IT wáś^woś sô beaûtíful in thé countrý. It wáś^woś thé summer tîme. Thé wheat fiêldś were gôldén, thé oats were green, and thé hay stōōd in greât stacks in thé green meadôwś. Thé stork paŕâdėd ábout ámőng them on hiś long red legś, chattéring áway in Ėĝẏpţián, thé lañgυáĝe hê had leaŕned fróm hiś lâdý mőther.

Åll áround thé meadôwś and cornfiêldś grew thick wōōdś, and in thé midst of^uv thé forést wáś^woś a deep lâke. Yes, it wáś^woś beaûtíful, it wáś^woś dėlightful in thé countrý.

In a sunný spot stōōd a pleaśánt ôld farmhouse çircled åll ábout with deep cánalś; and fróm thé wållś down tó^tö thé wåter's edĝe grew greât burdocks, sô high that under thé tållėst of^uv them a little chîld might stand upright. Thé spot wáś^woś aś wîld aś if it had bėen^been in thé verý çenter of^uv thé thick wōōd.

In this snug rėtreat sat a duck upon her nest, wātching^wotching for her young brööd tó^tö hatch; but thé pleaŝure shê had felt at first wáś^woś ålmôst gone; shê had bėgun tó^tö thiñk it a wėárïsőme task, for thé little ones^wőneś were sô long cőming out of^uv their shellś, and shê seldóm had viśítoŕś. Thé őther ducks lîked much better tó^tö swim ábout in thé cánalś than tó^tö clîmb thé slippérý bañks and sit under thé burdock leaveś tó^tö have a gossíp with her. It wáś^woś a long tîme tó^tö stay sô much bŷ herself.

At length, however, one^wőne shell cracked, and söön ánőther, and fróm each câme a living creaťure that liftėd its head and crîed "Peep, peep."

"Qυack, qυack!" sãid thé mőther; and then they åll trîed tó^tö say it, töö, aś well aś they cōūld, whîle they lōōked åll ábout them on everý sîde at thé tåll green leaveś. Their mőther állowed them tó^tö lōōk ábout aś much aś they lîked, bėcauśe green iś gōōd for thé eŷeś.

"Whåt a greât woŕld it iś, tó^tö bê ŝūre," sãid thé little ones^wőneś, when they found how much more rööm they had than when they were in thé eggshell.

"Iś this åll thé woŕld, dö yöü imaĝíne?" sãid thé mőther. "Wait till yöü have seen thé gardén. Far bėyond that it stretchėś down tó^tö thé pastoŕ's fiêld, thôugh Î have never ventûŕed tó^tö such a distánçe. Are yöü åll out?" shê cóntinûed, rîśing tó^tö lōōk. "Nô, not åll; thé larĝést egg lîeś theŕe yet, Î dėclãŕe. Î wőnder how long this buśinėss^biś iś tó^tö last. Î'm rêallý bėginning tó^tö bê tîred of^uv it;" but for åll that shê sat down ágãin.

"Well, and how are yöü tó^tö-day?" qυacked an ôld duck whö câme tó^tö pay her a viśit.

"Theŕe's one^wőne egg that tâkes a deal of^uv hatching. Thé shell iś hard and will not breâk," sãid thé fond mőther, whö sat still upon her nest. "But just lōōk at thé őtherś. Have Î not a prėttý famílý? Are they not thé prėttïést little ducklingś yöü ever saw? They are thé imáĝe of^uv their fāther—thé gōōd for naught! Hê never cőmeś tó^tö see mê."

"Let mê see thé egg that will not breâk," sãid thé ôld duck. "Î've nô doubt it's a Guinea fowl's egg. Thé sâme thing happéned tó^tö mê őnçe^wőnçe, and a deal of^uv trouble it gâve mê, for thé young ones^wőneś are áfraid of^uv thé wåter. Î qυacked and clucked, but åll tó^tö nô purpóse. Let mê tâke a lōōk at it. Yes, Î am right; it's a Guinea fowl, upon mŷ woŕd; sô tâke mŷ advîçe and leave it wheŕe it iś. Cőme tó^tö thé wåter and teach thé őther childrén tó^tö swim."

