the ugly duckling-第2章

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coming　round　him。

　　　　He　bowed　to　them；　and　was　as　polite　as　he　could　be；　but　he　did　not

reply　to　their　question。　〃You　are　exceedingly　ugly；〃　said　the　wild

ducks；　〃but　that　will　not　matter　if　you　do　not　want　to　marry　one　of

our　family。〃

　　　　Poor　thing！　he　had　no　thoughts　of　marriage；　all　he　wanted　was

permission　to　lie　among　the　rushes；　and　drink　some　of　the　water　on　the

moor。　After　he　had　been　on　the　moor　two　days；　there　came　two　wild

geese；　or　rather　goslings；　for　they　had　not　been　out　of　the　egg

long；　and　were　very　saucy。　〃Listen；　friend；〃　said　one　of　them　to　the

duckling；　〃you　are　so　ugly；　that　we　like　you　very　well。　Will　you　go

with　us；　and　become　a　bird　of　passage？　Not　far　from　here　is　another

moor；　in　which　there　are　some　pretty　wild　geese；　all　unmarried。　It

is　a　chance　for　you　to　get　a　wife；　you　may　be　lucky；　ugly　as　you　are。〃

　　　　〃Pop；　pop；〃　sounded　in　the　air；　and　the　two　wild　geese　fell　dead

among　the　rushes；　and　the　water　was　tinged　with　blood。　〃Pop；　pop；〃

echoed　far　and　wide　in　the　distance；　and　whole　flocks　of　wild　geese

rose　up　from　the　rushes。　The　sound　continued　from　every　direction；　for

the　sportsmen　surrounded　the　moor；　and　some　were　even　seated　on

branches　of　trees；　overlooking　the　rushes。　The　blue　smoke　from　the

guns　rose　like　clouds　over　the　dark　trees；　and　as　it　floated　away

across　the　water；　a　number　of　sporting　dogs　bounded　in　among　the

rushes；　which　bent　beneath　them　wherever　they　went。　How　they　terrified

the　poor　duckling！　He　turned　away　his　head　to　hide　it　under　his

wing；　and　at　the　same　moment　a　large　terrible　dog　passed　quite　near

him。　His　jaws　were　open；　his　tongue　hung　from　his　mouth；　and　his

eyes　glared　fearfully。　He　thrust　his　nose　close　to　the　duckling；

showing　his　sharp　teeth；　and　then；　〃splash；　splash；〃　he　went　into

the　water　without　touching　him；　〃Oh；〃　sighed　the　duckling；　〃how

thankful　I　am　for　being　so　ugly；　even　a　dog　will　not　bite　me。〃　And

so　he　lay　quite　still；　while　the　shot　rattled　through　the　rushes；

and　gun　after　gun　was　fired　over　him。　It　was　late　in　the　day　before

all　became　quiet；　but　even　then　the　poor　young　thing　did　not　dare　to

move。　He　waited　quietly　for　several　hours；　and　then；　after　looking

carefully　around　him；　hastened　away　from　the　moor　as　fast　as　he　could。

He　ran　over　field　and　meadow　till　a　storm　arose；　and　he　could　hardly

struggle　against　it。　Towards　evening；　he　reached　a　poor　little　cottage

that　seemed　ready　to　fall；　and　only　remained　standing　because　it　could

not　decide　on　which　side　to　fall　first。　The　storm　continued　so

violent；　that　the　duckling　could　go　no　farther；　he　sat　down　by　the

cottage；　and　then　he　noticed　that　the　door　was　not　quite　closed　in

consequence　of　one　of　the　hinges　having　given　way。　There　was　therefore

a　narrow　opening　near　the　bottom　large　enough　for　him　to　slip　through；

which　he　did　very　quietly；　and　got　a　shelter　for　the　night。　A　woman；　a

tom　cat；　and　a　hen　lived　in　this　cottage。　The　tom　cat；　whom　the

mistress　called；　〃My　little　son；〃　was　a　great　favorite；　he　could　raise

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　mo