hard time.

It is too sad to tell what he did all winter.

At last it was spring.

The birds sang. The ugly duckling was big now.

One day he flew far away.

[Illustration: "OH, SEE THE LOVELY SWAN!"]

Soon he saw three white swans on the lake.

He said, "I am going to see those birds. I am afraid they will kill
me, for I am so ugly."

He put his head down to the water. What did he see? He saw himself in
the water. But he was not an ugly duck. He was a white swan.

The other swans came to see him.

The children said, "Oh, see the lovely swans. The one that came last
is the best."

And they gave him bread and cake.

It was a happy time for the ugly duckling.