"Î thiñk Î will sit a little whîle loñger," sãid thé mőther. "Î have sat sô long, a day or twö more wôn't matter."

"Verý well, pleaśe yøurself," sãid thé ôld duck, rîśing; and shê went áway.

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At last thé greât egg brôke, and thé lâtést bird crîed "Peep, peep," aś hê crept forth fróm thé shell. How big and uglý hê wáś^woś! Thé mőther duck stãŕed at him and did not knôw whåt tó^tö thiñk. "Rêallý," shê sãid, "this iś an ėnormoús duckling, and it iś not at åll lîke ãný of^uv thé őtherś. Î wőnder if hê will turn out tó^tö bê a Guinea fowl. Well, wê shall see when wê get tó^tö thé wåter—for intö thé wåter hê must gô, êvén if Î have tó^tö pūsh him in mŷself."

On thé next day thé weather wáś^woś dėlightful. Thé sun shoneyy brightlý on thé green burdock leaveś, and thé mőther duck tōōk her whôle famílý down tó^tö thé wåter and jumped in with a splash. "Qυack, qυack!" crîed shê, and one^wőne after ánőther thé little ducklingś jumped in. Thé wåter clôśed ôver their headś, but they câme up ágãin in an instánt and swam ábout qυîte prettilý, with their legś paddling under them aś eaśílý aś possíble; their legś went of^uv their ôwn áccord; and thé uglý gray-coat wáś^woś ålsô in thé wåter, swimming with them.

"Ôh," sãid thé mőther, "that iś not a Guinea fowl. See how well hê ûśėś hiś legś, and how ėrect hê hôldś himself! Hê iś mŷ ôwn chîld, and hê iś not sô verý uglý after åll, if yöü lōōk at him properlý. Qυack, qυack! cőme with mê now. Î will tâke yöü intö grand sóçîétý and intródüçe yöü tó^tö thé farmyard, but yöü must keep clôse tó^tö mê or yöü may bê troddén upon; and, ábőve åll, bėwãŕe of^uv thé cat."

When they reached thé farmyard, theŕe wáś^woś a wretchėd rîót gôing on; twö famíliêś were fighting for an eel's head, which, after åll, wáś^woś carriêd off bŷ thé cat. "See, childrén, that iś thé way of^uv thé woŕld," sãid thé mőther duck, whetting her beak, for shê wōūld have lîked thé eel's head herself. "Cőme, now, ûśe yøur legś, and let mê see how well yöü can bėhâve. Yöü must bow yøur headś prettilý tó^tö that ôld duck yonder; shê iś thé highést born of^uv them åll and haś Spanish blōōd; theŕefore shê iś well off. Dôn't yöü see shê haś a red rag tîed tó^tö her leg, which iś sőmething verý grand and a greât honoŕ for a duck; it shôwś that everý one^wőne iś añxioús not tó^tö löśe her, and that shê iś tó^tö bê nôtiçed bŷ bôth man and beast. Cőme, now, dôn't turn in yøur tôeś; a well-bred duckling spreadś hiś feet wîde ápart, just lîke hiś fāther and mőther, in this way; now bend yøur necks and say 'Qυack!'"

Thé ducklingś did aś they were bâde, but thé őther ducks stãŕed, and sãid, "Lōōk, hėŕe cőmeś ánőther brööd—aś if theŕe were not enough^ėnouf of^uv us ålreadý! And bless mê, whåt a qυeeŕ-lōōking object one^wőne of^uv them iś; wê dôn't want^wont him hėŕe"; and then one^wőne flew out and bit him in thé neck.

"Let him álône," sãid thé mőther; "hê iś not döing ãný harm."

