538 THE UGLY DUCKLING.

ling. —“ We can’t understand you? I should like to know who
could? You don’t suppose you are wiser than the tom-cat and
our mistress—to say nothing of myself? Don’t take these idle
fancies into your head, child, but thank heaven for all the
kindness that has been shown you. Have you not found a
warm room, and company that might improve you? But you
are a mere chatter-box, and there is no pleasant intercourse to
be had with you ; and you may take my word for it—for I
mean you well. I say disagreeable things, which isa mark of true
friendship. Now look to it, and mind that you either lay eggs, or
Jearn to purr and emit sparks,”—* I think I'll take my chance,
and go abroad into the wide world,” said the duckling. — Do,”
said the hen; and the duckling went, and swam on the water,
and dived beneath its surface, but he was slighted by all other
animals, on account of his ugliness.

The autumn now set in. The leaves of the forests had
tamed first yellow and then brown, and the wind caught them
up and made them dance about; it began to be very cold in
the higher regions of the air, and the clouds looked heavy with
hail and flakes of snow, while the raven sat on a hedge, cry-
ing, “ Caw! caw!” from sheer cold—for one began to shiver
if one merely thought about it. The poor duckling had
a poor time of it. One evening, just as the sun was setting
in all its glory, there came a whole flock of beautiful large
birds from out of a grove. The duckling had never seen
any so lovely before; they were dazzlingly white, with long
graceful necks, for they were swans. They uttered a peculiar
cry, and then spread their magnificent wings, and away they
flew from the cold country to warmer Jands across the ocean.
They rose so high—so high that the ugly duckling felt a strange
sensation come over him. He turned round and round in the
water like a wheel, stretched his neck up into the air towards