It was good for the city! It was summer, the rye had already turned yellow, the oats were turning green, the hay was swept into haystacks; a long-legged stork walked across the green meadow and chatted in Egyptian - he learned this language from his mother. Behind the fields and meadows were large forests with deep lakes in the thicket. Yes, it was good for the city! Directly in the sun lay an old manor, surrounded by deep ditches with water; from the very building down to the water grew burdock, so big that little children could stand upright under the largest of its leaves. In the very thicket of the burdock it was as deaf and wild as in a dense forest, and there a duck was sitting on its eggs. She had been sitting for a long time, and she was rather tired of this sitting - she was rarely visited: other ducks liked to swim in the grooves more than to sit in the burdock and quack with her. Finally, the eggshells crackled.

Pi! Pi! - I heard from them, the egg yolks came to life and stuck their noses out of the shells.

Alive! Alive! - the duck quacked, and the ducklings hurried, somehow got out and began to look around, looking at the green leaves of burdock; mother did not disturb them - green light is good for the eyes.

How big is the world! - said the ducklings.

Still would! Now they had much more space than when they lay in their eggs.

Do you think that the whole world is here? - said the mother. - Not! He goes far, far away, over there, beyond the garden, into the priest's field, but I have never been there in my life!.. Well, that's it, are you here? And she got up. - Oh, no, not all! The biggest egg is intact! Will this end soon! Right, I'm tired of it.

And she sat down again.

Well how are you? - the old duck looked at her.

Yes, there is one more egg left! - said the young duck. - I sit, I sit, but there is no sense! But look at the others! Just beautiful! They look awfully like their father! And he, unfit, did not visit me even once!

Wait a minute, I'll take a look at the egg! said the old duck. “Maybe it’s a turkey egg!” I got scammed too! Well, I toiled as I brought out the turkeys! They are passionately afraid of water; I already quacked, and called, and pushed them into the water - they don’t go, and that’s the end! Let me see the egg! Well, it is! Turkey! Throw him away and go, teach others to swim!

I'll sit still! - said the young duck. - I sat so much that you can sit and a little more.

As you wish! - said the old duck and left. Finally, the shell of the largest egg also crackled.

Pi! Pi! - and a huge ugly chick fell out of there. The duck looked at him.

Terribly big! - she said. - And not at all like the others! Is it a turkey? Well, yes, he will visit me in the water, even if I had to push him there by force!

The next day the weather was wonderful, the green burdock was all flooded with sun. The duck with all his family went to the ditch. Bultykh! - and the duck found itself in the water.

Behind me! Alive! she called the ducklings, and one by one they also flopped into the water.

At first, the water covered them with their heads, but then they surfaced and swam in such a way that it was nice. Their paws worked like that; the ugly gray duck kept up with the others.

What kind of Indian is this? - said the duck. - Look how nicely he paddles with his paws, how straight he holds himself! No, this is my own son! Yes, he is not at all bad, as you look at him well! Well, live, live, follow me! I will now introduce you to society: we will go to the poultry yard. But stay close to me so that no one steps on you, but watch out for cats!

Soon we got to the poultry yard. Fathers! What was the noise and din! Two families fought over one eel head, and in the end it went to the cat.

That's how things are going in the world! - said the duck and licked her beak with her tongue: she also wanted to taste the eel head. - Well, well, move your paws! she said to the ducklings. - Grunt and bow to that old duck! She is the best here! She's Spanish and that's why she's so fat. See, she has a red patch on her paw? How beautiful! This is the highest distinction that a duck can receive. People make it clear that they don't want to lose her; both people and animals recognize her by this patch. Well, live! Don't keep your paws together! A well-bred duckling should keep its paws apart and turn them outward, like a father and mother! Like this! Bow now and quack!

They did so, but the other ducks looked at them and said loudly:

Well, here's another whole bunch! There were just too few of us! And what an ugly one! We won't tolerate him!

And immediately one duck jumped up and pecked at his neck.

Leave it! said the mother duck. He didn't do anything to you!

Suppose, but he is so big and strange! - answered the bully. - He needs to be asked well!

You have nice kids! - said the old duck with a red patch on its paw. - Everyone is very nice, except for one ... This one failed! It would be nice to change it!

No way, your grace! - answered the mother duck. - He is not handsome, but he has a good heart, and he swims as well, I even dare to say, better than others. I think that he will grow up, get prettier or become smaller over time. He stale in the egg, and therefore not entirely successful. - And she ran her nose over the feathers of a large duckling. - In addition, he is a drake, and he does not need beauty so much. I think he will mature and make his way!

The rest of the ducklings are very, very cute! said the old duck. - Well, make yourself at home, and if you find an eel head, you can bring it to me.

So they began to behave like at home. Only the poor duckling, which hatched later than everyone else and was so ugly, was pecked, pushed and showered with ridicule by absolutely everyone - both ducks and chickens.

He's too big! - everyone said, and the turkey, who was born with spurs on his legs and therefore imagined himself an emperor, pouted and, like a ship in full sail, flew up to the duckling, looked at him and murmured angrily; his comb was so full of blood. The poor duckling simply did not know what to do, how to be. And he should have been born such an ugly laughingstock for the entire poultry yard!

So the first day passed, then it got even worse. Everyone drove the poor thing away, even his brothers and sisters angrily told him: “If only the cat would drag you away, you unbearable freak!” - and the mother added: "My eyes would not have seen you!" The ducks pecked him, the chickens nibbled, and the girl who gave the birds food pushed him with her foot.

The duckling could not stand it, ran across the yard and - through the fence! Small birds frightened fluttered out of the bushes.

"They were afraid of me - I'm so ugly!" - thought the duckling and set off with his eyes closed, until he found himself in a swamp where wild ducks lived. Tired and sad, he sat there all night.

In the morning the ducks flew out of their nests and saw a new comrade.

Who are you? - they asked, and the duckling turned around, bowing in all directions, as best he could.

You are preposterous! said the wild ducks. “But we don’t care about that, just don’t try to intermarry with us!”

Poor thing! Where could he even think about it! If only they let him sit here in the reeds and drink marsh water.

He spent two days in the swamp, on the third two wild ganders appeared. They had recently hatched from eggs and therefore acted with great force.

Listen, buddy! they said. - You are such a freak that we really like you! Do you want to roam with us and be a free bird? Not far from here, in another swamp, live pretty wild young geese. They know how to say "rap, rap!" You are such a freak that - what good - you will have great success with them!

"Pif! bang! - there was suddenly heard over the swamp, and both ganders fell dead into the reeds: the water was stained with blood. "Pif! bang! - it was heard again, and a whole flock of wild geese rose from the reeds. The firing went. Hunters surrounded the swamp on all sides; some of them sat in the branches of trees hanging over the swamp. Blue smoke clouded the trees and drifted over the water. Hunting dogs paddled through the swamp; the reeds swayed from side to side. The poor duckling was neither alive nor dead from fear and only wanted to hide his head under his wing, as you looked - in front of him was a hunting dog with his tongue hanging out and sparkling evil eyes. She brought her mouth closer to the duckling, bared her sharp teeth and - slap, slap - ran on.

Thank God! - the duckling took a breath. - Thank God! I'm so ugly that even a dog doesn't want to bite me!

And he hid in the reeds; pellets flew over his head, and shots rang out.

The firing subsided only in the evening, but the duckling was still afraid to move for a long time. A few more hours passed before he dared to get up, look around and start running further through the fields and meadows. The wind was so strong that the duckling could hardly move.

By nightfall he had reached the poor hut. The hut was already so dilapidated that it was ready to fall, but did not know on which side, that's why it kept on. The wind picked up the duckling - it was necessary to rest against the ground with its tail!

The wind, however, grew stronger; what was the duck to do? Fortunately, he noticed that the door of the hut had jumped off one hinge and was hanging completely crooked: it was possible to freely slip through this gap into the hut. And so he did.

An old woman lived in a hut with a cat and a chicken. She called the cat son; he knew how to arch his back, purr, and even emit sparks if he was stroked the wrong way. The chicken had small, short legs, and they called her Short Leg; she diligently laid eggs, and the old woman loved her like a daughter.

In the morning, the stranger was noticed: the cat began to purr, and the chicken to cluck.

What's there? - asked the old woman, looked around and noticed a duckling, but due to her blindness she mistook him for a fat duck that had strayed from home.

What a find! - said the old woman. - Now I will have duck eggs, if only it is not a drake. Well, let's see, let's try!

And the duckling was accepted for testing, but three weeks passed, and there were still no eggs. The cat was the master of the house, and the hen was the mistress, and both always said: “We and the world!” They considered themselves half of the whole world, moreover, its better half. It seemed to the duckling that it was possible to have a different opinion on this matter. The chicken, however, did not tolerate this.

Can you lay eggs? she asked the duckling.

So keep your tongue on a leash!

And the cat asked:

Can you arch your back, purr and emit sparks?

So don't stick around with your opinion when smart people are talking!

And the duckling sat in the corner, ruffled. Suddenly he remembered the fresh air and the sun, and he had a terrible desire to swim. He could not stand it and told the chicken about it.

