theyallsaid,comingroundhim.

hebowedtothem,andwasaspoliteashecouldbe,buthedidnotreplytotheirquestion."youareexceedinglyugly,"saidthewildducks,"butthatwillnotmatterifyoudonotwanttomarryoneofourfamily."

poorthing!hehadnothoughtsofmarriage;allhewantedwaspermissiontolieamongtherushes,anddrinksomeofthewateronthemoor.afterhehadbeenonthemoortwodays,therecametwowildgeese,orrathergoslings,fortheyhadnotbeenoutoftheegglong,andwereverysaucy."listen,friend,"saidoneofthemtotheduckling,"youaresougly,thatwelikeyouverywell.willyougowithus,andbecomeabirdofpassage?notfarfromhereisanothermoor,inwhichtherearesomeprettywildgeese,allunmarried.itisachanceforyoutogetawife;youmaybelucky,uglyasyouare."

"pop,pop,"soundedintheair,andthetwowildgeesefelldeadamongtherushes,andthewaterwastingedwithblood."pop,pop,"echoedfarandwideinthedistance,andwholeflocksofwildgeeseroseupfromtherushes.thesoundcontinuedfromeverydirection,forthesportsmensurroundedthemoor,andsomewereevenseatedonbranchesoftrees,overlookingtherushes.thebluesmokefromthegunsroselikecloudsoverthedarktrees,andasitfloatedawayacrossthewater,anumberofsportingdogsboundedinamongtherushes,whichbentbeneaththemwherevertheywent.howtheyterrifiedthepoorduckling!heturnedawayhisheadtohideitunderhiswing,andatthesamemomentalargeterribledogpassedquitenearhim.hisjawswereopen,histonguehungfromhismouth,andhiseyesglaredfearfully.hethrusthisnoseclosetotheduckling,showinghissharpteeth,andthen,"splash,splash,"hewentintothewaterwithouttouchinghim,"oh,"sighedtheduckling,"howthankfuliamforbeingsougly;evenadogwillnotbiteme."andsohelayquitestill,whiletheshotrattledthroughtherushes,andgunaftergunwasfiredoverhim.itwaslateinthedaybeforeallbecamequiet,buteventhenthepooryoungthingdidnotdaretomove.hewaitedquietlyforseveralhours,andthen,afterlookingcarefullyaroundhim,hastenedawayfromthemoorasfastasheranoverfieldandmeadowtillastormarose,andhecouldhardlystruggleagainstit.towardsevening,hereachedapoorlittlecottagethatseemedreadytofall,andonlyremainedstandingbecauseitcouldnotdecideonwhichsidetofallfirst.thestormcontinuedsoviolent,thattheducklingcouldgonofarther;hesatdownbythecottage,andthenhenoticedthatthedoorwasnotquiteclosedinconsequenceofoneofthehingeshavinggivenway.therewasthereforeanarrowopeningnearthebottomlargeenoughforhimtoslipthrough,whichhedidveryquietly,andgotashelterforthenight.awoman,atomcat,andahenlivedinthiscottage.thetomcat,whomthemistresscalled,"mylittleson,"wasagreatfavorite;hecouldraisehisback,andpurr,andcouldeventhrowoutsparksfromhisfurifitwerestrokedthewrongway.thehenhadveryshortlegs,soshewascalled"chickieshortlegs."shelaidgoodeggs,andhermistresslovedherasifshehadbeenherownchild.inthemorning,thestrangevisitorwasdiscovered,andthetomcatbegantopurr,andthehentocluck.

"whatisthatnoiseabout?"saidtheoldwoman,lookingroundtheroom,buthersightwasnotverygood;therefore,whenshesawtheducklingshethoughtitmustbeafatduck,thathadstrayedfromhome."ohwhataprize!"