Гадкий утёнок

           Whenmorningcame,thewildducksflewuptohavealookattheirnewcompanion. "Whatsortofcreatureareyou?"theyasked,astheducklingturnedinalldirections,bowinghisbesttothemall. "Youareterriblyugly,"theytoldhim, "butthat’snothingtoussolongasyoudon’tmarryintoourfamily." 

           Poorduckling! Marriagecertainlyhadneverenteredhismind. Allhewantedwasforthemtolethimlieamongthereedsanddrinkalittlewaterfromthemarsh. 

           Therehestayedfortwowholedays.Thenhemettwowildgeese,orratherwildganders-fortheyweremales. Theyhadnotbeenoutoftheshellverylong,andthat’swhatmadethemsosureofthemselves. 

           "Saythere,comrade,"theysaid, "you’resouglythatwehavetakenafancytoyou. Comewithusandbeabirdofpassage. Inanothermarshnear-by,therearesomefetchingwildgeese,allniceyoungladieswhoknowhowtoquack. Youaresouglythatyou’llcompletelyturntheirheads." 

           Bing!Bang!Shotsrangintheair,andthesetwogandersfelldeadamongthereeds. Thewaterwasredwiththeirblood. Bing!Bang!theshotsrang,andaswholeflocksofwildgeeseflewupfromthereedsanothervolleycrashed. Agreathuntwasinprogress. Thehunterslayundercoverallaroundthemarsh,andsomeevenperchedonbranchesoftreesthatoverhungthereeds. Bluesmokeroselikecloudsfromtheshadeofthetrees,anddriftedfaroutoverthewater. 

           Thebirddogscamesplash,splash!throughtheswamp,bendingdownthereedsandtherushesoneveryside.