What's wrong with you?! she asked. - You're idle, here's a whim in your head and climbs! Bring some eggs or purr - nonsense will pass!

Oh, it's so nice to swim on the water! - said the duckling. - And what a pleasure to dive into the very depths with your head!

Good enjoyment! - said the chicken. - You're completely crazy! Ask a cat - he's smarter than anyone I know - if he likes to swim or dive! I'm not talking about myself! Ask, finally, our old mistress: there is no one smarter than her in the world! Do you think she wants to swim or dive with her head?

You do not understand me! - said the duckling.

If we do not understand, then who will understand you! Well, you want to be smarter than the cat and the mistress, not to mention me? Don't be a fool, but better thank the Creator for everything that has been done for you! They sheltered you, warmed you up, you are surrounded by such a society in which you can learn something, but you are an empty head, and it’s not worth talking to you! Believe me! I wish you well, therefore I scold you: true friends are always recognized by this! Try to lay eggs, or learn to purr and sparkle!

I think I'd better get out of here wherever my eyes look! - said the duckling.

And with God! - answered the chicken.

And the duckling left, swam and dived with his head, but all the animals still despised him for his disgrace.

Autumn has come; the leaves on the trees turned yellow and turned brown; the wind picked them up and whirled them through the air; above, in the sky, it became so cold that heavy clouds sowed hail and snow, and a raven sat on the fence and croaked from the cold at the top of his lungs. Brr! You will freeze at the mere thought of such a cold! It was bad for the poor duckling.

One evening, when the sun was still shining so gloriously in the sky, a whole flock of wonderful big birds; the duckling had never seen such beauties: they were all white as snow, with long, flexible necks! Those were swans. They let out a strange cry, fluttered their magnificent large wings and flew from the cold meadows to warm lands, across the blue sea. They rose high, high, and some strange excitement seized the poor duckling. He twirled in the water like a top, stretched out his neck and also uttered such a loud and strange cry that he himself was frightened. Wonderful birds did not go out of his head, and when they completely disappeared from sight, he dived to the very bottom, emerged again and was as if beside himself. The duckling did not know the names of these birds, where they flew, but he fell in love with them, as he had not loved anyone until now. He did not envy their beauty: it could not even enter his head to wish to resemble them; he would also be glad that at least the ducks did not repel him from themselves. Poor ugly duckling!

And the winter was cold, very cold. The duckling had to swim on the water without rest in order to keep it from freezing completely, but every night the space free from ice became smaller and smaller. It was so cold that the ice crust cracked. The duckling tirelessly worked with its paws, but in the end it became exhausted, stopped and was completely frozen.

Early in the morning a peasant passed by, saw a frozen duckling, broke the ice with his wooden shoe and brought the bird home to his wife. The duckling was warmed up.

But then the children took it into their head to play with him, and he imagined that they wanted to offend him, and, out of fear, he shied right into the milk pan - the milk spilled all over. The woman screamed and threw up her hands; meanwhile, the duckling flew into a tub of oil, and from there into a barrel of flour. Father, what was he like! The woman was yelling and chasing him with coal tongs, the children were running, knocking each other down, laughing and squealing. It's good that the door was open: the duck ran out, rushed into the bushes right on the freshly fallen snow, and for a long, long time lay there almost unconscious.

It would be too sad to describe all the misadventures of a duckling during a harsh winter. When the sun again warmed the earth with its warm rays, he lay in the swamp, among the reeds. The larks sang, the red spring came.

The duckling flapped its wings and flew; now his wings were noisy and much stronger than before. Before he had time to come to his senses, he found himself in a large garden. The apple trees were all in bloom, the fragrant lilacs bent their long green branches over the winding canal.

Oh, how good it was here, how it smelled of spring! Suddenly, three wonderful white swans floated out of the thicket of reeds. They swam so lightly and smoothly, as if they were sliding on the water. duckling learned beautiful birds and a strange sadness came over him.

“I will fly to these royal birds; they will probably kill me for my insolence, for the fact that I, so ugly, dared to approach them, but let! It is better to be killed by them than to endure the plucking of ducks and hens, the jolts of a poultry-keeper, and to endure cold and hunger in winter!

And he flew into the water and swam towards the handsome swans, who, seeing him, also rushed to him.

Kill me! - said the poor thing and lowered his head, expecting death, but what did he see in the water, clear as a mirror? His own reflection, but he was no longer an ugly dark gray bird, but a swan!

It doesn't matter to be born in a duck's nest if it hatched from a swan egg!

Now he was glad that he had endured so much grief and disaster: he could now better appreciate his happiness and all the splendor that surrounded him. Large swans swam around him and caressed him, stroking his feathers with their beaks.

Small children ran into the garden; they began to throw bread crumbs and grains to the swans, and the smallest of them shouted:

New, new!

And everyone else got it:

Yes, new, new! - clapped their hands and danced for joy; then they ran after their father and mother, and again threw crumbs of bread and cake into the water.

Everyone said that the new one is the prettiest of all. So young and adorable!

And the old swans bowed their heads before him.

And he was completely embarrassed and hid his head under his wing, not knowing why. He was too happy, but not at all proud: a good heart knows no pride, remembering the time when everyone despised and persecuted him. And now everyone says that he is the most beautiful among beautiful birds! The lilac bowed its fragrant branches into the water; the sun shone so gloriously... And then his wings rustled, his slender neck straightened, and a jubilant cry escaped from his chest:

No, I never dreamed of such happiness when I was still an ugly duckling!

The main meaning of Andersen's fairy tale is that one must steadfastly and patiently endure difficulties and hardships. The unfortunate duckling (who was in fact a swan) had to endure a series of cruel trials at the very beginning of his life. He was teased and poisoned by rude relatives. His own duck mother turned away from him, afraid of public opinion. Then, when he escaped from the poultry yard and made friends with wild geese, these hunters, and the duckling himself, were saved only by a miracle. After this, the unfortunate duckling was picked up by an old woman and brought to her house. But its inhabitants - a cat and a chicken - laughed at the new tenant and unceremoniously taught "mind-mind". The duckling had to leave the old woman's house, he spent the winter in the reeds by the lake, where next spring he met beautiful swans. And the story ended with a happy ending.

The moral of this tale is that life can present many difficult trials, but we must not lose heart and not give up. After all, it was very difficult for the swan duckling, but he endured everything and eventually became happy.

In the same way, a person who does not bow to fate can ultimately triumph in victory.

Because of what the troubles of the duckling began in general

The moral of the tale is also that one should not be afraid to be different from others. The duckling was different in appearance from other ducklings. That is, he was not like everyone else. And so he was teased and poisoned by ducks. Why was he scolded and unceremoniously lectured by a cat and a chicken? Because he wasn't acting right. That is, again was not like everyone else! The duckling had a choice: either come to terms with the fact that it is impossible to differ from others either in appearance, or behavior, or habits, or behave in accordance with the principle: “Yes, I am different, but I have the right to do so!” And he made this choice, not being afraid that he would incur misunderstanding, scolding and even persecution.

A person should also defend the right to be himself, even if for this it is necessary to go against public opinion.

Some connoisseurs of Andersen's work believe that the author of the fairy tale portrayed himself in the image of the ugly duckling. After all, Andersen also had to endure a lot of ridicule, misunderstanding and unceremonious teachings from the people around him before he became a famous writer, and his appearance was very different from that of the “average” Dane. Never give up, fight for your happiness, regardless of all obstacles.

Ugly duck

Plot

Illustration from the 1893 Dutch edition of the tale

In the thickets of burdock near an old estate, a mother duck brought out ducklings, but her last chick looked terrible and did not look like the others. The inhabitants of the poultry yard immediately took a dislike to the ugly duckling, which is why they constantly attacked the chick. The mother, who at first protected her son, soon also cooled off towards him. Unable to withstand the humiliation, the duckling ran away from the yard to the swamp, where, despite his appearance, he was able to make friends with wild geese. But soon they were killed by hunters. After that, the duckling ran away from the swamp and after a whole day of wandering he met a hut where an old woman, a cat and a chicken lived. The old woman left the chick at home, in the hope that he would lay eggs. The cat and the chicken, who lived in the house, began to mock the duckling, and when he suddenly wanted to swim, he did not find understanding from them and went to live on the lake. Once on the lake, an ugly duckling saw swans and fell in love with them, as he had never loved anyone before. But he did not dare to approach them, fearing that he would be just as rejected as before.

With the advent of winter, the duckling froze in the ice, but soon a peasant passing by picked it up and carried it home. The duckling did not stay long in the new dwelling: he was frightened by the children who wanted to play with him, and fled to the street. He spent the winter in the bushes by the lake. When spring came, the duckling learned to fly. Once, flying over the lake, he saw swans swimming in it. This time, he decided to get close to them, even if they decide to peck him. But having sank into the water, the duckling accidentally looked at his reflection and saw there the same beautiful young swan. Other swans happily accepted him into their flock. More recently, the ugly duckling could not even dream of such happiness ...

Autobiography

It is often argued that The Ugly Duckling is a veiled autobiography of Hans Christian Andersen.

