Post by Hector on Jan 21, 2017 2:44:31 GMT
A not so well known story. This comes as a surprise, to me at least, since this is the first story Carl Barks created fully by himself.
But that's not the only reason it deserves more attention; it's a story with hidden morals (unless uncle Carl did not intend to include
any hidden morals and i just fantasize easter eggs, but, you know, whatever (no pun with my username intended), lol).
Donald's nephews buy a lucky rabbit's foot, convinced it will bring them loads of good fortune. Over the whole story, Donald struggles
to convince them they're mistaken, only to be miserably disproved. And i say ''miserably'' because the ducklings' good luck comes along
with terrible luck for the duck in the sailor suit.
At first thought, one would conclude Barks wanted to show us there is truth in such stories about magic amulets. Is that the case?
Was the (may he rest in peace) creator of the Duckburg universe superstitious? I don't think so. On the contrary, i think that story's
hidden meaning, if you read it more carefully, is that there are no such things as amulets and that one creates his/her own fate. All
the events that looked like good luck for the nephews or bad luck for Donald were results of their own choices.
-When the nephews crossed the rusty bridge without breaking it, it was because they did it hastily, with light steps. When Donald
followed them, he ended up in the lake because he practically stomped on the bridge's old wood.
-When the nephews were offered a free ride at the fun park's airplanes, the technician claiming he needed their help to check out the
control panel, i don't think it was just a coincidence. The technician probably got moved by the ducklings' puppy eyes or something.
Well, no such thing is shown in the story, but think about it. Why did he need three kids to ride the airplanes? Couldn't he do his job
anyway?
-When (this is where Donald starts believing in the foot's magic power), the kids got unharmed out of an encounter with a gorilla, it
was because they spoke nice to the primate, so it didn't feel any threat and reciprocated their kindness. When Donald grabbed their
foot and attempted to drive the animal back to its cage, the gorilla immediatelly felt Donald was bad news, so it attacked.
-The only case you can say the nephews were really lucky was when, at the end of the story, in an attempt to spank them, Donald
accidentally hurts himself and ends up in the hospital. Okay, that was really luck, but, even in that case, i don't think it was the rabbit
foot's effect. It was just an interfrerence of Goddess of Justice to save the nephews from what would be an unfair punishment, since
they had done nothing wrong.
Even though i cannot call a small gag story a masterpiece, it's definitely worth reading.
Rating: 8/10
But that's not the only reason it deserves more attention; it's a story with hidden morals (unless uncle Carl did not intend to include
any hidden morals and i just fantasize easter eggs, but, you know, whatever (no pun with my username intended), lol).
Donald's nephews buy a lucky rabbit's foot, convinced it will bring them loads of good fortune. Over the whole story, Donald struggles
to convince them they're mistaken, only to be miserably disproved. And i say ''miserably'' because the ducklings' good luck comes along
with terrible luck for the duck in the sailor suit.
At first thought, one would conclude Barks wanted to show us there is truth in such stories about magic amulets. Is that the case?
Was the (may he rest in peace) creator of the Duckburg universe superstitious? I don't think so. On the contrary, i think that story's
hidden meaning, if you read it more carefully, is that there are no such things as amulets and that one creates his/her own fate. All
the events that looked like good luck for the nephews or bad luck for Donald were results of their own choices.
-When the nephews crossed the rusty bridge without breaking it, it was because they did it hastily, with light steps. When Donald
followed them, he ended up in the lake because he practically stomped on the bridge's old wood.
-When the nephews were offered a free ride at the fun park's airplanes, the technician claiming he needed their help to check out the
control panel, i don't think it was just a coincidence. The technician probably got moved by the ducklings' puppy eyes or something.
Well, no such thing is shown in the story, but think about it. Why did he need three kids to ride the airplanes? Couldn't he do his job
anyway?
-When (this is where Donald starts believing in the foot's magic power), the kids got unharmed out of an encounter with a gorilla, it
was because they spoke nice to the primate, so it didn't feel any threat and reciprocated their kindness. When Donald grabbed their
foot and attempted to drive the animal back to its cage, the gorilla immediatelly felt Donald was bad news, so it attacked.
-The only case you can say the nephews were really lucky was when, at the end of the story, in an attempt to spank them, Donald
accidentally hurts himself and ends up in the hospital. Okay, that was really luck, but, even in that case, i don't think it was the rabbit
foot's effect. It was just an interfrerence of Goddess of Justice to save the nephews from what would be an unfair punishment, since
they had done nothing wrong.
Even though i cannot call a small gag story a masterpiece, it's definitely worth reading.
Rating: 8/10