"Yes, but hê iś sô big and uglý. Hê's a perfect fright," sãid thé spîteful duck, "and theŕefore hê must bê turned out. A little bîting will dö him gōōd."

"Thé őtherś are verý prėttý childrén," sãid thé ôld duck with thé rag on her leg, "åll but that one^wőne. Î wish hiś mőther cōūld smööth him up a bit; hê iś rêallý ill-favoŕed."

"That iś impossíble, yøur grâçe," rėplîed thé mőther. "Hê iś not prėttý, but hê haś a verý gōōd dispóśition and swimś aś well aś thé őtherś or êvén better. Î thiñk hê will grôw up prėttý, and perhaps bê småller. Hê haś rėmained töö long in thé egg, and theŕefore hiś figure iś not properlý formed;" and then shê strôked hiś neck and smööthed thé featherś, sâying: "It iś a drâke, and theŕefore not of^uv sô much conséqυénçe. Î thiñk hê will grôw up strong and âble tó^tö tâke cãŕe of^uv himself."

"Thé őther ducklingś are grâçeful enough^ėnouf," sãid thé ôld duck. "Now mâke yøurself at hôme, and if yöü fînd an eel's head yöü can bring it tó^tö mê."

And sô they mâde themselveś cómfoŕtáble; but thé pōōr duckling whö had crept out of^uv hiś shell last of^uv åll and lōōked sô uglý wáś^woś bittén and pūshed and mâde fun of^uv, not ônlý bŷ thé ducks but bŷ åll thé pôultrý.

"Hê iś töö big," they åll sãid; and thé turkêy cock, whö had bėen^been born intö thé woŕld with spurś and fançiêd himself rêallý an empéroŕ, puffed himself out lîke a vessél in fūll sail and flew at thé duckling. Hê bėcâme qυîte red in thé head with paŝŝion, sô that thé pōōr little thing did not knôw wheŕe tó^tö gô, and wáś^woś qυîte miśeráble bėcauśe hê wáś^woś sô uglý aś tó^tö bê lāughed^lāufed at bŷ thé whôle farmyard.

Sô it went on fróm day tó^tö day; it got woŕse and woŕse. Thé pōōr duckling wáś^woś drivén ábout bŷ everý one^wőne; êvén hiś brőtherś and sisterś were unkînd tó^tö him and wōūld say, "Āh, yöü uglý creaťure, Î wish thé cat wōūld get yöü" and hiś mőther had bėen^been heaŕd tó^tö say shê wished hê had never bėen^been born. Thé ducks pecked him, thé chickénś beat him, and thé girl whö fed thé pôultrý pūshed him with her feet. Sô at last hê ran áway, frighténing thé little birdś in thé hedĝe aś hê flew ôver thé pâlingś. "They are áfraid bėcauśe Î am sô uglý," hê sãid. Sô hê flew still farther, until hê câme out on a larĝe moor inhabítéd bŷ wîld ducks. Hėŕe hê rėmained thé whôle night, feeling verý sorrôwful.

In thé morning, when thé wîld ducks rôśe in thé ãir, they stãŕed at their new comrade. "Whåt sort of^uv a duck are yöü?" they åll sãid, cőming round him.

Hê bowed tó^tö them and wáś^woś aś pólîte aś hê cōūld bê, but hê did not rėplŷ tó^tö their qυestion. "Yöü are ėxceedinglý uglý," sãid thé wîld ducks; "but that will not matter if yöü dö not want^wont tó^tö marrý one^wőne of^uv õυŕ famílý."