Contemporaries about Andersen's appearance:

He was tall, lean, and extremely peculiar in posture and movement. His arms and legs were disproportionately long and thin, his hands were broad and flat, and his feet were so huge that he probably never had to worry that someone would replace his galoshes. His nose was of the so-called Roman shape, but also disproportionately large and somehow especially protruded forward.

By the very places of action of the tale, one can also draw parallels with the life of the writer: a wasteland overgrown with burdocks, where there was a duck's nest - this is Odense, the writer's hometown; a poultry yard where the ugly duckling was pecked and poisoned - the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen; the house where an old woman lived with a chicken and a cat - one family familiar to Andersen, in which, although they kindly received the young writer, they instructed and taught in every possible way how to live.

Cultural aspect

Common noun

• Ugly duck- a metaphor describing an unsightly teenage girl, and sometimes a young ugly creature of any kind and gender.

Notes

Links

• The text of the fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling" with annotations (English)

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See what the "Ugly Duckling" is in other dictionaries:

The Ugly Duckling and Me! ... Wikipedia

- (Dan. Den Grimme filing) the hero of H.K. Andersen's fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling" (1843). The ordeal of an ugly "duckling", which is actually a swan, is usually interpreted as a metaphor for the fate of the artist. Meanwhile, the hidden meaning of this philosophical tale ... ... literary heroes

Ugly duck- who. Razg. Shuttle. About a child, a teenager who suddenly shows dignity. The ugly duckling... The wisdom of this tale is the wisdom of life itself, which turns a clumsy teenage girl into a lovely girl (P. Nightingale. Two voices). From… … Phraseological dictionary of the Russian literary language

1. Unfold About a person unfairly assessed below his merits, opening up unexpectedly to others. BMS 1998, 589; BTS, 191, 1405. 2. Jarg. they say Shuttle. Male sexual organ. ZHEST 1, 141 Big dictionary of Russian sayings

ugly duck- About an ugly, clumsy child, teenager (more often a girl), who may become in the future (or suddenly become) beautiful girl(or a young person); about whom l. inconspicuous, inconspicuous, etc., who later unexpectedly for everyone ... ... Dictionary of many expressions

- "The Ugly Duckling" may refer to one of the following cartoons based on Andersen's fairy tale of the same name: The Ugly Duckling (cartoon, 1939) / Ugly Duckling Walt Disney cartoon The Ugly Duckling (cartoon, 1956) cartoon produced by the USSR ... ... Wikipedia

Andersen G-H. Fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling"

The main characters of the fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling" and their characteristics

1. An ugly duckling who was not lucky enough to be born in a duck's nest, but who overcame all difficulties and became a beautiful swan, but with a good heart
2. Mother duck, first tried to take care of the ugly duckling, but then she began to drive him away from herself
3. Birds - inhabitants of the poultry yard, Spanish chicken, Indian rooster, ducks.
4. Wild ducks, ganders that have become victims of hunters
5. The hunter's dog that didn't touch the ugly duckling
6. An old woman with a cat and a chicken sheltered a duckling, but did not understand his desire to swim
7. A peasant, a peasant woman, children, saved the duckling when it was freezing, but they drove it away when it knocked over the pot.
8. Swans, beautiful birds that have adopted the Ugly Duckling into their flock.

Plan for retelling the tale "The Ugly Duckling"

1. big egg
2. swimming lessons
3. Poultry yard
4. duckling flight
5. Pond, ducks, ganders and hunters
6. Dog in the reeds
7. old woman's house
8. cat and chicken
9. Fall has come
10. The peasant and his children
11. spring channel
12. The duckling becomes a swan.

The shortest content of the fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling" for the reader's diary in 6 sentences

1. Birth of the Ugly Duckling, poultry yard.
2. The ugly duckling runs away and nearly dies while hunting.
3. The ugly duckling finds shelter with an old woman and sports with a chicken and a cat
4. The ugly duckling freezes and ends up in a peasant's house
5. The ugly duckling runs away in fear and survives the winter alone.
6. The ugly duckling swims towards the swans and sees that he himself has become a swan.

The main idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe tale "The Ugly Duckling"
In order to achieve something in life, you always have to overcome difficulties.

What does the tale "The Ugly Duckling" teach?
The fairy tale teaches us to pay less attention to appearance person, but more on his actions. Learn not to give up in the face of adversity. teaches you to believe in yourself and your abilities. It teaches not to be conceited having achieved something, but to always keep goodness in your heart.

Review of the fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling"
The tale "The Ugly Duckling" is very beautiful and touching. I felt so sorry for the poor duck, who was humiliated and beaten just because he was not like the others. I felt very sorry for the lonely duckling during his wanderings. But this fairy tale has such a beautiful end, and once an ugly duckling becomes a beautiful swan. He deserves happiness and seeks it.

Proverbs to the fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling"
There would be no happiness, but misfortune helped.
Without tasting grief, you will not know happiness.
Well that ends well.

Summary, brief retelling of the tale "The Ugly Duckling"
Ducks incubated eggs in mugs. All the chicks had already hatched, but the largest egg was still lying.
The old duck assumes that it is a turkey and advises to throw the egg. The young duck refuses.
Finally, the big egg hatched and the ugly duckling was born. He was big and scary, but he still knew how to swim and the duck decided to leave him.
The next day, the duck took the ducklings to represent the poultry yard. All the inhabitants of the yard immediately took a dislike to the Ugly Duckling and began to peck and pinch him. The duckling endured for a long time, but then ran away.
The ugly duckling clung to the wild ducks in the pond. There he met young ganders who agreed to be friends with him, because the duckling was very ugly. But then hunters appeared and killed the ganders. Dogs ran along the reeds and one of them found the Ugly Duckling, but did not touch it. The duckling decided that because he was scary.
The duckling ran away and found shelter in a hut where a cat, a chicken and an old woman lived. The old woman thought that the duckling was a duck and would lay eggs.

Illustrations and drawings for the fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling"

It was good for the city!

It was summer. The rye turned golden, the oats turned green, the hay was swept into haystacks; a long-legged stork paced the green meadow and chatted in Egyptian, the language he had learned from his mother.

Large forests stretched beyond the fields and meadows, and in the forests there were deep lakes. Yes, it was good for the city!

Directly in the sun lay an old manor, surrounded by deep ditches with water; burdock grew from the walls of the house to the very water, so big that little children could stand upright under the largest leaves. In the thicket of burdock it was deaf and wild, as in the densest forest, and there a duck was sitting on its eggs.

She had to take out ducklings, and she was pretty tired of it, because she had been sitting for a long time and she was rarely visited - other ducks liked to swim in ditches rather than sit in mugs and quack with her. Finally, the eggshells crackled.

Pip! Pip! - squeaked inside. All the egg yolks came to life and stuck out their heads.

Quack! Quack! - said the duck. The ducklings quickly climbed out of the shell and began to look around under the green leaves of burdock; mother did not interfere with them - green color good for the eyes.

Ah, how great is the world! - said the ducklings.

Still would! It was much more spacious here than in the shell.

Don't you think that the whole world is here? - said the mother. - What is there! It stretches far, far away, over there, beyond the garden, into the field, but I have never been there! .. Well, are you all here?

And she got up.

Oh no, not all. The biggest egg is intact! When will this end! I will soon lose my patience.

And she sat down again.

Well how are you? - asked the old duck, who came to visit her.

Yes, I can’t manage with one egg, ”said the young duck. - Everything does not burst. But look at the little ones! Just beautiful! All, as one, - in the father.

Come on, show me an egg that does not burst, said the old duck. - It must be a turkey egg. That's exactly the same way I was once carried out. Well, I had trouble with these turkeys, I tell you! Couldn't get them into the water. I already quacked and pushed - they don’t go, and that’s all! Come on, show me the egg. And there is! Turkey! Drop it and go teach the kids to swim!

I'll sit still! - said the young duck. - I sat so much that I can sit still.

As you wish! - said the old duck and left.

Finally the big egg burst.

Pip! Pip! - squeaked the chick and fell out of the egg. But how big and ugly he was!

The duck looked at him.

Terribly big! - she said. - And not at all like the others! Isn't that a turkey, really? Well, yes, he will visit me in the water, yes, I will drive him by force!

The next day the weather was wonderful, the green burdock was flooded with sun. The duck with all his family went to the ditch. Bultykh! - and she found herself in the water.

Quack! Quack! she called, and the ducklings, one by one, also floundered into the water. At first the water covered them completely, but they immediately surfaced and swam well forward.

Their paws worked like that, and even the ugly gray duck kept up with the others.

What kind of Indian is this? - said the duck. - Look how nicely he rows with his paws! And how straight it stays! No, he is mine, my dear... Yes, he is not bad at all, as you look at him well. Well, live, live for me! Now I will introduce you to society, I will introduce you to the poultry yard. Just stay close to me so that someone does not step on you, but watch out for cats!

Soon we got to the poultry yard. Fathers! What was that noise!

Two families of ducks fought over one head of eel, and ended up with the cat getting the head.

Here you see how it happens in the world! - said the duck and licked her beak with her tongue - she herself was not averse to tasting the eel head.

