丑小鸭2英文版

"Let me seethe egg that will not break," said the duck; "I have no doubt it is aturkey's egg. I was persuaded to hatch some once, and after all my care andtrouble with the young ones, they were afraid of the water. I quacked andclucked, but all to no purpose. I could not get them to venture in. Let me lookat the egg. Yes, that is a turkey's egg; take my advice, leave it where it isand teach the other children to swim."   

"I think Iwill sit on it a little while longer," said the duck; "as I have satso long already, a few days will be nothing."    

"Pleaseyourself," said the old duck, and she went away.      

At last the largeegg broke, and a young one crept forth crying,

"Peep,peep." It was very large and ugly. The duck stared at it and exclaimed,"It is very large and not at all like the others. I wonder if it really isa turkey. We shall soon find it out, however when we go to the water. It mustgo in, if I have to push it myself."   

On the next daythe weather was delightful, and the sun shone brightly on the green burdockleaves, so the mother duck took her young brood down to the water,  and jumped in with a splash. "Quack, quack,"cried she, and one after another the little ducklings jumped in. The waterclosed over their heads, but they came up again in an instant, and swam aboutquite prettily with their legs paddling under them as easily as possible, andthe ugly duckling was also in the water swimming with them.   

"Oh,"said the mother, "that is not a turkey; howwell he uses his legs, and how upright he holds himself! He is my own child,and he is not so very ugly after all if you look at him properly. Quack, quack!come with me now, I will take you into grand society, and introduce you to thefarmyard, but you must keep close to me or you may be trodden upon; and, aboveall, beware of the cat."