the ugly duckling-第3章

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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。〃





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。