Well, well, move your paws! she said to the ducklings. - Grunt and bow to that old duck! She is the best here. She's Spanish and that's why she's so fat. You see, she has a red flap on her paw. How beautiful! This is the highest distinction a duck can receive. This means that they do not want to lose her - both people and animals recognize her by this flap. Well, live! Don't keep your paws inside! A well-bred duckling should turn its paws outward, like father and mother. Like this! Look! Now tilt your head and say, "Quack!"

And so they did. But the other ducks looked at them and said loudly:

Well, here's another whole bunch! Like there weren't enough of us? And what an ugly one! We won't tolerate him!

And immediately one duck flew up and pecked him on the back of the head.

Leave it! said the mother duck. "He didn't do anything to you!"

Suppose, but he is so big and strange! - answered a strange duck. - He needs to be asked well.

You have nice kids! - said the old duck with a red flap on its paw. - All the nice ones, here's just one... This one didn't work out! It would be nice to change it!

It's impossible, your grace! - answered the mother duck. He is not handsome, but he has a good heart. And he swims no worse, I even dare to say - better than others. I think over time it will even out and become smaller. He had lain in the egg for too long, which is why he did not quite succeed.

And she scratched the back of his head and stroked his feathers.

In addition, he is a drake, and a drake does not really need beauty. I think he will get stronger and make his way.

The rest of the ducklings are very, very cute! said the old duck. - Well, make yourself at home, and if you find an eel head, you can bring it to me.

Here are the ducklings and settled at home. Only the poor duckling, which hatched later than everyone else and was so ugly, was pecked, pushed and teased by absolutely everyone - both ducks and chickens.

Painfully big! they said.

And the Indian rooster, who was born with spurs on his feet and therefore imagined himself an emperor, pouted and, like a ship in full sail, flew up to the duckling, looked at him and clapped angrily; his comb was so full of blood.

The poor duckling simply did not know what to do, where to go. And he should have been born so ugly that the whole poultry yard laughs at him! ..

So the first day passed, and then it got even worse. Everyone drove the poor duckling away, even the brothers and sisters angrily said to him:

If only the cat had dragged you away, you insufferable freak!

And the mother added:

Eyes would not look at you!

Ducks nibbled at him, chickens pecked at him, and the girl who gave the birds food pushed him with her foot.

The duckling could not stand it, ran across the yard - and through the fence! Small birds frightened fluttered out of the bushes.

"That's because I'm so ugly!" - thought the duckling, closed his eyes and set off further.

He ran and ran until he found himself in a swamp where wild ducks lived. Tired and sad, he lay there all night.

In the morning, wild ducks rose from their nests and saw a new comrade.

What is this bird? they asked.

The duckling turned and bowed in all directions as best he could.

Well, you are a monster! said the wild ducks. - However, we do not care, just do not think to intermarry with us.

Poor thing! Where was he to think about it! If only they would let him sit in the reeds and drink marsh water.

He spent two days in the swamp. On the third day, two wild ganders appeared. They had only recently hatched from eggs and therefore were very proud.

Listen, buddy! they said. - You are such a freak that we really like you! Do you want to fly with us and be a free bird? There is another swamp nearby, where pretty wild young geese live. They know how to say: "Ha-ha-ha!" You are such a freak that, what good, you will be successful with them.

Pif! Puff! - there was suddenly heard over the swamp, and both ganders fell dead into the reeds; the water was stained with their blood.

Pif! Puff! - it was heard again, and a whole flock of wild geese rose from the reeds. The firing went. Hunters surrounded the swamp on all sides; some even settled in the branches of trees hanging over the swamp.

Blue smoke clouded the trees and drifted over the water. Hunting dogs ran through the swamp - slap! slap! The reeds and reeds swayed from side to side.

The poor duckling was neither alive nor dead from fear. He was about to hide his head under his wing, when suddenly a hunting dog with a protruding tongue and sparkling evil eyes appeared right in front of him.

She stuck her mouth to the duckling, bared her sharp teeth and - slap! Slap! - ran further.

“I didn’t touch it,” the duckling thought and took a breath. “It’s obvious that I’m so ugly that even a dog is disgusted to bite me!”

And he hid in the reeds.

Over his head now and then shots whistled, shots rang out. The firing subsided only in the evening, but the duckling was still afraid to move for a long time.

Only a few hours later he dared to get up, looked around and started running further through the fields and meadows. The wind was so strong that the duckling could hardly move.

By nightfall he ran to the poor hut. The hut was so dilapidated that it was ready to fall, but did not know which side, and therefore held on.

The wind picked up the duckling - it was necessary to rest against the ground with its tail. And the wind got stronger.

Then the duckling noticed that the door of the hut had jumped off one hinge and was hanging so crookedly that it was possible to freely slip through the crack into the hut. And so he did.

An old woman lived in a hut with a cat and a chicken. She called the cat son; he knew how to arch his back, purr, and even let off sparks if you stroke him the wrong way.

The chicken had small, short legs, which is why it was called Short-legged; she diligently laid eggs, and the old woman loved her like a daughter.

In the morning, someone else's duckling was noticed. The cat purred, the chicken clucked.

What's there? - asked the old woman, looked around and noticed a duckling, but due to her blindness she mistook him for a fat duck that had strayed from home.

What a find! - said the old woman. - Now I will have duck eggs, if only it is not a drake. Well, let's see, let's try!

And the duckling was accepted for testing. But three weeks passed, and there were still no eggs.

The cat was the real master of the house, and the chicken was the mistress, and both always said:

We and the whole world!

They considered themselves half of the world, and, moreover, the better half.

True, the duckling believed that one could have a different opinion on this matter. But the chicken didn't.

Can you lay eggs? she asked the duckling.

So keep your tongue on a leash!

And the cat asked:

Can you arch your back, purr and sparkle?

So don't stick around with your opinion when smart people are talking!

And the duckling was sitting in the corner ruffled.

Suddenly he remembered the fresh air and the sun, he terribly wanted to swim. He could not stand it and told the chicken about it.

What's wrong with you? she asked. - You're idle, here's a whim in your head and climbs! Bring some eggs or purr, the nonsense will pass!

Ah, it's so nice to swim! - said the duckling. - It's such a pleasure to dive headfirst into the very depths!

That's so fun! - said the chicken. - You're completely crazy! Ask the cat - he is smarter than anyone I know - if he likes to swim and dive. I'm not talking about myself! Finally, ask our old lady, there is no one smarter than her in the world! Do you think she wants to swim or dive?

You don't understand me, - said the duckling.

If we do not understand, then who will understand you! Do you want to be smarter than the cat and the mistress, not to mention me? Don't be foolish, but be grateful for everything that has been done for you! They sheltered you, warmed you up, you ended up in a society in which you can learn something. But you're an empty head, and it's not worth talking to you. Believe me! I wish you well, therefore I scold you. This is how true friends are always known. Try to lay eggs or learn to purr and sparkle!

I think it's better for me to leave here wherever my eyes look, - said the duckling.

Well, go ahead! - answered the chicken.

And the duckling is gone. He swam and dived, but all the animals still despised him for his ugliness.

Autumn has come. The leaves on the trees turned yellow and turned brown; the wind picked them up and whirled them through the air. It got very cold.

Heavy clouds poured hail and snow on the ground, and a raven sat on the fence and croaked from the cold at the top of his lungs. Brr! You will freeze at the mere thought of such a cold!

It was bad for the poor duckling. Once, in the evening, when the sun was still shining in the sky, a whole flock of beautiful large birds rose from the bushes, the duckling had never seen such beautiful ones: all white as snow, with long, flexible necks.

They were swans.

Having uttered a strange cry, they fluttered their magnificent large wings and flew from the cold meadows to the warm lands, beyond the blue sea. The swans rose high, high, and the poor duckling was seized with an incomprehensible alarm.

He twirled like a top in the water, stretched out his neck and also screamed, but so loudly and strangely that he himself was frightened. Ah, he could not take his eyes off these beautiful happy birds, and when they were completely out of sight, he dived to the very bottom, emerged and was as if out of his mind. The duckling did not know the names of these birds, where they fly, but he fell in love with them, just as he had not loved anyone in the world until now.

He did not envy their beauty; it never occurred to him that he could be as handsome as them. He would have been glad, radechonek, if at least the ducks had not repelled him from themselves.

Poor ugly duckling!

Winter has come cold, very cold. The duckling had to swim without rest to keep the water from freezing completely, but every night the hole in which he swam became smaller and smaller.

It was so cold that even the ice crackled. The duckling worked tirelessly with its paws, but in the end it was completely exhausted, froze and froze all over.

Early in the morning a peasant passed by. He saw a duckling, broke the ice with his wooden shoes, and carried the half-dead bird home to his wife.

The duckling was warmed up.

But then the children decided to play with him, and it seemed to him that they wanted to offend him. The duckling shied away from fear and landed right in the milk pan.

The milk spilled. The hostess screamed and waved her arms, and meanwhile the duckling flew into a tub of oil, and from there into a barrel of flour. Father, what did he look like!

The hostess screamed and chased him with coal tongs, the children ran, knocking each other down, laughing and squealing.

It's good, the door was open - the duckling jumped out, rushed into the bushes, right on the freshly fallen snow, and for a long, long time lay there almost unconscious.

