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Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 2 by Unknown
page 62 of 727 (08%)
and they screamed!--well was it that the door stood open, and the poor
creature was able to slip out between the bushes into the newly-fallen
snow--there he lay quite worn out.

But it would be too sad if I were to tell all the misery and care which
the Duckling had to bear in the hard winter. He lay out on the moor
among the reeds, when the sun began to shine again and the larks to
sing; it was a beautiful spring.

Then all at once the Duckling could flap his wings: they beat the air
more strongly than before, and bore him stoutly away; and before he well
knew it, he found himself in a great garden, where the elder-trees stood
in flower, and bent their long green branches down to the winding canal,
and the lilacs smelt sweet. Oh, here it was beautiful, fresh, and
springlike! and from the thicket came three glorious white swans; they
rustled their wings, and sat lightly on the water. The Duckling knew the
splendid creatures, and felt a strange sadness.

"I will fly away to them, to the royal birds! and they will beat me,
because I, that am so ugly, dare to come near them. But it is all the
same. Better to be killed by them than to be chased by ducks, and beaten
by fowls, and pushed about by the girl who takes care of the poultry
yard, and to suffer hunger in winter!" And he flew out into the water,
and swam toward the beautiful swans: these looked at him, and came
sailing down upon him with outspread wings. "Kill me!" said the poor
creature, and bent his head down upon the water, and waited for death.
But what saw he in the clear water? He saw below him his own image; and
lo! it was no longer a clumsy dark-gray bird, ugly and hateful to look
at, but--a swan!

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