[Mute Swans] Chapter 16: Learning and Growing

The young swans start to learn how to survive by themselves.

The mother shows cygnets how to get food from the river. The young swans concentrate their attention on the action.

Their mother shows them again and again. To gain food, cygnets need to learn how to immerse their head into water.

The mature swans have a strong neck and can stop breathing for longer time.

The young swans must lean the skills.

The young swan tries again and again, but fails to get what it wants.

The parent is not possible always by the children’s side, so the young guys must learn as soon as possible.

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Besides eating, the cygnets need to learn how to protect themselves.

The mother found some people get too close to them so she go to browbeat the strangers.

She distends her chest and stretch out her wings.

She shows the young swans the action.

And asks the young guy to repeat it.

The young swan start to learn to defense.

The other one does not care about the situation.

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The father leads young swans to cross a road.

The parent do not surround the cygnets but get the young guys follow them.

The young guys laboriously follow their parent.

Step the way to a branch of the river cam.

The parent: “You guys need to stick out your chests and curve the necks, warning people that you are very strong, OK？”

“Do I look strong, mum？”

~ by seanchens on July 19, 2008.