man sees him and smiles, happy to have his lost duck back. Ping quickly scrambles aboard, feeling a great sense of relief and belonging. His adventure has come full circle, bringing him back home.
It is sunset, and the ducks are all boarding the boat, just as they did before Ping's adventure. Ping, having been the last to board and therefore separated from his family, is now, once again, the very last duck in line. He does not hide this time. Instead, he waddles up the gangplank, ready for the inevitable. The man gives him a loud 'WHACK!' on his back. This time, Ping doesn't mind. He understands that the spank is not a punishment, but a sign that he is home and safe with his family. He has learned his lesson about staying with his family.
The Protagonist
Ping transforms from a somewhat naive duck driven by fear of a spanking into a wiser, more appreciative duck who understands the value of family and belonging.
The Supporting
The man's character remains consistent, serving as a stable, benevolent figure representing home and order.
The Supporting
Their role is static, representing the consistent home environment Ping eventually returns to.
The Mentioned
No specific arc; a minor character providing a positive interaction.
The Antagonist
No specific arc; serves as an external threat.
The main theme is about Ping's journey away from and back to his home and family. His initial fear of a small punishment leads him to leave the safety and comfort of his family on the boat. During his solo adventure, he faces loneliness, hunger, and danger, which makes him realize how much he misses his ninety-nine brothers and sisters and the man. His happy return and willing acceptance of the 'WHACK!' show his new appreciation for belonging and the security of home, even with its small problems, as seen when he willingly takes the spank at the end.
“And Ping was glad that he was home with his ninety-nine brothers and sisters. And his mother and his father and his aunts and his uncles and his cousins. And the kind-eyed man.”
Ping's adventure starts because he decides to hide rather than face the small consequence of being the last duck. His wish to avoid a brief spanking leads to a much larger and more dangerous ordeal. The story gently teaches that avoiding small, regular responsibilities or consequences can lead to much bigger problems. His journey is a direct result of his dawdling and hiding, showing that sometimes a known, small discomfort is better than the unknown dangers of avoiding it.
“He knew that the last duck always got a WHACK! on the back. And he did not want to be the last duck.”
Despite the underlying lesson, the book also celebrates adventure and discovery. Ping's journey down the Yangtze River shows him a world of fishermen, water buffalo, rice cakes, and even crocodiles. These meetings broaden his understanding of the world beyond his familiar boat. While his separation starts with fear, his later experiences are full of wonder and new sights, showing the richness of the world and the learning that comes from stepping outside one's comfort zone, even by accident.
“Ping swam on and on, past fishing boats and other wise-eyed boats, past cormorants and water buffaloes.”
The story vividly brings to life the unique culture and environment of the Yangtze River. Through Ping's eyes, readers see daily life: the boats, the fishermen casting nets, the young boy offering rice cakes, and the girl riding a water buffalo. These details place the reader in a distant land and highlight the repeating nature of life along the river, from the ducks' daily routine to the river's continuous flow. The river itself is a character, shaping the lives of those who live on and by it.
“On the Yangtze River in China lived a beautiful wise-eyed boat. And on the beautiful wise-eyed boat lived a beautiful wise-eyed man. And on the beautiful wise-eyed boat lived a beautiful wise-eyed mother duck and a beautiful wise-eyed father duck and ninety-nine beautiful wise-eyed little ducks.”
Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects and animals.
The book extensively uses personification, most notably with the 'wise-eyed boat' and the 'wise-eyed' ducks. This device makes the boat feel like a living, protective entity and allows readers to easily empathize with Ping's emotions and experiences. The ducks' ability to understand consequences (like the 'WHACK!') and Ping's internal monologues make the animal characters more relatable and central to the narrative, bridging the gap between human and animal perspectives.
The repeated phrase 'WHACK!' and the description of the wise-eyed boat.
Repetition is used effectively to establish routine and emphasize key elements. The recurring 'WHACK!' sound reinforces the daily ritual and Ping's aversion to it, making his eventual acceptance of it more impactful. The repeated description of the 'wise-eyed boat' and 'wise-eyed' ducks creates a rhythmic, almost poetic quality, imprinting a sense of familiarity and belonging, and highlighting the warmth of Ping's home even when he is away from it.
Ping's physical and emotional travel away from and back to home.
The story follows a classic journey or quest structure. Ping's separation from his family initiates his 'quest' down the Yangtze River. During this journey, he encounters various challenges (fishing net, crocodile) and helpful figures (the boy), gaining experience and wisdom. His eventual return to his family marks the successful completion of his journey, not just physically but also emotionally, as he returns with a changed perspective and a deeper appreciation for what he left behind.
The 'WHACK!' symbolizes discipline and belonging, and the river symbolizes life's journey.
The 'WHACK!' initially symbolizes an undesirable punishment, but by the end of the story, it transforms into a symbol of belonging and the acceptance of rules within a family unit. It signifies that Ping is home and safe. The Yangtze River itself symbolizes life's journey, with its currents, dangers, and diverse life along its banks. Ping's travel along the river represents his personal growth and the experiences that shape him, leading him back to his origins with new understanding.
“Ping was a beautiful little duckling. He lived on the Yangtze River in China with his mother and his father and his two sisters and his three brothers and his eleven aunts and his seven uncles and his fifty-three cousins.”
— Introducing Ping and his large family on the Yangtze River.
“Every morning, from the time the sun came up until the time the sun went down, Ping and his mother and his father and his two sisters and his three brothers and his eleven aunts and his seven uncles and his fifty-three cousins paddled about the Yangtze River.”
— Describing the daily life and routine of Ping's duck family.
“But one evening, as the sun went down, Ping was just a little bit late. All the other ducks had gone up the gangplank. Ping was the last.”
— Ping is about to be spanked for being the last duck to board the boat.
“And he knew what happened to the last duck. The master gave the last duck a spank on the back with a stick. Ping did not want to be spanked.”
— Ping's internal thought about the punishment for being last.
“So, what did Ping do? He jumped over the side of the boat and hid under the big boat.”
— Ping makes the decision to run away to avoid a spanking.
“He waited and waited. All night he waited, with his head tucked under his wing, until the sun came up.”
— Ping spends the night hiding alone after running away.
“When the sun came up, Ping was very hungry. He swam and swam, looking for something to eat.”
— Ping begins his journey alone, feeling hunger.
“He saw a beautiful, big, yellow fish. Ping thought, 'I will catch that fish for my breakfast.' But the fish was too quick for Ping.”
— Ping's unsuccessful attempt to catch food, highlighting his inexperience.
“He saw some children playing in the water. One of the children saw Ping and called out, 'Look! A duck! Let's catch him!'”
— Ping encounters human children who try to catch him.
“Ping swam as fast as he could. The children splashed and shouted after him, but Ping was too fast.”
— Ping narrowly escapes the children who wanted to catch him.
“He saw a very old man in a small boat. The old man had a string of ducks tied to his boat. They were all very sad.”
— Ping observes a fisherman with ducks, hinting at a potential danger.
“Ping paddled and paddled until he saw his own boat, with the gangplank down. And there, on the gangplank, was his mother and his father and his two sisters and his three brothers and his eleven aunts and his seven uncles and his fifty-three cousins.”
— Ping finally sees his family and home boat again.
“Ping was so happy to see them all. He swam right up the gangplank, not caring a bit if he was the last duck.”
— Ping returns to his family, no longer fearing the spanking.
“And what do you think happened? The master gave Ping a spank on the back with a stick. But Ping didn't mind. He was home.”
— Ping receives his spanking but finds solace in being back with his family.
Ready to see how well you understood this book? Take our interactive quiz with 10 questions.
Biography coming soon.
