Гадкий утёнок

           Thisgavethepoorducklingsuchafrightthathetwistedhisheadabouttohideitunderhiswing. Butatthatverymomentafearfullybigdogappearedrightbesidehim.Histonguelolledoutofhismouthandhiswickedeyesglaredhorribly. Heopenedhiswidejaws,flashedhissharpteeth,and-splash,splash-onhewentwithouttouchingtheduckling. 

           "Thankheavens,"hesighed,"I’msouglythatthedogwon’tevenbothertobiteme." 

           Helayperfectlystill,whilethebulletssplatteredthroughthereedsasshotaftershotwasfired. Itwaslateinthedaybeforethingsbecamequietagain,andeventhenthepoorducklingdidn’tdaremove. Hewaitedseveralhoursbeforeheventuredtolookabouthim,andthenhescurriedawayfromthatmarshasfastashecouldgo. Heranacrossfieldandmeadows.Thewindwassostrongthathehadtostruggletokeephisfeet. 

           Lateintheeveninghecametoamiserablelittlehovel,soramshacklethatitdidnotknowwhichwaytotumble,andthatwastheonlyreasonitstillstood. Thewindstrucktheducklingsohardthatthepoorlittlefellowhadtositdownonhistailtowithstandit. Thestormblewstrongerandstronger,buttheducklingnoticedthatonehingehadcomelooseandthedoorhungsocrookedthathecouldsqueezethroughthecrackintotheroom,andthat’sjustwhathedid. 

           Herelivedanoldwomanwithhercatandherhen. Thecat,whomshecalled"Sonny," couldarchhisback,purr,andevenmakesparks,thoughforthatyouhadtostrokehisfurthewrongway.