I'm having a hard time deciding whether this is tongue-in-cheek.
I'm being needlessly pedantic, yeah. Although I think some leeway could be given to the author of the quote (I don't know the context), since ducklings and swans are, you know, different species.

Have you read the story? I'd think the title would be self-explanatory (and very apt), if so.
Is the erstwhile cygnet ever actually confused for a duckling, or does his swanish tendencies just appear ex nihilo? Don't remember the tale well.
Also: Nossy and the Erstwhile Cygnets. BAND NAME. YOU WILL BE FAMOUS
"We feel safe when we read what we recognise, what does not challenge our way of thinking.... a steady acceptance of pre-arranged patterns leads to the inability to question what we are told."
~Camilla
Ghavrel is Ghavrel is Ghavrel
*MySmiley*
~Camilla
Ghavrel is Ghavrel is Ghavrel
*MySmiley*
"It's like the ugly duckling, but with swans."
- 25/07/2010 09:40:32 PM
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In fairness, it should properly be cygnet and not duckling. *NM*
- 25/07/2010 10:00:09 PM
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Is there a story called "The Ugly Cygnet?"
- 25/07/2010 10:50:45 PM
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Point being the title is technically incorrect *NM*
- 26/07/2010 01:27:48 AM
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Then I must conclude that our points are different.
- 26/07/2010 01:35:01 AM
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I vaguely remember the story.
- 26/07/2010 07:56:09 AM
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- 26/07/2010 07:56:09 AM
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The cygnet is raised in a family of ducks.
- 26/07/2010 10:14:20 AM
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I looked it up, but Wikipedia was unclear.
- 26/07/2010 10:20:39 AM
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- 26/07/2010 10:20:39 AM
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Surely you have a wikipedia quicksearch option, or a bookmark?
- 26/07/2010 10:25:24 AM
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I refer you to my title. And then my edits.
- 26/07/2010 10:30:54 AM
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Basically it's a metaphor for being gay
- 26/07/2010 05:17:29 PM
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I never knew Andersen was gay. Makes a lot of sense, though. *NM*
- 26/07/2010 06:24:05 PM
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I always took it as a metaphor for being a nerd *NM*
- 28/07/2010 10:44:18 AM
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I always took it as a blatant lie told to comfort ugly children. *NM*
- 28/07/2010 10:52:05 AM
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This thread was much more fun than I anticipated.
- 26/07/2010 05:48:15 PM
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- 26/07/2010 05:48:15 PM
627 Views
yes the best indepth discussion of the Ugly Ducking and the word cygnet I have seen in weeks
- 26/07/2010 07:01:18 PM
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- 26/07/2010 07:01:18 PM
610 Views
Never know what you'll learn around this place.
*NM*
- 26/07/2010 07:20:00 PM
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*NM*
- 26/07/2010 07:20:00 PM
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I'm going to leap to her defence here.
- 26/07/2010 10:19:22 AM
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Your argument holds no water.
- 26/07/2010 07:54:58 PM
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- 26/07/2010 07:54:58 PM
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I'll let you win if I get to see the bootie shake
*NM*
- 26/07/2010 08:17:17 PM
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*NM*
- 26/07/2010 08:17:17 PM
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I won anyway, so I'm not sure you've got a good bargaining position.
*NM*
- 26/07/2010 09:10:57 PM
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*NM*
- 26/07/2010 09:10:57 PM
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I can't even remember the context in which I said that.
- 26/07/2010 09:12:58 PM
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We were on that pier thingie
- 26/07/2010 09:17:14 PM
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