THE UGLY DUCKLING. 533

both beast and man. Now cackle, and don’t turn in your toes;
a well-bred duckling spreads his feet wide apart, like papa and
mamma, in this sort of way. Now bend your neck, and say
*Quack.’”

The ducklings did as they were bid, but the other ducks,
after looking at them, only said aloud: “Now look! here
comes another set, as if we were not numerous enough already ;
and, bless me, what a queer-looking chap one of the ducklings
is, to be sure ; we can’t put up with him ;” and one of the
throng darted forward, and bit him in the neck.— Leave him
alone,” said the mother, “ he did no harm to any one."’—“ No,
but he is so big and ugly,” said the biting duck, “and
therefore he wants thrashing.” Mamma has a sweet little
family,” said the old duck with the red rag about her leg;
“they are all prettyexcept one, who is rather ill-favoured. 1
wish mamma could polish him a bit.”—“ I am afraid that will
be impossible, your grace,” said the mother of the ducklings.
“It’s true he’s not so pretty, but he has a very good disposition,
and swims as well, or perhaps better than all the others put
together. However, he may grow tobe prettier, and may per-
haps become smaller. He remained too long in the egg-shell, and
therefore his figure is not properly formed,” and with this she
smoothed down the ruffled feathers of his neck. “At all events,
ashe is a male duck, it won't matter somuch. I think he'll prove
strong, and be able to fight his way through the world.’—* The
other ducklings are elegant little creatures,” said the old duck.
“Now make yourself at home, aud if you should happen to
find an cel’s head, you can bring it to me !” and so the family
made themselves comfortable.

But then the poor duckling, who had been the last to creep
out of his egg-shell, and looked so ugly, was bitten, pushed
about, and made game of, not only by the ducks but by the