It would be too sad to describe all the troubles and misfortunes of the duckling during this harsh winter. When the sun again warmed the earth with its warm rays, he lay in the swamp, among the reeds.

The larks sang. Spring came! The duckling flapped its wings and flew away. Now the wind hummed in his wings, and they were much stronger than before.

Before he had time to come to his senses, he found himself in a large garden. The apple trees were in bloom; fragrant lilacs bent their long green branches over the winding canal.

Oh, how good it was here, how it smelled of spring!

And suddenly three wonderful white swans floated out of the thicket of reeds. They swam so lightly and smoothly, as if they were sliding on the water.

The duckling recognized the beautiful birds, and some incomprehensible sadness seized him.

I'll fly to them, to these majestic birds. They will probably peck me to death because I, being so ugly, dared to approach them. But let! It is better to die from their blows than to endure the plucking of ducks and chickens, the kicks of the poultry keeper, and to endure cold and hunger in winter!

And he sank into the water and swam towards the beautiful swans, who, seeing him, also swam towards him.

Kill me! - said the poor thing and lowered his head low, expecting death, but what did he see in the water, clear as a mirror? Your own reflection.

But he was no longer an ugly dark gray duck, but a swan. It doesn't matter to be born in a duck's nest if you hatched from a swan egg!

Now he was glad that he had endured so much grief and trouble - he could better appreciate his happiness and the splendor that surrounded him.

And big swans swam around and stroked him with their beaks.

Small children ran into the garden. They began to throw bread crumbs and grains to the swans, and the youngest shouted:

The new one has arrived!

And everyone else got it:

New, new!

The children clapped their hands and danced for joy, and then they ran after their father and mother and again began to throw crumbs of bread and cake into the water. Everyone said:

The new swan is the best! He is so handsome and young!

And the old swans bowed their heads before him.

And he was completely embarrassed and hid his head under his wing, not knowing why.

He was very happy, but he was not at all proud - a good heart does not know pride; he remembered the time when everyone laughed at him and persecuted him. And now everyone says that he is the most beautiful among the beautiful birds.

The lilac bowed its fragrant branches into the water, the sun shone so warmly, so brightly...

And then his wings rustled, his slender neck straightened, and a jubilant cry escaped from his chest:

No, I never dreamed of such happiness when I was still an ugly duckling!

It was good for the city! It was summer. The rye was already golden in the fields, the oats were turning green, the hay was swept into haystacks; a long-legged stork paced the green meadow and chatted in Egyptian, the language he had learned from his mother. Behind the fields and meadows, a large forest darkened, and deep blue lakes hid in the forest. Yes, it was good for the city! The sun illuminated the old manor, surrounded by deep ditches with water. The whole earth - from the walls of the house to the very water - was overgrown with burdock, and so high that small children could stand under its largest leaves to their full height.

In the thicket of burdock it was as deaf and wild as in a dense forest, and there a duck was sitting on its eggs. She had been sitting for a long time, and she was tired of this occupation. Moreover, she was rarely visited - other ducks liked to swim in the grooves more than to sit in the burdock and quack with her.

Finally, the eggshells crackled.

The ducklings stirred, clattered their beaks and stuck out their heads.

- Pip, pip! they said.

- Crack, crack! the duck replied. - Hurry up!

The ducklings somehow got out of the shell and began to look around, looking at the green leaves of burdock. Mother did not interfere with them - the green color is good for the eyes.

Oh, how big is the world! - said the ducks. Still would! Now they were much more spacious than in the shell.

"Don't you think the whole world is here?" mother said. - What is there! It stretches far, far away, over there, beyond the garden, beyond the field ... But, to tell the truth, I have never been there in my life! .. Well, has everyone got out yet? Jonah rose to her feet. - Oh no, not yet ... The largest egg is intact! When will this end! I will soon lose my patience.

And she sat down again.

- Well how are you? asked the old duck, sticking its head into the thicket of burdock.

“Yes, I can’t cope with one egg,” said the young duck. - I sit, I sit, but it still does not burst. But look at those babies that have already hatched. Just beautiful! All as one - in the father! And he, unfit, did not even visit me even once!

“Wait, show me first that egg that does not burst,” said the old duck. “Isn’t it turkey, what good?” Well, yes, of course! .. That's exactly the same way I was once tricked. And how much trouble I had later with these turkey poults! You won’t believe it: they are so afraid of water that you can’t drive them into a ditch. Already I hissed, and quacked, and simply pushed them into the water - they don’t go, and that’s all. Let me take another look. Well, it is! Turkey! Throw him away and go teach your kids to swim!

“No, I’ll probably sit,” said the young duck. “I’ve endured so much that I can endure a little more.

- Well, sit down! said the old duck and left. And finally, the big egg cracked.

— Pip! Pip! - the chick squeaked and fell out of the shell.

But how big and ugly he was! The duck looked at him from all sides and fluttered its wings.

— Terrible freak! - she said. “And not at all like the others!” Is it really a turkey? Well, yes, he will visit me in the water, even if I had to push him there by force!

The next day the weather was wonderful, the green burdock was flooded with sun.

The duck with all his family went to the ditch. Bultykh! - and she found herself in the water.

- Quack-quack! Behind me! Alive! she called, and one by one the ducklings flopped into the water as well.

At first the water covered them completely, but they immediately surfaced and swam well forward. Paws they have earned, and earned. Even the ugly gray duckling kept up with the others.

- What kind of turkey is this? said the duck. - Look how nicely he rows with his paws! And how straight it stays! No, this is my own son. Yes, he is not so bad at all, if you take a good look at him. Well, quick, quick, follow me! I will now introduce you to society - we will go to the poultry yard. Just stay close to me so that someone does not step on you, but watch out for cats!

Soon the duck with all its brood reached the poultry yard. Oh my God! What was that noise! Two families of ducks fought over an eel head. And in the end, this head went to the cat.

- This is how it always happens in life! - said the duck and licked her beak with her tongue - she herself was not averse to tasting the eel head. - Well, well, move your paws! she commanded, turning to the ducklings. "Squawk and bow to that old duck over there!" She is the best here. She's Spanish and that's why she's so fat. See, she has a red patch on her paw! How beautiful! This is the highest distinction a duck can receive. This means that they do not want to lose it - both people and animals immediately recognize it by this shred. Well, live! Don't keep your paws together! A well-bred duckling should turn its paws outward. Like this! See. Now tilt your heads and say, "Quack!"

The ducks did just that.

But other ducks looked at them and spoke loudly:

- Well, here's another whole bunch! Without them, there weren't enough of us! And one is ugly! We will never tolerate this!

And immediately one duck flew up and pecked at his neck.

- Leave him! said the mother duck. "He didn't do anything to you!"

- Let's assume it is. But he's kind of big and awkward! the angry duck hissed. “It doesn’t hurt to teach him a little.

And a noble duck with a red patch on its paw said:

- Nice kids you have! Everyone is very, very nice, except for one, perhaps ... The poor fellow did not succeed! It would be nice to change it.

"That's impossible, your grace!" the mother duck replied. “He is not handsome, it is true, but he has a good heart. And he swims no worse, I even dare to say - better than others. I think over time it will even out and become smaller. He had lain in the egg for too long and therefore outgrew a little. And she smoothed the feathers on his back with her beak. “Besides, he’s a drake, and a drake doesn’t really need beauty. I think he will grow up strong and make his way into life.

The rest of the ducklings are very, very cute! said the noble duck. “Well, make yourself at home, and if you find an eel head, you can bring it to me.”

And now the ducklings began to behave like at home. Only the poor duckling, which hatched later than the others and was so ugly, no one gave a pass. He was pecked, pushed and teased not only by ducks, but even by chickens.

- Too big! they said.

And the Indian rooster, who was born with spurs on his feet and therefore imagined himself almost an emperor, pouted and, like a ship in full sail, flew right up to the duckling, looked at him and murmured angrily; his comb was so full of blood. The poor duckling simply did not know what to do, where to go. And he should have been born so ugly that the whole poultry yard laughs at him!

So the first day passed, and then it got even worse. Everyone drove the poor duckling away, even the brothers and sisters angrily told him: “If only the cat would drag you away, you obnoxious freak!” And the mother added: “My eyes would not look at you!” The ducks nibbled at him, the chickens pecked at him, and the girl who fed the birds pushed him away with her foot.

Finally, the duckling could not stand it. He ran across the yard and, spreading his clumsy wings, somehow rolled over the fence right into the thorny bushes.

The little birds sitting on the branches fluttered at once and scattered in different directions.

“It’s because I’m so ugly,” thought the duckling, and, closing his eyes, rushed to run, not knowing where he was. He ran until then. until he found himself in a swamp where wild ducks lived.

Here he spent the whole night. The poor duckling was tired and very sad.

In the morning, wild ducks woke up in their nests and saw a new comrade.

- What kind of bird is this? they asked. The duckling turned and bowed in all directions as best he could.

- Well, you are ugly! said the wild ducks. “However, we don’t care about that, as long as you don’t climb into our relatives.

