sheexclaimed,"ihopeitisnotadrake,forthenishallhavesomeduck'seggs.imustwaitandsee."sotheducklingwasallowedtoremainontrialforthreeweeks,buttherewerenoeggs.nowthetomcatwasthemasterofthehouse,andthehenwasmistress,andtheyalwayssaid,"weandtheworld,"fortheybelievedthemselvestobehalftheworld,andthebetterhalftoo.theducklingthoughtthatothersmightholdadifferentopiniononthesubject,butthehenwouldnotlistentosuchdoubts."canyoulayeggs?"sheasked."no.""thenhavethegoodnesstoholdyourtongue.""canyouraiseyourback,orpurr,orthrowoutsparks?"saidthetomcat."no.""thenyouhavenorighttoexpressanopinionwhensensiblepeoplearespeaking."sotheducklingsatinacorner,feelingverylowspirited,tillthesunshineandthefreshaircameintotheroomthroughtheopendoor,andthenhebegantofeelsuchagreatlongingforaswimonthewater,thathecouldnothelptellingthehen.

"whatanabsurdidea,"saidthehen."youhavenothingelsetodo,thereforeyouhavefoolishfancies.ifyoucouldpurrorlayeggs,theywouldpassaway."

"butitissodelightfultoswimaboutonthewater,"saidtheduckling,"andsorefreshingtofeelitcloseoveryourhead,whileyoudivedowntothebottom."

"delightful,indeed!"saidthehen,"whyyoumustbecrazy!askthecat,heisthecleverestanimaliknow,askhimhowhewouldliketoswimaboutonthewater,ortodiveunderit,foriwillnotspeakofmyownopinion;askourmistress,theoldwoman-thereisnooneintheworldmorecleverthansheis.doyouthinkshewouldliketoswim,ortoletthewatercloseoverherhead?"

"youdon'tunderstandme,"saidtheduckling.

"wedon'tunderstandyou?whocanunderstandyou,iwonder?doyouconsideryourselfmorecleverthanthecat,ortheoldwoman?iwillsaynothingofmyself.don'timaginesuchnonsense,child,andthankyourgoodfortunethatyouhavebeenreceivedhere.areyounotinawarmroom,andinsocietyfromwhichyoumaylearnsomething.butyouareachatterer,andyourcompanyisnotveryagreeable.believeme,ispeakonlyforyourowngood.imaytellyouunpleasanttruths,butthatisaproofofmyfriendship.iadviseyou,therefore,tolayeggs,andlearntopurrasquicklyaspossible."

"ibelieveimustgooutintotheworldagain,"saidtheduckling.

"yes,do,"saidthehen.sotheducklingleftthecottage,andsoonfoundwateronwhichitcouldswimanddive,butwasavoidedbyallotheranimals,becauseofitsuglyappearance.autumncame,andtheleavesintheforestturnedtoorangeandgold.then,aswinterapproached,thewindcaughtthemastheyfellandwhirledtheminthecoldair.theclouds,heavywithhailandsnow-flakes,hunglowinthesky,andtheravenstoodonthefernscrying,"croak,croak."itmadeoneshiverwithcoldtolookathim.allthiswasverysadforthepoorlittleduckling.oneevening,justasthesunsetamidradiantclouds,therecamealargeflockofbeautifulbirdsoutofthebushes.theducklinghadneverseenanylikethembefore.theywereswans,andtheycurvedtheirgracefulnecks,whiletheirsoftplumageshownwithdazzlingwhiteness.theyutteredasingularcry,astheyspreadtheirgloriouswingsandflewawayfromthosecoldregionstowarmercountriesacrossthesea.astheymountedhigherandhigherintheair,theuglylittleducklingfeltquiteastrangesensationashewatchedthem.hewhirledhimselfinthewaterlikeawheel,stretchedouthisnecktowardsthem,andutteredacrysostrangethatitfrightenedhimself.couldheeverforgetthosebeautiful,happybirds;andwhenatlasttheywereoutofhissight,hedivedunderthewater,androseagainalmostbesidehimselfwithexcitement.heknewnotthenamesofthesebirds,norwheretheyhadflown,buthefelttowardsthemashehadneverfeltforanyotherbirdintheworld.hewasnotenviousofthesebeautifulcreatures,butwishedtobeaslovelyasthey.pooruglycreature,howgladlyhewouldhavelivedevenwiththeduckshadtheyonlygivenhimencouragement.thewintergrewcolderandcolder;hewasobligedtoswimaboutonthewatertokeepitfromfreezing,buteverynightthespaceonwhichheswambecamesmallerandsmaller.atlengthitfrozesohardthattheiceinthewatercrackledashemoved,andtheducklinghadtopaddlewithhislegsaswellashecould,tokeepthespacefromclosingup.hebecameexhaustedatlast,andlaystillandhelpless,frozenfastintheice.

earlyinthemorning,apeasant,whowaspassingby,sawwhathadhappened.hebroketheiceinpieceswithhiswoodenshoe,andcarriedtheducklinghometohiswife.thewarmthrevivedthepoorlittlecreature;butwhenthechildrenwantedtoplaywithhim,theducklingthoughttheywoulddohimsomeharm;sohestartedupinterror,flutteredintothemilk-pan,andsplashedthemilkabouttheroom.thenthewomanclappedherhands,whichfrightenedhimstillmore.heflewfirstintothebutter-cask,thenintothemeal-tub,andoutagain.whataconditionhewasin!