Onelovelysummerinthecountry,MotherDucksatonhernest.Shehadbeenwaitingforhereggstohatchforalongtime.Finallyoneeggbegantocrack.Andthenanother.Fromeachshellcameatinygoldencreaturecrying,”Peep!Peep!”Soonalltheeggswerehatched,exceptone.

　　Atlastthelargestegghatched.Ayoungbirdpeekedout,crying“Peep!Peep!”liketheothers.Butthisduckingwasgrayandquitelarger,andveryugly.

　　MotherDuckstaredathernewbaby.”Youarenotlikemyotherducklings,”shesaid,”Iwonderifyouarereallymyturkey,andnotaducklingatall?”

　　Shetookherducklingstotheriverbanktopracticetheirswimming.MotherDuckwatchedherlargestbaby,becauseitiswellknownthatturkeyscannotswim.

　　Alltheducklingsjumpedfearlesslyintotheriver,Eventheuglyducklingswamgracefully.thoughtMotherDuck:”Heisnotaturkeyatall.”

　　MotherDucjbroughtherfamilytoliveonthenearbyfarm,buttheuglyducklingwasveryunhappythere.Alltheotherduckspickedonhim,callinghimnamesandstealinghisfood.Eventhechickenslaughedattheuglyduckling,andoneturkeypeckedathiminamostviciousway.Thepoorducklingdecidedhemustrunaway.”Thereisnohomeforanuglyduckling,“hesaidmiserably.Heclosedhiseyesandwaddledaway.

　　Throughthewinterhealmoststarvedandnearlyfroze.Then,onedaythewarmspringcame,Theducklingtestedhiswingsandfoundthattheywerestrong.Hedlew,landingbychanceinabeautifulgardenwithaveryclearpond.Andinthepondwerethreebeautifulwhiteswans.

　　Theducklingswamtowardthebeautifulswans,thoughheknewtheywouldlaughandtellhimtogoaway.”I’djustliketoseethem,ifonlyforamoment,“thoughttheuglyduckling.

　　Buttheswansdidnotlaughortellhimgoaway.Theswansstrokedhisneckandwelcomedhim.Theducklinghappenedtoglancedownatthewatermwherehesawhisownreflection.Hewasnolongeragray,uglybird.Hehadgrownuptobeabeautifulwhiteswan!