English
Itwouldbeverysad,wereItorelateallthemiseryandprivationswhichthepoorlittleducklingenduredduringthehardwinter;butwhenithadpassed,hefoundhimselflyingonemorninginamoor,amongsttherushes.Hefeltthewarmsunshining,andheardthelarksinging,andsawthatallaroundwasbeautifulspring.
Thentheyoungbirdfeltthathiswingswerestrong,asheflappedthemagainsthissides,androsehighintotheair.Theyborehimonwards,untilhefoundhimselfinalargegarden,beforehewellknewhowithadhappened.Theapple-treeswereinfullblossom,andthefragranteldersbenttheirlonggreenbranchesdowntothestreamwhichwoundroundasmoothlawn.
Everythinglookedbeautiful,inthefreshnessofearlyspring.Fromathicketclosebycamethreebeautifulwhiteswans,rustlingtheirfeathers,andswimminglightlyoverthesmoothwater.Theducklingrememberedthelovelybirds,andfeltmorestrangelyunhappythanever.
"Iwillflytothoseroyalbirds,"heexclaimed,"andtheywillkillme,becauseIamsougly,anddaretoapproachthem;butitdoesnotmatter:betterbekilledbythemthanpeckedbytheducks,beatenbythehens,pushedaboutbythemaidenwhofeedsthepoultry,orstarvedwithhungerinthewinter."
Thenheflewtothewater,andswamtowardsthebeautifulswans.Themomenttheyespiedthestranger,theyrushedtomeethimwithoutstretchedwings.
"Killme,"saidthepoorbird;andhebenthisheaddowntothesurfaceofthewater,andawaiteddeath.
Butwhatdidheseeintheclearstreambelow?Hisownimage;nolongeradark,graybird,uglyanddisagreeabletolookat,butagracefulandbeautifulswan.Tobeborninaduck'snest,inafarmyard,isofnoconsequencetoabird,ifitishatchedfromaswan'segg.
Henowfeltgladathavingsufferedsorrowandtrouble,becauseitenabledhimtoenjoysomuchbetterallthepleasureandhappinessaroundhim;forthegreatswansswamroundthenew-comer,andstrokedhisneckwiththeirbeaks,asawelcome.
Intothegardenpresentlycamesomelittlechildren,andthrewbreadandcakeintothewater.
"See,"criedtheyoungest,"thereisanewone;"andtherestweredelighted,andrantotheirfatherandmother,dancingandclappingtheirhands,andshoutingjoyously,"Thereisanotherswancome;anewonehasarrived."
Thentheythrewmorebreadandcakeintothewater,andsaid,"Thenewoneisthemostbeautifulofall;heissoyoungandpretty."Andtheoldswansbowedtheirheadsbeforehim.
Thenhefeltquiteashamed,andhidhisheadunderhiswing;forhedidnotknowwhattodo,hewassohappy,andyetnotatallproud.
Hehadbeenpersecutedanddespisedforhisugliness,andnowheheardthemsayhewasthemostbeautifulofallthebirds.Eventheelder-treebentdownitsbowsintothewaterbeforehim,andthesunshonewarmandbright.
Thenherustledhisfeathers,curvedhisslenderneck,andcriedjoyfully,fromthedepthsofhisheart,"Ineverdreamedofsuchhappinessasthis,whileIwasanuglyduckling."
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