Other forms: cygnets
Before they become graceful adults covered in their signature white feathers, swans start out as fluffy gray chicks called cygnets.
When they hatch, cygnets are covered in soft, gray feathers, and rely heavily on their parents to protect them and teach them how to swim and find food. As they grow, they shed their downy feathers and develop the sleek, white plumage that swans are famous for. Considering this, it comes as no surprise that in literature cygnets often symbolize the adorably awkward period of childhood and adolescence that comes before maturity.