Pōōr thing! hê had nô thøughts of^uv marriaĝe; åll hê wanted^wontéd wáś^woś permiŝŝion tó^tö lîe ámőng thé rushėś and driñk sőme of^uv thé wåter on thé moor. After hê had bėen^been on thé moor twö dayś, theŕe câme twö wîld geese, or rather goślingś, for they had not bėen^been out of^uv thé egg long, which áccounts for their impertínénçe. "Listén, friend," sãid one^wőne of^uv them tó^tö thé duckling; "yöü are sô uglý that wê lîke yöü verý well. Will yöü gô with us and bėcőme a bird of^uv passáĝe? Not far fróm hėŕe iś ánőther moor, in which theŕe are sőme wîld geese, åll of^uv them unmarriêd. It iś a chançe for yöü tó^tö get a wîfe. Yöü may mâke yøur forťüne, uglý aś yöü are."

"Bang, bang," soundėd in thé ãir, and thé twö wîld geese fell dead ámőng thé rushėś, and thé wåter wáś^woś tinged with blōōd. "Bang, bang," echôed far and wîde in thé distánçe, and whôle flocks of^uv wîld geese rôśe up fróm thé rushėś.

Thé sound cóntinûed fróm everý dîrection, for thé sportsmėn súrroundėd thé moor, and sőme were êvén seatėd on branchėś of^uv treeś, ôverlōōking thé rushėś. Thé blüe smôke fróm thé gunś rôśe lîke cloudś ôver thé dark treeś, and aś it floatėd áway ácross thé wåter, a number of^uv sporting dogś boundėd in ámőng thé rushėś, which bent bėneath them wheŕever they went. How they terrífîed thé pōōr duckling! Hê turned áway hiś head tó^tö hîde it under hiś wing, and at thé sâme mômént a larĝe, terríble dog passed qυîte nėaŕ him. Hiś jawś were ôpén, hiś tőngue hung fróm hiś mouth, and hiś eŷeś glãred fėaŕfullý. Hê thrust hiś nôśe clôse tó^tö thé duckling, shôwing hiś sharp teeth, and then "splash, splash," hê went intö thé wåter, without touching him.

"Ôh," sighed thé duckling, "how thañkful Î am for bêing sô uglý; êvén a dog will not bîte mê."

And sô hê lay qυîte still, whîle thé shot rattled thröügh thé rushėś, and gun after gun wáś^woś fîŕed ôver him. It wáś^woś lâte in thé day bėfore åll bėcâme qυîét, but êvén then thé pōōr young thing did not dãŕe tó^tö möve. Hê waitėd qυîétlý for severál hõυŕś and then, after lōōking cãŕefullý áround him, hâsténed áway fróm thé moor aś fast aś hê cōūld. Hê ran ôver fiêld and meadôw till a storm árôśe, and hê cōūld hardlý struggle ágãinst it.

Tówårdś êvening hê reached a pōōr little cottáĝe that seemed readý tó^tö fåll, and ônlý seemed tó^tö rėmain standing bėcauśe it cōūld not dėçîde on which sîde tó^tö fåll first. Thé storm cóntinûed sô vîólént that thé duckling cōūld gô nô farther. Hê sat down bŷ thé cottáĝe, and then hê nôtiçed that thé door wáś^woś not qυîte clôśed, in conséqυénçe of^uv one^wőne of^uv thé hinĝėś having givén way. Theŕe wáś^woś, theŕefore, a narrôw ôpéning nėaŕ thé bottóm larĝe enough^ėnouf for him tó^tö slip thröügh, which hê did verý qυîétlý, and got a shelter for thé night. Hėŕe, in this cottáĝe, lived a wōmán, a cat, and a hen. Thé cat, whöm hiś mistréss cålled "Mŷ little sőn," wáś^woś a greât fâvórite; hê cōūld raiśe hiś back, and purr, and cōūld êvén thrôw out sparks fróm hiś fur if it were strôked thé wrong way. Thé hen had verý short legś, sô shê wáś^woś cålled "Chickê Short-legś." Shê laid gōōd eggś, and her mistréss lőved her aś if shê had bėen^been her ôwn chîld. In thé morning thé strânĝe viśítoŕ wáś^woś discővered; thé cat bėgan tó^tö purr and thé hen tó^tö cluck.

