Ugly Duckling

[Music] this is the story of The Ugly Duckling a fairy tale that was written by hun Christian Anderson The Story begins like this it was summer and the countryside was very lovely in the fields the oats were still green and the wheat was golden yellow the hay was stacked in The Meadows and the shadowy woods were reflected in the lakes and ponds and near a pond in a quiet place in the tallest weeds sat a mother duck on her nest she was quite tired for she'd been sitting on her eggs for many days what was that sound yes the eggs were hatching there were two little ducklings mother duck quacked with excitement now there were six ducklings how proud mother duck was of her family soon all the eggs were hatched no not quite all the biggest egg was still there so mother duck settled down once more on her nest she sat a long long time then finally she looked at the big egg once more then she thought she heard something yes there was another young one the mother duck looked at him well she thought he doesn't look like my other ducklings they all have yellow down and yellow bills he has a dark Bill and he's much larger too can he be a turkey chick well said the mother duck we'll find out when we go to swim in the Pond the next day they went to the pond the big gray duckling LED all the rest yes the big gray one swam very well as well as the others he is no turkey chick said mother duck see how well he swims but he doesn't look like the others the poor Gray duckling was left to swim alone finally mother duck called him and all the others let's all go into the farmyard said mother duck so into the farmyard they went the little ducklings began to look around for something to eat but the big gray duckling just stood still he felt strange and lonely a hen said you don't look like the other ducklings the old Goose GED at him the old turkey gobbled at him and a duck said you're an ugly duckling the poor duckling wanted to run away but a rooster stopped him yes you are an ugly duckling said the rooster and so in the days that followed the poor duckling thought I suppose I am ugly and he tried to stay hidden near the barn oh to be sure he ventured out now and then waddling Along on his webbed feet to join the other ducklings in finding things to eat finally one day a big old duck saw him and rushed at him and chased him away and then another duck ran after him and soon all the chickens rushed at him the ugly duckling was frightened he ran as fast as he could across the farmyard thre a hole in the fence and Out On and On he went past the cows in the meadow until he came to a big Marsh here in the Tall Grass he could hide his ugliness and then he saw a wonderful sight there in the water nearby were some big white birds the most beautiful birds he had ever seen he wanted to go to them but he knew he was too ugly then he saw some wild ducks when they saw the ugly duckling they said you are very ugly but it's a big Marsh you may stay with us if you like and so the ugly ducklings stayed in the marsh with the wild ducks one day something happened a hunting dog came into the marsh there was a hunter too the Ducks started to fly the Ugly Duck L struggled to get out of the marsh across the fields he went he didn't stop until he saw in the distance a little cottage it was a very nice Cottage with roses growing over the doorway The Ugly Duckling walked toward the cottage the door was open so in he went it was very cozy inside this will be a safe place to sleep he thought and he sat down by the fireplace the next morning when he awoke he saw a hen then he saw an animal he didn't know it was a cat when the old woman who lived in the cottage saw the ugly duckling she said what on Earth is that come here she said and she picked him up what an oddl looking duck you are she said but you're quite big and plump perhaps now I shall have some duck eggs anyway I shall keep you and we'll see so the days passed and The Ugly Duckling stayed at the cottage with the cat and the hen but they didn't like him can you purr said the cat no said the ugly duckling can you lay eggs said the hen no said the ugly duckling and he felt quite useless then what can you do said the hen and the cat well I can swim said the ugly duckling then why don't you go where you can swim they asked so he left the cottage and wandered away once more he was larger now for he had grown much during the summer yes he was quite big but he was still a lonely ugly duckling he looked about summer was over and Autumn had come a raven C in the cold wind The Ugly Duckling moved on while the Autumn wind blew the leaves from the trees finally he came to a pond and there he stayed the Autumn slowly passed then the winter came the pond was frozen [Music] over the countryside was white under a covering of snow near the pond in the shelter of some pine trees The Ugly Duckling stayed sometimes he ventured out to look for food leaving his tracks in the snow but most of the time he spent in his shelter under the big pine trees and then at last the snow melted spring came The Ugly Duckling looked up at the bright Sky he looked at the beautiful spring blossoms he looked at the sparkling Pond now I can swim he thought he looked into the water and what do you think he saw himself as though in a mirror look he was no longer an ugly duckling he was a large white [Music] bird yes he was a beautiful white bird like those he had seen some children on the shore saw him and called out look a new Swan yes he is the most beautiful Swan of all that's what the ugly duckling had grown up to be a swan a handsome white swan the children fed him and were very friendly he was no longer unwanted he spread his Snowy White Wings then he slowly swam out to join the other Swans in the pond now no one chased him or called him ugly and so at last he was happy [Music]