” The ugly duckling ”

THE UGLY DUCKLING

It was a sunny morning.

Near a farmhouse, a duck sat on her nest, waiting for her eggs to hatch.

In some time, one after the other, the shells cracked.

Six pretty yellow chicks came out, crying, ”Peep,Peep” .

The mother duck saw that a large grey egg hadn’t hatched yet.

So, she again sat down on it.

At last, the egg broke and a duckling tumbled out of it.

It was grey in color and much largel than the others.

”Is this my child? He looks so different!”

cried the surprised mother duck.

The next day, the mother duck took her brood to the river.

One by one, the little duckling jumped into the water and sawm happily. But the largest duckling swam better than the others.

”How well he swims!” thought the mother duck.

When the other ducks in the farm saw the brood, they said,

”All the ducklings are pretty except this one.

He is big and ugly. We do not want him here.”

”Leave him alone,” said the mother duck. ”He may not be pretty but he swims better than the others!”

But the poor duckling was bitten, pushed, pecked at, and made fun of by all the farm animal. everyone was mean to him beacause he was so ugly. even his brother and sisters were unkind to him. unable to bear this, one day, the poor duckling ran away.

After along journey, the duckling came to a moor where wild ducks lived.

what kind of a bird are you?

the wild ducks asked him.

I am a duckling, he answered.

you dont look like a duckling. you are so big and ugly! teased the wild ducks.

the poor duckling left the moor and reached a small cottage. an old woman lived there with a hen and a cat. ihope you will lay some eggs, said the old woman and took the duckling in.

however, many days passed but the duckling laid no eggs.

go away! you are a good- for-nothing ugly creature, shouted the old woman. she kicked thhe duckling out of her cottage.

the sad duckling roamed about for sometime. finally, he reached a small stream and began to live on the bank of the stream. one day, he saw a flock of beautiiful white swans fly by.

lf only i could be their friend!” thought the duckling.

months passed and winter came.one day,it grew so cold that the water of the stream froze. the duckling decided to take shelter under the reeds, on the bank of the stream. he passed the harsh winter under the reeds.the duckling was cold, hungry and lonely.

finally, the warm sun shone upon him again. winter had passed and spring arrived. the duckling was ahppy. he came out from under the reeds adn flapped his wings. finding them strong, the duckling decided to fly a little.

the duckling flew up in the sky and finally landed in a beautiful garden.there, he saw three swans swimming in a lake. the duckling swam towards them. suddenly, remembering his own ugilness, he stopped.

“they too will hate me as i am so ugly” the duckling thought.as he hung his head in shame, he saw his reflection in the water.

“who is this?” thought the duckling. he was no longer an ugly duckling, but a beautiful, majestic bird that looked just like the swans.

“you are the most beautiful swan we have ever seen!”
said one of the swans who had swum up to him.

now,the duckling realised that he was acutally a swan.

he was filled with happiness.

“i know who i am now! and i will never be lonely again!” he thought.