Ducks, eggs, human beings: the ultimate solution

[M.J. Prior]

I tried to write a whole dissertation, but I realize this 
(point f) is the only "important" part:

f) If the Ducks are human beings portrayed as ducks, then 
it's only appropriate that their birth (however human it 
may be "in reality") is also portrayed as duck-like, e.g. 
from eggs.

[Cf. "in reality" Donald would be a human being with hair, 
small eyes, a mouth, ten fingers, human legs, while being 
portrayed as having feathers, large eyes, a beak, eight 
fingers and webbed feet.]

Okay, so here goes...

a) The Ducks are supposed to be 'charicaturized human 
characters' like Tintin and Asterix. 

b) The Ducks are not portrayed like human beings, but as 
large waterfowl.

c) Their birth should be similar to that of human beings, 
since they are human characters, only...

d) Portraying human birth might be considered 
inappropriate, while egg hatching looks pretty innocent 
and inoffensive.

e) Children would be puzzled. Ducks hatch from eggs.
(The Dutch DD weekly still gets letters asking Donald why 
he doesn't *fly on his own wings* instead of drive a car.) 

f) If the Ducks are human beings portrayed as ducks, then 
it's only appropriate that their birth (however human it 
may be "in reality") is also portrayed as duck-like, e.g. 
from eggs.

g) Duck-egg-birth has been portrayed various times in 
Disney comics, while there seem to be no known instances 
of 'mammal birth'. Why would anyone argue for mammal 
birth, if we already have those various instances of egg 
birth?

And to Sigvald: I agree that that Peeweegah 
egg-'n-arrow-sign could or should be considered a sign 
with a general meaning considering all human beings and 
not only Ducks, but then it wouldn't be funny. [But it's 
nice to see that this sign can be explained both ways, 
depending on your preference.]

And to all members who like to regard the Ducks as real 
human beings, an imho not unimportant remark:

Try and compare Donald and Scrooge to Vladek Spiegelman.
Agreed, the Ducks are no real ducks, as Vladek is no real 
Maus, but as human beings the Ducks are far less 
realistic.

Scrooge may meet actual historical persons like Czar 
Nicholas II and John Jacob Astor (both died under awful 
circumstances) and yet he doesn't seem to live in a world 
where Auschwitz has happened.

Michiel Prior.