"Whåt iś that noiśe ábout?" sãid thé ôld wōmán, lōōking áround thé rööm. But her sight wáś^woś not verý gōōd; theŕefore when shê saw thé duckling shê thøught it must bê a fat duck that had strayed fróm hôme. "Ôh, whåt a prîze!" shê ėxclaimed. "Î hôpe it iś not a drâke, for then Î shall have sőme ducks' eggś. Î must wait and see."

Sô thé duckling wáś^woś állowed tó^tö rėmain on trîál for three weeks; but theŕe were nô eggś.

Now thé cat wáś^woś thé master of^uv thé house, and thé hen wáś^woś thé mistréss; and they ålwayś sãid, "Wê and thé woŕld," for they bėliêved themselveś tó^tö bê hālf thé woŕld, and bŷ far thé better hālf, töö. Thé duckling thøught that őtherś might hôld a differént ópinĩón on thé subject, but thé hen wōūld not listén tó^tö such doubts.

"Can yöü lay eggś?" shê asked. "Nô." "Then have thé gōōdnéss tó^tö çease tålking." "Can yöü raiśe yøur back, or purr, or thrôw out sparks?" sãid thé cat. "Nô." "Then yöü have nô right tó^tö ėxpress an ópinĩón when sensíble pêople are speaking." Sô thé duckling sat in a corner, feeling verý lôw-spiritėd; but when thé sunshîne and thé fresh ãir câme intö thé rööm thröügh thé ôpén door, hê bėgan tó^tö feel such a greât longing for a swim that hê cōūld not help speaking of^uv it.

"Whåt an ábsurd îdêá!" sãid thé hen. "Yöü have nőthing else tó^tö dö; theŕefore yöü have föölish fançiêś. If yöü cōūld purr or lay eggś, they wōūld pass áway."

"But it iś sô dėlightful tó^tö swim ábout on thé wåter," sãid thé duckling, "and sô rėfreshing tó^tö feel it clôse ôver yøur head whîle yöü dîve down tó^tö thé bottóm."

"Dėlightful, indeed! it must bê a qυeeŕ sort of^uv pleaŝure," sãid thé hen. "Whŷ, yöü must bê crâzý! Ask thé cat—hê iś thé cleverest anímál Î knôw; ask him how hê wōūld lîke tó^tö swim ábout on thé wåter, or tó^tö dîve under it, for Î will not speak of^uv mŷ ôwn ópinĩón. Ask õυŕ mistréss, thé ôld wōmán; theŕe iś nô one^wőne in thé woŕld more clever than shê iś. Dö yöü thiñk shê wōūld relish swimming and letting thé wåter clôśe ôver her head?"

"Î see yöü dôn't understand mê," sãid thé duckling.

"Wê dôn't understand yöü? Whö can understand yöü, Î wőnder? Dö yöü cónsider yøurself more clever than thé cat or thé ôld wōmán?—Î will say nőthing of^uv mŷself. Dôn't imaĝíne such nonsense, chîld, and thañk yøur gōōd forťüne that yöü have bėen^been sô well rėçêived hėŕe. Are yöü not in a wårm rööm and in sóçîétý fróm which yöü may leaŕn sőmething? But yöü are a chattérer, and yøur cőmpáný iś not verý ágrêeáble. Bėliêve mê, Î speak ônlý for yøur gōōd. Î may tell yöü unpleaśánt trüths, but that iś a prööf of^uv mŷ friendship. Î ádvîśe yöü, theŕefore, tó^tö lay eggś and leaŕn tó^tö purr aś qυicklý aś possíble."

"Î bėliêve Î must gô out intö thé woŕld ágãin," sãid thé duckling.

"Yes, dö," sãid thé hen. Sô thé duckling left thé cottáĝe and söön found wåter on which it cōūld swim and dîve, but hê wáś^woś ávoidėd bŷ åll őther anímálś bėcauśe of^uv hiś uglý áppėáránçe.

