Гадкий утёнок

           Ithinkhewillbequitestrong,andI’msurehewillamounttosomething." 

           "Theotherducklingsareprettyenough,"saidtheoldduck. "Nowmakeyourselvesrightathome,andifyoufindaneel’sheadyoumaybringittome." 

           Sotheyfeltquiteathome. Butthepoorducklingwhohadbeenthelastoneoutofhisegg,andwholookedsougly,waspeckedandpushedaboutandmadefunofbytheducks,andthechickensaswell. "He’stoobig,"saidtheyall. Theturkeygobbler,whothoughthimselfanemperorbecausehewasbornwearingspurs,puffeduplikeashipunderfullsailandboredownuponhim, gobblingandgobblinguntilhewasredintheface. Thepoorducklingdidnotknowwherehedaredstandorwherehedaredwalk. Hewassosadbecausehewassodesperatelyugly,andbecausehewasthelaughingstockofthewholebarnyard. 

           Soitwentonthefirstday,andafterthatthingswentfrombadtoworse.Thepoorducklingwaschasedandbuffetedaboutbyeveryone.Evenhisownbrothersandsistersabusedhim. "Oh,"theywouldalwayssay,"howwewishthecatwouldcatchyou,youuglything." Andhismothersaid, "HowIdowishyouweremilesaway." Theducksnippedhim,andthehenspeckedhim,andthegirlwhofedthemkickedhimwithherfoot. 

           Soheranaway;andheflewoverthefence. Thelittlebirdsinthebushesdartedupinafright. "That’sbecauseI’msougly," hethought,andclosedhiseyes,butheranonjustthesameuntilhereachedthegreatmarshwherethewildduckslived. Therehelayallnightlong,wearyanddisheartened.