Poor thing! Where could he even think about it! If only he was allowed to live in the reeds and drink marsh water, he did not dream of more.

So he sat in the swamp for two days. On the third day, two wild ganders flew there. They had recently learned to fly and therefore were very proud.

- Listen, buddy! they said. “You are so wonderful that it’s fun to look at you. Do you want to be friends with us? We are free birds - wherever we want, we fly there. There is also a swamp nearby, where pretty little wild geese-young ladies live. They know how to say: “Rap! Rap! You are so funny that, what good, you will be a great success with them.

Pif! Puff! suddenly resounded over the swamp, and both ganders fell dead into the reeds, and the water turned red with blood.

Pif! Puff! - came again, and a whole flock of wild geese rose above the swamp. Shot after shot rang out. Hunters surrounded the swamp on all sides; some of them climbed trees and fired from above. Blue smoke clouded the tops of the trees and drifted over the water. Hunting dogs roamed the swamp. All that was heard was: slap-slap! And the reeds swayed from side to side. The poor duckling was neither alive nor dead from fear. He was about to hide his head under his wing, when suddenly a hunting dog appeared right in front of him with a protruding tongue and sparkling evil eyes. She looked at the duckling, showed her sharp teeth and - slap-slap! - ran further.

“It seems to have passed,” the duckling thought and took a breath. “It seems that I am so ugly that even a dog is disgusted to eat me!”

And he hid in the reeds. And over his head now and then shots whistled, shots rang out.

The firing subsided only in the evening, but the duckling was still afraid to move for a long time.

Several hours passed. Finally, he dared to get up, looked around cautiously, and began to run further through the fields and meadows.

There was such a strong headwind that the duckling could barely move its paws.

By nightfall, he reached a small wretched hut. The hut was so dilapidated that it was ready to fall, but did not know which side, and therefore held on.

The wind picked up the duckling in such a way that he had to cling to the ground itself so that it would not be blown away.

Fortunately, he noticed that the door of the hut had jumped off one hinge and was so warped that it was easy to get inside through the crack. And the duckling got through.

An old woman lived in a hut with her chicken and cat. She called the cat Sonny; he knew how to arch his back, purr, and even throw sparks, but for this it was necessary to stroke him the wrong way. The chicken had small short legs, and therefore it was called the Short Leg. She diligently laid eggs, and the old woman loved her like a daughter.

In the morning the duckling was noticed. The cat began to purr and the chicken began to cackle.

- What is there? the old woman asked. She looked around and saw a duckling in the corner, but she blindly mistook it for a fat duck that had strayed from home.

- What a find! said the old woman. - Now I will have duck eggs, if only it is not a drake. And she decided to keep the homeless bird at home. But three weeks passed, and there were still no eggs. The cat was the real master of the house, and the chicken was the mistress. Both of them always said: “We and the whole world!” They considered themselves half of the world, and, moreover, the better half. True, it seemed to the duckling that one could have a different opinion on this matter. But the chicken wouldn't let that happen.

- Can you lay eggs? she asked the duckling.

- So keep your tongue on a leash! And the cat asked:

- Can you arch your back, throw sparks and purr?

“So don’t stick around with your opinion when smart people are talking!”

And the duckling was sitting in the corner, fluffed up.

One day the door opened wide, and a stream of fresh air and a bright beam of sunlight burst into the room. The duckling was so strongly drawn to freedom, he wanted to swim so much that he could not resist and told the chicken about it.

- Well, what else did you think of? The chicken pounced on him. - You are idle, so all nonsense climbs into your head! Bring some eggs or purr, the nonsense will pass!

Oh, it's so nice to swim! - said the duckling. “It’s such a pleasure to dive head first into the very depths!”

- That's such a pleasure! said the hen. - You're completely crazy! Ask the cat - he is more reasonable than anyone I know - does he like to swim and dive? I'm not talking about myself. Ask, finally, our old lady, there is probably no one smarter than her in the world! She will tell you if she likes to dive head first into the very depths!

- You do not understand me! - said the duckling.

“If we don’t understand, then who will understand you!” You obviously want to be smarter than the cat and our lady, not to mention me! Don't be foolish and be grateful for everything that has been done for you! They sheltered you, warmed you up, you ended up in a society in which you can learn something. But you're an empty head, and it's not worth talking to you. Believe me! I wish you well, therefore I scold you. This is what true friends always do. Try to lay eggs or learn to purr and throw sparks!

“I think it’s better for me to get out of here wherever my eyes look!” - said the duckling.

- Well, go ahead! the chicken replied.

And the duckling is gone. He lived on the lake, swam and dived upside down, but everyone around him still laughed at him and called him ugly and ugly.

Meanwhile, autumn has come. The leaves on the trees turned yellow and turned brown. They fell from the branches, and the wind picked them up and whirled through the air. It got very cold. Heavy clouds sowed hail and snow on the ground. Even the raven, sitting on the fence, croaked from the cold at the top of his lungs. Brr! You will freeze at the mere thought of such a cold!

It was bad for the poor duckling.

Once in the evening, when the sun was still shining in the sky, a whole flock of wonderful, large birds rose from behind the forest. The duckling has never seen such beautiful birds - all white as snow, with long flexible necks ...

They were swans.

Their cry was like the sound of a trumpet. They spread their wide, mighty wings and flew from the cold meadows to the warm lands, beyond the blue seas ... Now they rose high, high, and the poor duck kept looking after them, and some kind of incomprehensible anxiety seized him. He spun in the water like a top, stretched out his neck and also screamed, but so loudly and strangely that he himself was frightened. He could not take his eyes off these beautiful birds, and when they completely disappeared from sight, he dived to the very bottom, then swam out again, and yet for a long time he could not come to his senses. The duckling did not know the names of these birds, did not know where they fly, but fell in love with them. How I have never loved anyone in the world before. He did not envy their beauty. It never occurred to him that he could be as handsome as them.

He was glad, radёhonek, if at least the ducks did not push him away from themselves. Poor ugly duckling!

Winter has come cold, very cold. The duckling had to swim in the lake without rest in order not to let the water freeze completely, but every night the hole in which he swam became smaller and smaller. The frost was such that even the ice crackled. The duckling tirelessly worked with its paws. In the end, he was completely exhausted, stretched out and froze to ice.

Early in the morning a peasant passed by. He saw a duckling frozen to the ice, broke the ice with his wooden shoe and took the half-dead bird home to his wife.

The duckling was warmed up.

The children decided to play with him, but it seemed to the duckling that they wanted to offend him. He shied away from fear into a corner and fell right into the sump of milk. Milk flowed across the floor. The hostess screamed and clasped her hands, and the duckling darted around the room, flew into a tub of oil, and from there into a barrel of flour. It's easy to imagine what he looked like!

The hostess scolded the duckling and chased him with coal tongs, the children ran, knocking each other down, laughing and squealing. It's good that the door was open - the duckling ran out, spreading its wings, rushed into the bushes, right on the freshly fallen snow, and for a long, long time lay there almost unconscious.

It would be too sad to talk about all the troubles and misfortunes of the ugly duckling in this harsh winter.

Finally, the sun again warmed the earth with its warm rays. The larks rang in the fields. Spring has returned!

The duckling got out of the reeds, where he hid all winter, flapped his wings and flew. His wings were now much stronger than before, they made a noise and lifted him off the ground. He did not have time to come to his senses, as he had already flown to a large garden. The apple trees were all in bloom, the fragrant lilacs bent their long green branches over the winding canal. Oh, how good it was here, how it smelled of spring!

And suddenly three wonderful white swans floated out of the thicket of reeds. They swam so lightly and smoothly, as if they were sliding on the water. The duckling recognized these beautiful birds, and some incomprehensible sadness seized him.

“I will fly to them, to these majestic birds. They will probably peck me to death because I, so ugly, dared to approach them. But still! It is better to die from their blows than to endure the plucking of ducks and chickens, the kicks of a poultry keeper, and to endure cold and hunger in winter!

And he sank into the water and swam towards the beautiful swans, and the swans, seeing him, waved their wings and swam straight towards him.

- Kill me! - said the ugly duckling and lowered his head low.

And suddenly, in a clear, like a mirror, water, he saw his own reflection. He was no longer an ugly dark gray duck, but a beautiful white swan!

Now the duckling was even glad that he had endured so much grief and trouble. He endured a lot and therefore could better appreciate his happiness. And big swans swam around and stroked him with their beaks.

At this time, the children ran into the garden. They began to throw pieces of bread and grain to the swans, and the youngest of them shouted:

The new one has arrived! The new one has arrived! And everyone else got it:

Yes, new, new!

The children clapped their hands and danced for joy. Then they ran after their father and mother and again began to throw pieces of bread and cake into the water.

Both children and adults said:

— The new swan is the best! He is so handsome and young!

And the old swans bowed their heads before him. And he was completely embarrassed and hid his head under his wing, not knowing why. He recalled the time when everyone laughed at him and persecuted him. But all this was behind. Now people say that he is the most beautiful among the beautiful swans. The lilac bends fragrant branches towards him into the water, and the sun caresses with its warm rays ... And then his wings rustled, his slender neck straightened, and a jubilant cry escaped from his chest:

— No, I never dreamed of such happiness when I was still an ugly duckling! Here's a fairy tale Ugly duck the end, and who listened - well done!

