In this segment of a narrated reading of Roald Dahl’s The Magic Finger, the story follows Mr. Gregg, his wife, and their sons Philip and William as they go duck‑hunting near a lake. After a successful morning that yields sixteen ducks, four unusually bold ducks repeatedly evade their shots, circle the hunters, and even fly back into the guns. The ducks continue to haunt the family throughout the day and night, causing Mr. Gregg increasing frustration and fear. That night, while fetching firewood, he watches the four ducks fly ominously around the house. The next morning, Mr. Gregg awakens to discover his hands have turned into duck wings and his body has shrunk to the size of a chair seat. The transformation is presented as magical retribution linked to the earlier “magic finger” incident, highlighting the story’s theme of consequences for cruelty toward animals.
Chapters
In the afternoon of the very same day that I put the magic finger on the Greg family, Mr. Greg and Philip and William went out hunting once again. This time they were going after wild ducks, so they headed towards the lake. In the first hour they got 10 birds. In the next hour they got another 6.
What a day!
cried Mr. Greg.
This is the best yet!
he said, besides himself with joy. Then, just then, 4 more wild ducks flew The ducks flew over their heads. They were flying very low. They were easy to hit. Bang, bang, bang, bang went the guns. The ducks flew on.
We missed!
Said Mr Gregg.
That's funny!
Then, to everyone's surprise, the 4 ducks turned around and came flying right back into the guns.
Hey!
Said Mr Gregg.
What on earth are they doing? They are really asking for it this time!
He shot at them all again. So did the boys, and again they all missed. Mr Gregg got very red in the face.
It's the light!
he said.
It's getting too dark to see. Let's go home.
So they started for home, carrying with them the 16 birds they had shot before. But the 4 ducks would not leave them alone. They had now begun flying round and round the hut as they walked away. Mr Gregg did not like that one bit.
Be off! he cried.
And he shot at them many more times. But it was no good. He simply could not hit them. All the way home, 4 ducks flew around in the sky above their heads, and nothing would make them go away. Late that night, after Philip and William had gone to bed, Mr Gregg went outside to get some wood for the fire. He was crossing the yard when all at once he heard the call of a wild duck in the sky. He stopped and looked up. The night was very still. There was a thin yellow moon over the trees on the hill, and the sky was It was filled with stars. Then Mr Gregg heard the noise of wings flying low over his head, and he saw the 4 ducks, dark against the night sky, flying very close together. They were going round and round the house. Mr Gregg forgot about the firewood and hurried back indoors. He was now quite afraid. He did not like what was going on, but he said nothing about it to Mrs Gregg.
All he said was, Come on, let's go to bed. I feel tired.
So they went to bed and to sleep. When the morning came, Mr Gregg was the first to wake up. He opened his eyes. He was about to put out a hand for his watch to see the time, but his hand wouldn't come out.
That's funny. He said, where is my hand?
He lay still, wondering what was. Maybe he had just— maybe he had hurt that hand in some way. He tried the other hand. That wouldn't come out either. He sat up. Then, for the first time, he saw what it looked like. He gave a yell and jumped out of bed. Miss Gregg woke up, and when he When she saw Mr Gregg standing there on the floor, she gave a yell too. For he was now a tiny little man. He was maybe as tall as the seat of a chair, but no taller. And where his arms had been, he had a pair of duck's wings instead.