Autumn câme, and thé leaveś in thé forést turned tó^tö øránĝe and gôld; then, aś winter ápproached, thé wind caught them aś they fell and whirled them intö thé côld ãir. Thé cloudś, heavý with hail and snôwflâkes, hung lôw in thé skŷ, and thé râvén stōōd ámőng thé reedś, crŷing, "Croak, croak." It mâde one^wőne shiver with côld tó^tö lōōk at him. Åll this wáś^woś verý sad for thé pōōr little duckling.

One^wőne êvening, just aś thé sun wáś^woś setting ámid râdïánt cloudś, theŕe câme a larĝe flock of^uv beaûtíful birdś out of^uv thé būshéś. Thé duckling had never seen ãný lîke them bėfore. They were swånś^swonś; and they curved their grâçeful necks, whîle their soft plümáĝe shoneyy with dazzling whîtenéss. They uttered a siñgûlaŕ crŷ aś they spread their glorïoús wingś and flew áway fróm thôśe côld rêĝiónś tó^tö wårmer countriêś ácross thé sea. They mountėd higher and higher in thé ãir, and thé uglý little duckling had a strânĝe sensâtion aś hê wātched^wotched them. Hê whirled himself in thé wåter lîke a wheel, stretched out hiś neck tówårdś them, and uttered a crŷ sô strânĝe that it frighténed êvén himself. Cōūld hê ever foŕget thôśe beaûtíful, happý birdś! And when at last they were out of^uv hiś sight, hê dîved under thé wåter and rôśe ágãin ålmôst bėsîde himself with ėxcîtemént. Hê knew not thé nâmeś of^uv thêśe birdś nor wheŕe they had flôwn, but hê felt tówårdś them aś hê had never felt tówårdś ãný őther bird in thé woŕld.

Hê wáś^woś not envïoús of^uv thêśe beaûtíful creaťureś; it never óccurŕed tó^tö him tó^tö wish tó^tö bê aś lővelý aś they. Pōōr uglý creaťure, how gladlý hê wōūld have lived êvén with thé ducks, had they ônlý treatėd him kîndlý and givén him encouráĝemént.

Thé winter grew côlder and côlder; hê wáś^woś óblîĝed tó^tö swim ábout on thé wåter tó^tö keep it fróm freezing, but everý night thé spâçe on which hê swam bėcâme småller and småller. At length it frôze sô hard that thé îçe in thé wåter crackled aś hê möved, and thé duckling had tó^tö paddle with hiś legś aś well aś hê cōūld, tó^tö keep thé spâçe fróm clôśing up. Hê bėcâme ėxhaustėd at last and lay still and helpléss, frôzén fast in thé îçe.

Yeaŕlý in thé morning a peaśánt whö wáś^woś passing bŷ saw whåt had happéned. Hê brôke thé îçe in piêçėś with hiś wōōdén shöe and carriêd thé duckling hôme tó^tö hiś wîfe. Thé wårmth rėvîved thé pōōr little creaťure; but when thé childrén wanted^wontéd tó^tö play with him, thé duckling thøught they wōūld dö him sőme harm, sô hê startėd up in terroŕ, fluttered intö thé milk pan, and splashed thé milk ábout thé rööm. Then thé wōmán clapped her handś, which frighténed him still more. Hê flew first intö thé butter cask, then intö thé meal tub and out ágãin. Whåt a cóndition hê wáś^woś in! Thé wōmán screamed and struck at him with thé tongś; thé childrén lāughed^lāufed and screamed and tumbled ôver each őther in their effoŕts tó^tö catch him, but luckílý hê ėscâped. Thé door stōōd ôpén; thé pōōr creaťure cōūld just manáĝe tó^tö slip out ámőng thé būshéś and lîe down qυîte ėxhaustėd in thé newlý fāllén snôw.