The fairy tale is one of the kindest and most wonderful fairy tales written by G.Kh. Andersen. After all, there is absolutely no “darkness” in it, which is why Western European fairy tales are so different. Only life. And probably, the kids love her also because in the finale everything ends well, and the ugly duckling becomes a beautiful swan. Be sure to take the time to read The Ugly Duckling to your child. Of course, who wants to - then you can watch the cartoon "The Ugly Duckling" online, but not a single cartoon can awaken such a fantasy in a kid as a fairy tale read by loving parents. Therefore, be sure to read!

G.H. Andersen

How nice it was in the summer outside the city! In the fields, rye began to turn golden, oats turned green, hay was swept into stacks; a long-legged stork paced the green meadow and chatted in Egyptian, the language his mother had taught him. Behind the meadows and fields, a large forest darkened, and deep blue lakes were hidden far away in the forest. Yes, how nice it was in the summer outside the city! Surrounded by deep ditches with water, the old manor was illuminated by the gentle sun. All over the land, from the house to the water itself, burdock grew, and so tall that small children could stand upright under the largest leaves of burdock.
In the thickets of burdock one could feel like in a dense forest, just as deaf and wild. And it was there, in silence, that the duck settled on the eggs. The duck has been sitting for a long time, and therefore such an occupation bored her. She was completely alone for a long time, other ducks rarely came to her, because they liked swimming and diving more than sitting with her in the thickets of burdock and quacking.

But then, finally, the shells of the testicles cracked.

Ducklings stirred in their testicles, they stuck out their heads, clattered their beaks.

- Pip, pip!

- Crack, crack! - the mother duck answered the ducklings. - Come on, hurry up!

The ducklings somehow got out of the shell, and began to look around, looking at the leaves of burdock. Mata duck did not interfere with them - the green color of burdock is good for the eyes.

Oh, how big the world is! - said the ducks. Well, of course! After all, now they were much freer than in their shell.

- Quack! Have you already decided that this is the whole world? said the duck. - Yes you! The world stretches far, far away, beyond the field, beyond the garden... But, to be honest, I myself have never been there in my life!.. Well, has everyone got out yet? And the duck rose to its feet, ready to go. “Oh no, not yet… Unfortunately, the biggest egg is still intact!” When will this suffering end? Soon I will lose my patience.

And the duck sat down on the egg again.

- How are you? asked the old duck, which had stuck its head into the middle of the thicket of burdock.

“Everything would be fine, but it’s impossible to cope with one egg,” the young duck answered her. “I’ve been sitting and sitting, but it still doesn’t want to burst. But those babies that hatched are just wonderful! Well, everyone, as one, looks like a father! And he, be it wrong, never even visited me here!

“Wait, let’s first look at the egg that doesn’t want to burst,” the old duck tells her. - What good, isn’t it turkey? Of course, it looks like a turkey! I was also taken that way once. Added turkey eggs. And how much I then had to endure with these turkey poults! After all, you can’t even drag them into a ditch - they are so afraid of water. I already hissed at them, and quacked, and tried to push them into the water by force - but they don’t go, and that’s all. Let's have another look. Well, exactly! Turkey egg! Leave it here and go teach other kids how to swim!

“Perhaps I’ll sit still,” answered the young duck. “I have endured for so long that now I can endure a little more.

- Well, sit down! - said the old duck to her and left. But then, finally, the big egg cracked.

The chick squeaked - Pip! Pip! and fell out of the shell.

But how ugly and big he was! The duck looked at him from all sides and fluttered its wings.

— Terrible freak! - she said. And he is absolutely different from the others! Could it really be a turkey? Well, never mind, he will still visit me in the water, even if I have to push him there by force!

The next day the weather was wonderful, and the thickets of green burdock were simply flooded with sun.

The duck went to the ditch with all his family. Bultykh! - and the duck was the first to be in the water.

- Quack-quack! Alive! Behind me! she called to the ducklings, and one by one, one by one, they also plunged into the water.

The water at first covered them completely, but they quickly surfaced and miraculously swam forward. The ducklings' paws worked like that, and they raked it. And the ugly gray duckling did not lag behind the others either.

- Well, no, what kind of turkey is he? said the duck to herself. - Look, how nicely he rows with his paws! And how straight he is! No, he is not a turkey, he is my own son. Yes, perhaps, he is not so scary at all, if you take a good look at him. Well, quickly follow me! Now I will introduce you to society for the first time - we will all go to the poultry yard together. Just stay close to me so that someone doesn’t crush you, and beware of cats!

Soon the duck, along with all its brood, hobbled to the poultry yard. What was that noise! Oh my God! Two duck families fought desperately over an eel head. But in the end, this head did not go to one of them, but to a cat.

- This is how it always happens in life! - the duck said to the kids and licked its beak with its tongue, - after all, she herself would not refuse to taste the heads of the eel. - Come on, come on, move your paws! she commanded the ducklings, turning to them. - Now grunt and bow to this old duck! She is the most important here. Because she is a Spanish breed, and also the fattest. You see, she has a red patch tied on her paw! That's very beautiful! This is the highest distinction a duck can receive. This means that the owners do not want to lose it - everyone will immediately recognize it by this shred: both animals and people. Well, quickly! Don't keep your paws together! A well-bred duckling should turn its paws outward. See. Like this! Now tilt your heads and say: “Quack!”

As the ducks were told, so they did.

But then other ducks looked at them and spoke loudly:

“Well, here’s another whole horde dragged along!” As if we weren't enough without them! And this one is ugly! Well, we will not tolerate this duckling!

And one duck immediately flew up and pecked the duckling on the neck.

- Leave him alone! said mother duck. "He didn't do anything to you!"

- So what! But he is kind of big and very awkward! the angry duck hissed. “And so it doesn’t hurt to teach him a little lesson.

And the duck with a red patch tied on its foot said:

- You have nice kids! They are all very, very nice, except perhaps for one... This poor fellow didn't work out! It would be nice to have it redone.

"Your Grace, that's impossible!" the mother duck replied. It is true that he is ugly, but he has a good heart. And he knows how to swim no worse, even better than others. It seems to me that over time it will line up with the rest and become smaller. He just lay in the egg for too long, and probably because he outgrew a little. - And the duck smoothed out the feathers on the back of the ugly duckling with its beak. - And besides everything else, he is a drake, and beauty is not so important for a drake. It seems to me that he will grow up very strong and will be able to make his way in life.

— I don't know. And all the other ducklings are very, very cute! said the noble duck. - Well, make yourself comfortable, make yourself at home, and if you accidentally find an eel head, you can bring it to me.

And the ducklings, as they were advised, began to behave at home. And only the poor ugly duckling, which hatched from the egg later than the others, was not given a pass. He was pushed, pecked and teased even by chickens, and not just ducks.

- Too big! they said.

And the Indian rooster, who was born with spurs on his feet, who imagined himself almost an emperor, suddenly pouted and flew right up to the duckling, as if a ship in full sail, then looked at him and murmured angrily; his comb was engorged with blood. And the poor ugly duckling simply did not know where to go and what to do. And he managed to be born so ugly that the whole poultry yard laughs at him!

Thus passed the first day of the life of the ugly duckling in the common yard, and then it got even worse. Everyone drove the poor duckling away, even the sisters and brothers said angrily to him: “If only the cat had dragged you away, you insufferable freak!” And the mother added at the same time: “My eyes would not look at you!” Ducks nibbled him, chickens pecked at him, and the girl who fed the birds with food pushed him away with her foot.

And one day the duckling could not stand it. He ran across the entire yard, somehow rolled over the fence right into the thorny bushes, spreading his clumsy wings.

Small birds sitting on the branches immediately scattered in different directions.

“They are because I am so ugly,” thought the duckling, and then screwed up his eyes and rushed to run to no one knows where. He ran all the way to the swamp where the wild ducks lived.

In this swamp he spent the whole night. The poor duckling was very sad and very tired.

In the morning, wild ducks woke up in their nests, and immediately saw a new comrade.

- What is this bird? they asked. The duckling bowed as best he could and turned in all directions.

— What same you ugly! the wild ducks said to the duckling. - However, it is absolutely indifferent to us, just do not go into our relatives.

Poor thing! The ugly duckling didn't even think about it! He could only dream of being allowed to live in the reeds and drink marsh water.

So he sat in the swamp for two whole days. On the third day, two wild ganders flew into the swamp. They were very proud, because they had only recently learned.

- Buddy! they said. “Look, you're so weird it's fun to look at. Do you want to be friends with us? We are free birds - wherever we want, we fly there. There is still a swamp nearby, very cute wild young geese live there. They know how to say: “Rap! Rap! And you're so funny that you'll probably be a big hit with them.

Pif! Puff! - suddenly there was a sound over the swamp, and both ganders fell dead into the reeds, and the water turned red with blood.

