THE UGLY DUCELING. 535

and took wing. ‘That is because I am so ugly,” thought the
duckling, as he closed his eyes, though he ran farther till he
came to a large marsh inhabited by wild ducks. ‘There he spent
the whole night, and tired and sorrowful enough he was, On
the following morning, when the wild ducks rose and saw
their new comrade, they said, What sort of a creature are
ou?” upon which the duckling greeted them all round as
civilly as he knew how.

« You are remarkably ugly,” observed the wild ducks, “ but
we don't care about that, so long as you don’t want to marry in
our family. Poor forlorn creature, he had no such thoughts
in his head; all he wanted was to obtain leave to lie
amongst the rushes, and drink a little of the marsh water.
He remained there for two whole days, at the end of hich
there came two wild geese, or more properly speaking, ales
who were only just out of the egg-shell, and, consequently,
very pert. © say, friend,” quoth they, “ you are so vgly that
we should have no objection to take you with us for a travelling
companion. In the neighbouring marsh there dwells some
pretty female geese, all of them unmarried, and who eackle
most charmingly, Perhaps you may have a chance to pick up
a wife amongst them, ugly as you ar

Pop! pop! sounded through the air, and the two wild gos-

 

 

 

    

  

    

     

 

 

 

 

lings fell dead amongst the rushes, while the water tured red
1

as blood. Pop! pop! again echoed around, and whole flocks
of wild geese flew up from the rushes, Again and again the
same alarming noise was heard. It was a shooting party, and
the sportsmen surrounded the whole marsh, whilst others had
climbed into the branches of the trees that overshaded the
marshes, A blue mist rose in the clouds and mingled with the
green leaves, and sailed far away across the water ; a couple of
dogs next plunged into the marsh,—splash, splash, they went,