It wōūld bê verý sad were Î tó^tö rėlâte åll thé miśérý and prîvâtionś which thé pōōr little duckling endûred dûring thé hard winter; but when it had passed hê found himself lŷing one^wőne morning in a moor, ámőngst thé rushėś. Hê felt thé wårm sun shîning and heaŕd thé lark singing and saw that åll áround wáś^woś beaûtíful spring.

Then thé young bird felt that hiś wingś were strong, aś hê flapped them ágãinst hiś sîdeś and rôśe high intö thé ãir. They bore him onwaŕdś until, bėfore hê well knew how it had happéned, hê found himself in a larĝe gardén. Thé apple treeś were in fūll blossőm, and thé frâgránt elderś bent their long green branchėś down tó^tö thé stream, which wound round a smööth lawn. Everýthing lōōked beaûtíful in thé freshnéss of^uv yeaŕlý spring. Fróm a thickėt clôse bŷ câme three beaûtíful whîte swånś^swonś, rustling their featherś and swimming lightlý ôver thé smööth wåter. Thé duckling saw thêśe lővelý birdś and felt more strânĝelý unhappý than ever.

"Î will flŷ tó^tö thêśe royál birdś," hê ėxclaimed, "and they will kill mê bėcauśe, uglý aś Î am, Î dãŕe tó^tö ápproach them. But it dőeś not matter; better bê killed bŷ them than pecked bŷ thé ducks, beatén bŷ thé henś, pūshed ábout bŷ thé maidén whö feedś thé pôultrý, or starved with huñger in thé winter."

Then hê flew tó^tö thé wåter and swam tówårdś thé beaûtíful swånś^swonś. Thé mômént they espîed thé strânĝer they rushed tó^tö meet him with outstretched wingś.

"Kill mê," sãid thé pōōr bird and hê bent hiś head down tó^tö thé surfáçe of^uv thé wåter and áwaitėd death.

But whåt did hê see in thé clėaŕ stream bėlôw? Hiś ôwn imáĝe—nô loñger a dark-gray bird, uglý and diságrêeáble tó^tö lōōk at, but a grâçeful and beaûtíful swan^swon.

Tó^tö bê born in a duck's nest in a farmyard iś of^uv nô conséqυénçe tó^tö a bird if it iś hatched fróm a swan^swon's egg. Hê now felt glad at having suffered sorrôw and trouble, bėcauśe it ėnâbled him tó^tö ėnjoy sô much better åll thé pleaŝure and happïnéss áround him; for thé greât swånś^swonś swam round thé newcómer and strôked hiś neck with their beaks, aś a welcóme.

Intö thé gardén preśéntlý câme sőme little childrén and threw bread and câke intö thé wåter.

"See," crîed thé youñgést, "theŕe iś a new one^wőne;" and thé rest were dėlightėd, and ran tó^tö their fāther and mőther, dançing and clapping their handś and shouting joyoúslý, "Theŕe iś ánőther swan^swon cőme; a new one^wőne haś árrîved."

Then they threw more bread and câke intö thé wåter and sãid, "Thé new one^wőne iś thé môst beaûtíful of^uv åll, hê iś sô young and prėttý." And thé ôld swånś^swonś bowed their headś bėfore him.

Then hê felt qυîte áshâmed and hid hiś head under hiś wing, for hê did not knôw whåt tó^tö dö, hê wáś^woś sô happý—yet hê wáś^woś not at åll proud. Hê had bėen^been persécûtéd and dėspîśed for hiś uglïnéss, and now hê heaŕd them say hê wáś^woś thé môst beaûtíful of^uv åll thé birdś. Êvén thé elder tree bent down its boughś intö thé wåter bėfore him, and thé sun shoneyy wårm and bright. Then hê rustled hiś featherś, curved hiś slender neck, and crîed joyfullý, fróm thé depths of^uv hiś heart, "Î never dreamed of^uv such happïnéss aś this whîle Î wáś^woś thé dėspîśed uglý duckling."