"Well, how are you getting on?" asked an old duck, who paid her a
visit.
"One egg is not hatched yet," said the duck, "it will not break.
But just look at all the others, are they not the prettiest little ducklings
you ever saw? They are the image of their father, who is so unkind, he never
comes to see."
"Let me see the egg that will not break," said the duck; "I have
no doubt it is a turkey's egg. I was persuaded to hatch some once, and after
all my care and trouble with the young ones, they were afraid of the water. I
quacked and clucked, but all to no purpose. I could not get them to venture in.
Let me look at the egg. Yes, that is a turkey's egg; take my advice, leave it
where it is and teach the other children to swim."
"I think I will sit on it a little while longer," said the duck;
"as I have sat so long already, a few days will be nothing."
"Please yourself," said the old duck, and she went away.
At last the large egg broke, and a young one crept forth crying, "Peep,
peep." It was very large and ugly. The duck stared at it and exclaimed,
"It is very large and not at all like the others. I wonder if it really is
a turkey. We shall soon find it out, however when we go to the water. It must
go in, if I have to push it myself."
On the next day the weather was delightful, and the sun shone brightly on the
green burdock leaves, so the mother duck took her young brood down to the
water, and jumped in with a splash. "Quack, quack," cried she, and
one after another the little ducklings jumped in. The water closed over their
heads, but they came up again in an instant, and swam about quite prettily with
their legs paddling under them as easily as possible, and the ugly duckling was
also in the water swimming with them.
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