the ugly duckling-第2章

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his　back；　and　purr；　and　could　even　throw　out　sparks　from　his　fur　if　it

were　stroked　the　wrong　way。　The　hen　had　very　short　legs；　so　she　was

called　〃Chickie　short　legs。〃　She　laid　good　eggs；　and　her　mistress

loved　her　as　if　she　had　been　her　own　child。　In　the　morning；　the

strange　visitor　was　discovered；　and　the　tom　cat　began　to　purr；　and　the

hen　to　cluck。

　　　　〃What　is　that　noise　about？〃　said　the　old　woman；　looking　round

the　room；　but　her　sight　was　not　very　good；　therefore；　when　she　saw　the

duckling　she　thought　it　must　be　a　fat　duck；　that　had　strayed　from

home。　〃Oh　what　a　prize！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　hope　it　is　not　a　drake；　for

then　I　shall　have　some　duck's　eggs。　I　must　wait　and　see。〃　So　the

duckling　was　allowed　to　remain　on　trial　for　three　weeks；　but　there

were　no　eggs。　Now　the　tom　cat　was　the　master　of　the　house；　and　the　hen

was　mistress；　and　they　always　said；　〃We　and　the　world；〃　for　they

believed　themselves　to　be　half　the　world；　and　the　better　half　too。　The

duckling　thought　that　others　might　hold　a　different　opinion　on　the

subject；　but　the　hen　would　not　listen　to　such　doubts。　〃Can　you　lay

eggs？〃　she　asked。　〃No。〃　〃Then　have　the　goodness　to　hold　your

tongue。〃　〃Can　you　raise　your　back；　or　purr；　or　throw　out　sparks？〃　said

the　tom　cat。　〃No。〃　〃Then　you　have　no　right　to　express　an　opinion

when　sensible　people　are　speaking。〃　So　the　duckling　sat　in　a　corner；

feeling　very　low　spirited；　till　the　sunshine　and　the　fresh　air　came

into　the　room　through　the　open　door；　and　then　he　began　to　feel　such

a　great　longing　for　a　swim　on　the　water；　that　he　could　not　help

telling　the　hen。

　　　　〃What　an　absurd　idea；〃　said　the　hen。　〃You　have　nothing　else　to　do；

therefore　you　have　foolish　fancies。　If　you　could　purr　or　lay　eggs；

they　would　pass　away。〃

　　　　〃But　it　is　so　delightful　to　swim　about　on　the　water；〃　said　the

duckling；　〃and　so　refreshing　to　feel　it　close　over　your　head；　while

you　dive　down　to　the　bottom。〃

　　　　〃Delightful；　indeed！〃　said　the　hen；　〃why　you　must　be　crazy！　Ask

the　cat；　he　is　the　cleverest　animal　I　know；　ask　him　how　he　would

like　to　swim　about　on　the　water；　or　to　dive　under　it；　for　I　will　not

speak　of　my　own　opinion；　ask　our　mistress；　the　old　woman…　there　is

no　one　in　the　world　more　clever　than　she　is。　Do　you　think　she　would

like　to　swim；　or　to　let　the　water　close　over　her　head？〃

　　　　〃You　don't　understand　me；〃　said　the　duckling。

　　　　〃We　don't　understand　you？　Who　can　understand　you；　I　wonder？　Do　you

consider　yourself　more　clever　than　the　cat；　or　the　old　woman？　I　will

say　nothing　of　myself。　Don't　imagine　such　nonsense；　child；　and　thank

your　good　fortune　that　you　have　been　received　here。　Are　you　not　in　a

warm　room；　and　in　society　from　which　you　may　learn　something。　But

you　are　a　chatterer；　and　your　company　is　not　very　agreeable。　Believe

me；　I　speak　only　for　your　own　good。　I　may　tell　you　unpleasant

truths；　but　that　is　a　proof　of　my　friendship。　I　advise　you；　therefore；

to　lay　eggs；　and　learn　to　purr　as　quickly　as　possible。〃

　　　　〃I　believe　I　must　go　out　into　the　world　again；〃　said　the　duckling。

