Гидке каченя
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.
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