"That is impossible, your grace," replied the mother; "he is not
pretty; but he has a very good disposition, and swims as well or even better
than the others. I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has
remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly
formed;" and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers, saying,
"It is a drake, and therefore not of so much consequence. I think he will
grow up strong, and able to take care of himself."
"The other ducklings are graceful enough," said the old duck.
"Now make yourself at home, and if you can find an eel's head, you can
bring it to me."
And so they made themselves comfortable; but the poor duckling, who had crept
out of his shell last of all, and looked so ugly, was bitten and pushed and
made fun of, not only by the ducks, but by all the poultry. "He is too
big," they all said, and the turkey cock, who had been born into the world
with spurs, and fancied himself really an emperor, puffed himself out like a
vessel in full sail, and flew at the duckling, and became quite red in the head
with passion, so that the poor little thing did not know where to go, and was
quite miserable because he was so ugly and laughed at by the whole farmyard. So
it went on from day to day till it got worse and worse. The poor duckling was
driven about by every one; even his brothers and sisters were unkind to him,
and would say, "Ah, you ugly creature, I wish the cat would get you,"
and his mother said she wished he had never been born. The ducks pecked him,
the chickens beat him, and the girl who fed the poultry kicked him with her
feet. So at last he ran away, frightening the little birds in the hedge as he
flew over the palings.
"They are afraid of me because I am ugly," he said. So he closed his
eyes, and flew still farther, until he came out on a large moor, inhabited by
wild ducks. Here he remained the whole night, feeling very tired and sorrowful.
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