　　　　〃Yes；　do；〃　said　the　hen。　So　the　duckling　left　the　cottage；　and

soon　found　water　on　which　it　could　swim　and　dive；　but　was　avoided　by

all　other　animals；　because　of　its　ugly　appearance。　Autumn　came；　and

the　leaves　in　the　forest　turned　to　orange　and　gold。　then；　as　winter

approached；　the　wind　caught　them　as　they　fell　and　whirled　them　in

the　cold　air。　The　clouds；　heavy　with　hail　and　snow…flakes；　hung　low　in

the　sky；　and　the　raven　stood　on　the　ferns　crying；　〃Croak；　croak。〃　It

made　one　shiver　with　cold　to　look　at　him。　All　this　was　very　sad　for

the　poor　little　duckling。　One　evening；　just　as　the　sun　set　amid

radiant　clouds；　there　came　a　large　flock　of　beautiful　birds　out　of　the

bushes。　The　duckling　had　never　seen　any　like　them　before。　They　were

swans；　and　they　curved　their　graceful　necks；　while　their　soft

plumage　shown　with　dazzling　whiteness。　They　uttered　a　singular　cry；　as

they　spread　their　glorious　wings　and　flew　away　from　those　cold　regions

to　warmer　countries　across　the　sea。　As　they　mounted　higher　and

higher　in　the　air；　the　ugly　little　duckling　felt　quite　a　strange

sensation　as　he　watched　them。　He　whirled　himself　in　the　water　like　a

wheel；　stretched　out　his　neck　towards　them；　and　uttered　a　cry　so

strange　that　it　frightened　himself。　Could　he　ever　forget　those

beautiful；　happy　birds；　and　when　at　last　they　were　out　of　his　sight；

he　dived　under　the　water；　and　rose　again　almost　beside　himself　with

excitement。　He　knew　not　the　names　of　these　birds；　nor　where　they　had

flown；　but　he　felt　towards　them　as　he　had　never　felt　for　any　other

bird　in　the　world。　He　was　not　envious　of　these　beautiful　creatures；

but　wished　to　be　as　lovely　as　they。　Poor　ugly　creature；　how　gladly

he　would　have　lived　even　with　the　ducks　had　they　only　given　him

encouragement。　The　winter　grew　colder　and　colder；　he　was　obliged　to

swim　about　on　the　water　to　keep　it　from　freezing；　but　every　night

the　space　on　which　he　swam　became　smaller　and　smaller。　At　length　it

froze　so　hard　that　the　ice　in　the　water　crackled　as　he　moved；　and

the　duckling　had　to　paddle　with　his　legs　as　well　as　he　could；　to

keep　the　space　from　closing　up。　He　became　exhausted　at　last；　and　lay

still　and　helpless；　frozen　fast　in　the　ice。

　　　　Early　in　the　morning；　a　peasant；　who　was　passing　by；　saw　what

had　happened。　He　broke　the　ice　in　pieces　with　his　wooden　shoe；　and

carried　the　duckling　home　to　his　wife。　The　warmth　revived　the　poor

little　creature；　but　when　the　children　wanted　to　play　with　him；　the

duckling　thought　they　would　do　him　some　harm；　so　he　started　up　in

terror；　fluttered　into　the　milk…pan；　and　splashed　the　milk　about　the

room。　Then　the　woman　clapped　her　hands；　which　frightened　him　still

more。　He　flew　first　into　the　butter…cask；　then　into　the　meal…tub；

and　out　again。　What　a　condition　he　was　in！　The　woman　screamed；　and

struck　at　him　with　the　tongs；　the　children　laughed　and　screamed；　and

tumbled　over　each　other；　in　their　efforts　to　catch　him；　but　luckily　he

escaped。　The　door　stood　open；　the　poor　creature　could　just　manage　to

slip　out　among　the　bushes；　and　lie　down　quite　exhausted　in　the　newly

fallen　snow。

　　　　It　would　be　very　sad；　were　I　to　relate　all　the　misery　and

