On June 9, 1934, the world met a cantankerous, half-dressed duck named Donald in a cartoon called The Wise Little Hen. Originally thought to be a friend to Mickey Mouse, this crabby fowl has actually been more of a rival, constantly trying to steal Mickey’s limelight. Some would argue that he has: he has starred in more cartoons than any other Disney character (178 to Mickey’s 176), including many wartime and children’s educational films (one of my favorite childhood memories is herding into the elementary school auditorium to watch Donald in Mathmagic Land),
Donald Duck in Mathmagic Land
and he is the official mascot of the University of Oregon (no other Disney character has been official “loaned” to a school as a mascot). In spite of his apparent jealousy of Mickey’s fame, he is included in the Fab Five (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald Duck) and keeps Mickey company to this day in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
In spite of the many, many characters The Walt Disney Company has created over the years, very few have actual “birthdays.” Donald is the one of very few. He is one special duck, in spite of his cranky, often-unintelligible temper tantrums, so I will happily celebrate his 80th birthday this year with….wait, what do ducks eat? Mickey Mouse is easy – cheesecake – but what do you stick a candle in for Donald’s special day? Corn cakes? Ducks do eat worms, but I will not. Maybe this: http://www.ohnuts.com/blog/dirt-pudding-cups-with-gummy-worms-recipe/
Well, whatever you choose to eat to celebrate, raise a hearty “Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy!” to everyone’s favorite duck today.
Happy Birthday, Donald!
