Thecountrysidewaslovely.Itwassummer.Thewheatwasgoldenandtheoatswerestillgreen.Thehaywasstackedinthelow-lyingmeadows.Therelaygreatwoodsaroundthefieldsandmeadows.Thereweredeeplakesinthemidstofthewoods.Inthesunniestspotstoodanoldmansionsurroundedbyadeepmoat.Greatleavesgrewfromthevinesonthewallsofthehouserightdowntothewater'sedge.Someoftheleavesweresobigthatachildcouldusethemasanumbrella.

　　Inthedepthsofaforestaduckwassittinginhernest.Herlittleducklingswereabouttobehatched

　　Atlastoneeggafteranotherbegantocrack."Cheep,cheep!"theducklingssaid."Quack,quack!"saidtheduck."Howbigtheworldis!"saidalltheyoungones.

　　Butthebiggesteggwasstillthere.Andthenshesettledherselfonthenestagain.

　　"Well,howareyougettingon?"saidanoldduckwhocametopayheravisit."Thiseggistakingsuchalongtime,"answeredthesittingduck."

　　Theshellwillnotcrack,buttheothersarethefinestducklings.Theyareliketheirfather."

　　"letmelookattheeggwhichwon'tcrack,"saidtheoldduck."Youmaybesittingonaturkey'segg!Ihavebeencheatedlikethatonce.Yes.it'saturkey'segg!

　　Youhadbetterleaveitaloneandteachtheotherchildrentoswim."

　　"Iwillsitonitalittlelonger."

　　Atlastthebigeggcracked.Howbiganduglythebabywas!"Thatisaverybigduckling."shesaid,"Noneoftheotherslooklikethat.Canhebeaturkey'schick?Iwillsoonfindout.Iwillmakehimgointowater."

　　Thenextdaythemotherduckwithherfamilywentdowntothemoat.Shesaid,andoneducklingjumpedinafteranother.

　　Thebiguglyoneswamaboutwiththem."No,thatisnoturkey,"shesaid,"Quack,quack!NowcomewithmeandIwilltakeyouintotheworld.Keepclosetomeallthetime.Becarefulofthecat!"Thefirstdaypassed,andeverythingwasfine.

　　Afterwards,mattersgrewworseandworse.Thepoorducklingwaschasedandharassedbyalltheducklingsbecausehewasveryugly.Theducksbithim,thehenspeckedhim.andthegirlwhofedthemkickedhimaside.Thenheranoffandsooncametoagreatmarshwherethewildduckslived.

　　Hewassotiredandmiserablethathestayedtherethewholenight.

　　Inthemorningthewildducksflewuptoseetheirnewfriend."Youareveryugly,"saidthewildducks,"butthatdoesnotmattertous."Hestayedtheretwowholedays.Andthentwowildgeesecame.Justatthatmomentthesoundof"Bang!Bang!"washeard,andboththewildgeesefelldeadamongthereeds.

　　Itwasaterribleshocktothepoorduckling.

　　Abigdogappearedclosebesidehim.Heshowedhissharpteethandwentonwithouttouchinghim.

　　"Oh,thankHeaven!Iamsouglythateventhedogwon'tbiteme!"sighedtheduckling.

　　Intheeveninghereachedalittlecottagewhereanoldwomanlivedwithhercatandherhen.Hereyesightwasnotgood,andshethoughttheducklingwasafatduck.willberichifIhaveduckeggs,"shesaid.Soshetookintheducklingforthreeweeks,buthelaidnoeggs.

　　Thecatwasthemasterofthehouseandthehenwasthemistress.

　　"Canyoulayeggs?"askedthehen.

　　"No,"answeredtheduckling.

　　"Thenyouhadbettergooutintothewideworld,"saidthecat.Soawaywenttheduckling.

　　Oneeveningthesunwasjustsettingwhenaflockofbeautifullargebirdsappearedoutofthebushes.

　　T