privations　which　the　poor　little　duckling　endured　during　the　hard

winter；　but　when　it　had　passed；　he　found　himself　lying　one　morning

in　a　moor；　amongst　the　rushes。　He　felt　the　warm　sun　shining；　and　heard

the　lark　singing；　and　saw　that　all　around　was　beautiful　spring。　Then

the　young　bird　felt　that　his　wings　were　strong；　as　he　flapped　them

against　his　sides；　and　rose　high　into　the　air。　They　bore　him

onwards；　until　he　found　himself　in　a　large　garden；　before　he　well　knew

how　it　had　happened。　The　apple…trees　were　in　full　blossom；　and　the

fragrant　elders　bent　their　long　green　branches　down　to　the　stream

which　wound　round　a　smooth　lawn。　Everything　looked　beautiful；　in　the

freshness　of　early　spring。　From　a　thicket　close　by　came　three

beautiful　white　swans；　rustling　their　feathers；　and　swimming　lightly

over　the　smooth　water。　The　duckling　remembered　the　lovely　birds；　and

felt　more　strangely　unhappy　than　ever。

　　　　〃I　will　fly　to　those　royal　birds；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃and　they　will

kill　me；　because　I　am　so　ugly；　and　dare　to　approach　them；　but　it

does　not　matter：　better　be　killed　by　them　than　pecked　by　the　ducks；

beaten　by　the　hens；　pushed　about　by　the　maiden　who　feeds　the

poultry；　or　starved　with　hunger　in　the　winter。〃

　　　　Then　he　flew　to　the　water；　and　swam　towards　the　beautiful　swans。

The　moment　they　espied　the　stranger；　they　rushed　to　meet　him　with

outstretched　wings。

　　　　〃Kill　me；〃　said　the　poor　bird；　and　he　bent　his　head　down　to　the

surface　of　the　water；　and　awaited　death。

　　　　But　what　did　he　see　in　the　clear　stream　below？　His　own　image；　no

longer　a　dark；　gray　bird；　ugly　and　disagreeable　to　look　at；　but　a

graceful　and　beautiful　swan。　To　be　born　in　a　duck's　nest；　in　a

farmyard；　is　of　no　consequence　to　a　bird；　if　it　is　hatched　from　a

swan's　egg。　He　now　felt　glad　at　having　suffered　sorrow　and　trouble；

because　it　enabled　him　to　enjoy　so　much　better　all　the　pleasure　and

happiness　around　him；　for　the　great　swans　swam　round　the　new…comer；

and　stroked　his　neck　with　their　beaks；　as　a　welcome。

　　　　Into　the　garden　presently　came　some　little　children；　and　threw

bread　and　cake　into　the　water。

　　　　〃See；〃　cried　the　youngest；　〃there　is　a　new　one；〃　and　the　rest　were

delighted；　and　ran　to　their　father　and　mother；　dancing　and　clapping

their　hands；　and　shouting　joyously；　〃There　is　another　swan　come；　a　new

one　has　arrived。〃

　　　　Then　they　threw　more　bread　and　cake　into　the　water；　and　said；　〃The

new　one　is　the　most　beautiful　of　all；　he　is　so　young　and　pretty。〃

And　the　old　swans　bowed　their　heads　before　him。

　　　　Then　he　felt　quite　ashamed；　and　hid　his　head　under　his　wing；　for

he　did　not　know　what　to　do；　he　was　so　happy；　and　yet　not　at　all　proud。

He　had　been　persecuted　and　despised　for　his　ugliness；　and　now　he　heard

them　say　he　was　the　most　beautiful　of　all　the　birds。　Even　the

elder…tree　bent　down　its　bows　into　the　water　before　him；　and　the　sun

shone　warm　and　bright。　Then　he　rustled　his　feathers；　curved　his

slender　neck；　and　cried　joyfully；　from　the　depths　of　his　heart；　〃I

never　dreamed　of　such　happiness　as　this；　while　I　was　an　ugly

duckling。〃





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