TheUglyDuckling

　　Oneevening,thesunwasjustsettinginwithtruesplendorwhen1)aflockofbeautifullargebirdsappearedoutofthebushes.Theducklinghadneverseenanythingsobeautiful.Theyweredazzlinglywhitewithlongwavingnecks.Theywereswansandutteringapeculiarcry.Theyspreadouttheirmagnificentbroadwingsandflewawayfromthecoldregionstowardwarmerlandsandopenseas.They2)mountedsohigh,soveryhigh,andtheuglylittleducklingbecamestrangelyuneasy.Hecircledaroundandaroundinthewaterlikeawheel,3)craninghisneckoutintotheairafterthem.Thenheutteredtheshriekso4)piercingandsostrangethathewasquitefrightenedbyhimself.Oh,hecouldnotforgetthosebeautifulbirds,thosehappybirdsandassoonastheywereoutofsight.He5)duckedrightdowntothebottomandwhenhecameupagain,hewasquitebesidehimself.Hedidnotknowwhatthebirdswereorwhere’dtheyflew.Butallthesame,hewasmoredrawntowardsthemthanhehadeverbeenbyanycreaturesbefore.Hedidnotenvythemintheleast.Howcoulditoccurtohimeventowishtobesuchamarvelousbeauty?Hewouldn’tbethankfulifonlytheduckswouldhavetoleratedhimamongthem,thepooruglycreature.Earlyinthemorning,apeasantcamealongandsawhim,hewentoutontotheiceandhammeredaholeinitwithhisheavywoodenshoe,andcarriedtheducklinghometohiswife.There,itsoon6)revived.Thechildrenwantedtoplaywithit.Buttheducklingthoughttheyweregoingtoillusehimandrushedinandhefrightenedtothemilk-pan,andthemilk7)spurtedoutallovertheroom.Thewomanshriekedandthrewupherhands.Thenitflewtothebutter-caskanddownintothemeal-tubandoutagain.Oh,justimaginewhatitlookedlikebythistime.Thewomanscreamedandtriedtohititwiththe8)tongs,andthechildren9)tumbledoveroneanotherintryingtocatchit,andtheyscreamedwithlaughter.Bygoodluck,thedoorstoodopenandtheducklingflewoutamongthebushesandthenewfallensnow.Anditlaythere,thoroughlyexhausted,butitwouldbetoosadtomentionalltheprivationandmiseryhadtogothroughduringthathardwinter.Whenthesunbegantoshinewarmlyagain,theducklingwasinamarsh,lyingamongtherushes.Thelarksweresinging,andthebeautifulspringhadcome.Thenallatonce,itraiseditswingsandtheyflappedwithmuchgreaterstrengththanbeforeandborehimoffvigorously.Beforeheknewwherehewas,hefoundhimselfinalargegardenwiththeappletreeswereinfullblossom.Andtheairwasscentedlywithlilacs,thelongbranchesofwhichoverhungtheindentedshoresofthelake.Oh,thespringfreshnesswassodelicious.Justinfrontofhim,hesawthreebeautifulwhiteswansadvancingtowardshimfroma10)thicket.With11)rustlingfeathers,theyswamlightlyoverthewater.Theducklingrecognizedthemajesticbirds,andhewasovercomebyastrangemelancholy.“Iwillflytothem,theroyalbirds,andtheywillhackmetopiecesbecauseIwhoamsouglyventuretoapproachthem.Butitwon’tmatter.Bettertobekilledbythemthanbesnackedupbytheducks,12)peckedbythehens,or13)spurnedbythehenwife,orsuffersomuchmiseryinthewinter.”Soheflewintothewaterandswamtowardsthestatelyswans.Theysawhimanddartedtowardhimwithruffledfeathers.“Killme,oh,killme.”saidthepoorcreature.Andbowinghisheadtowardsthewater,heawaitedhisdeath.Butwhatdidhesee?Reflectedinthetransparentwater,hesawbelowhimhisownimage,buthewasnolongeraclumsydarkgr