534 THE UGLY DUCKLING.

hens—they all declared he was much too big; and a guinea-fowl,
who fancied himself at least an emperor, because he had come
into the world with spurs, now puffed himself up like a vessel
in fall sail, and flew at the duckling, and blustered till his

  

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head turned completely red, so that the poor little thing did not
know whether he could walk or stand, and was quite grieved
at being so ngly that the whole farm-yard scouted him. Nor
did the matter mend the next day, or the following days,
but rather grew worse and worse. The poor duckling was
hunted down by everybody. ‘Then his sisters were so unkind
to him, that they were continually saying : “I wish the cat
would run away with you, you ugly creature!” while his
mother added, “I wish you had never been born!” and the
ducks pecked at him, the hens struck pim, and the girl who
fed the poultry used to kick him, so he ran away, and flew
over the palings. ‘The litéle birds in the bushes were startled