Pif! Puff! - it was heard again, and a whole flock of wild geese rose above the swamp. The shot followed one after another. Hunters surrounded the swamp from all sides; some of them climbed trees and fired from above. The tops of the trees were shrouded in clouds and blue smoke drifted over the water. Hunting dogs roamed the swamp. All that was heard was: slap-slap! And the reeds swayed from side to side. The poor ugly duckling was neither alive nor dead from fear. He was about to hide his head under his wing, when suddenly a hunting dog with a protruding tongue and sparkling evil eyes appeared right in front of him. She looked at the ugly duckling, showed her sharp teeth and - lo and behold - slap-slap! - ran further.

“It seems to have passed,” thought the duckling, and breathed a sigh of relief. “It can be seen that I really am so ugly that even a dog is disgusted to eat me!”

And the duckling hid in the reeds. And over his head now and then shots were heard, shots whistled.

The firing subsided only towards evening, but the ugly duckling was afraid to move for a long time.

So several hours passed. Finally, he got up, looked around cautiously, and started running further through the meadows and fields.

A headwind was blowing so strong that the duckling could hardly move its paws.

By nightfall, the duckling reached a small wretched hut. The hut was already so dilapidated that it was quite ready to fall, but did not know which side to fall on, and therefore held on.

The wind picked up the duckling, so he had to cling to the very ground so that he would not be carried away.

Fortunately, the duckling noticed that the door of the hut had completely jumped off one hinge and was so warped that it was easy to get inside through the gap. And the ugly duckling made his way.

In this hut lived an old woman with her chicken and cat. The old woman called the cat Sonny; The cat could arch its back and purr. And sometimes even pour sparks around him, but for this it was necessary to stroke him against the wool. And the Hen was called Short-legged, because she had short little legs. She diligently and regularly laid eggs, and the old woman loved her like her own daughter.

In the morning, the owners of the house noticed the duckling. The chicken began to cackle and the cat began to purr.

- What happened there? the old woman asked. She looked around and noticed an ugly duckling in the corner, but at first she blindly mistook the duckling for a fat duck that had strayed from its home.

- What a lucky find! said the old woman. “Now I will always have duck eggs as well, unless of course it’s just a drake.” And the old woman decided to keep this homeless bird at home. But three whole weeks passed, and there were still no eggs from the duck.
In fact, the cat was the real owner of the house, and the chicken was the mistress. They both always said: “We and the whole world!” They considered themselves half, and, moreover, the best half, of the whole world. It seemed to the duckling, however, that another opinion could be held on this score. But the chicken didn't allow it. She asked the duckling:

- Can you lay eggs?

"Then keep your tongue tied!" And the cat asked:

- Do you know how to arch your back, throw sparks and purr?

“Then don’t poke your nose with your opinion when smart people are talking!”

And the ugly duckling was sitting in the corner, fluffed up.

One day the door opened wide, and a bright beam of sunlight and a stream of fresh air burst into the room. The duckling wanted to swim so much, he was so drawn to freedom that he could not resist and told the hen about it.

“Well, what nonsense are you thinking up?” The chicken pounced on him. “Because you are messing around, all sorts of nonsense gets into your head!” Better bring eggs or purr, at worst, the foolishness will pass right away!

- You do not understand! It's so nice to swim! said the ugly duckling to her. - It's such a pleasure to dive headfirst into the very depths!

- Well, he said! That's so much fun! the chicken replied. “You seem to be completely out of your mind!” Better ask the cat - he is the most reasonable of all whom I know - does he like to dive and swim? I am not talking about myself anymore. Ask our old lady, finally. There is probably no one smarter than her! She will tell you exactly if she likes to dive head first into the very depths!

"You don't understand me at all!" said the ugly duckling.

“If we don’t understand you, then no one will understand you!” You obviously want to be smarter than our lady and the cat, not to mention me! Don't be stupid, and be grateful to us for everything we've done for you! After all, they warmed you, sheltered you, you ended up in a society in which you can learn something. But you're an empty head, and it's not worth talking to you. Believe me! I wish you well, therefore I scold you. That's what true friends always do. Try to lay eggs, or learn to throw sparks and purr!

“I think it’s better for me to get out of here wherever my eyes look!” said the ugly duckling.

- Well, go yourself! the hen replied.

And the duckling is gone. He lived alone on the lake, he swam and dived upside down, but everyone around him still laughed at him and called him ugly and nasty.

In the meantime, autumn has arrived. The leaves on the trees turned brown and yellowed. They fell from the branches, and the wind picked up the leaves and whirled them through the air. It got very cold. Heavy clouds sowed snow and then hail on the ground. Even the raven, sitting on the fence, croaked at the top of his lungs from the cold. Brr! At the mere thought of such a cold, you will freeze!

The poor duck had a bad time.

One evening, when the sun was still shining in the sky, a whole flock of large wonderful birds. The ugly duckling has never seen such beautiful birds - they were all white as snow, with long flexible necks ...

They were swans.

The cry of the swans was like the sound of a trumpet. They spread their mighty wide wings and flew from the cold meadows over the blue seas, to warm lands ... Now they had already risen high, and the ugly duckling was still looking after them, and some kind of incomprehensible anxiety seized him. He spun in the water like a top, then stretched out his neck and also screamed, but so loudly and strangely that he himself was frightened of it. He could not take his eyes off these beautiful birds, and when they finally completely disappeared from sight, he dived to the very bottom, then swam out again, and yet for a long time he could not come to his senses. The ugly duckling did not know the names of these birds, did not know where they flew, but already fell in love with them, as he had not loved anyone in the world until now. He did not envy their beauty. It never occurred to him that he, too, could be as handsome as them.

He would have been happy, happy, if at least the ducks had not pushed him away from themselves. Poor ugly duckling!

A cold, very cold winter has come. The ugly duckling had to swim around the lake without rest to keep the water from completely freezing, but every night the hole in which he swam was still getting smaller and smaller. The frost was so strong that even the ice crackled. The duckling tirelessly worked with its paws. At the end of the night, he was completely exhausted, stretched out on the ice and froze.

Fortunately, early in the morning a peasant passed by him. He saw a duckling frozen to the ice, broke the ice with his wooden shoe and carried the half-dead bird home to his wife.

The houses of the ugly duckling were warmed up.

The children wanted to play with him, but it seemed to the duckling that they wanted to offend him. From fear, he shied away into a corner and fell directly into a bucket of milk. Milk flowed across the floor. The hostess threw up her hands, and the duckling began to rush around the room, flew into a tub of oil, and then immediately into a barrel of flour. You can easily imagine what he looked like!

The hostess scolded the ugly duckling and chased him with coal tongs, the children laughed and squealed, ran, knocking each other down. It's good that the door to the street was open - the duckling jumped out, spreading its wings, rushed into the bushes, right on the freshly fallen snow, and for a long, long time lay there almost unconscious.

It would be too sad to tell you about all the troubles and misfortunes that befell the ugly duckling in this harsh winter.

But finally, the winter ended and the sun again warmed the earth with its warm rays. The larks rang in the fields. Spring has returned!

The ugly duckling got out of the reeds, where he hid all winter, flapped his wings and flew. His wings were now much stronger than before, they made a noise and lifted him high above the ground. Before the duckling had time to come to his senses, he had already flown to a large garden. Everything was in bloom, there were apple trees, fragrant lilacs bent their long green branches over the winding canal. Oh, how it smelled of spring here, how good it was!

And suddenly three wonderful white swans emerged from the very thicket of reeds. They swam so smoothly and easily, as if they were sliding on the water. The ugly duckling immediately recognized these beautiful birds, and some incomprehensible sadness seized him.

“I will fly to these majestic birds. They will probably peck me to death because I, being so nasty, dared to approach them. But I don't care anymore! It is better to die from the blows of these beautiful birds than to endure the plucking of chickens and ducks, the kicks of the poultry keeper, and to endure hunger and cold in winter!”
And the ugly duckling landed on the water and swam towards the beautiful swans, and the swans saw him, waved their wings and swam straight towards him.

- Kill me! said the ugly duckling to them, and bowed his head low.

And suddenly, in a clear, like a mirror, water, he saw his own reflection. And oh, miracle! He was no longer an ugly dark gray duck, but a beautiful white swan!

Now the duckling was even glad that he had to endure so much trouble and grief. He had endured a lot in his life and therefore could now better appreciate his happiness. And the big swans swam around him and stroked him with their beaks.

At this time, the children ran into the garden. They began to throw grain and pieces of bread to the swans, and the youngest of them saw the former duckling and shouted:

The new one has arrived! The new one has arrived! And all the other children after him picked up:

Yes, new, new!

The children danced for joy and clapped their hands. Then they ran after their mother and father and again began to throw pieces of bread and cake into the water.

Both adults and children said:

— Look, the new swan is the best! He is so young and handsome!

And the old swans bowed their heads before him. And he was completely embarrassed and from embarrassment hid his head under his wing, not knowing why. He remembered the time when everyone laughed at the poor ugly duckling and chased him away. But now it was all over. Now people say that it is he who is the most beautiful among the beautiful swans. And the lilac bends its fragrant branches towards him into the water, and the sun caresses him with its warm rays ... And then his wings rustled, his slender neck straightened, and a jubilant cry escaped from his chest:

- No, I didn’t even dream of such happiness when I was still an ugly duckling!