thewomanscreamed,andstruckathimwiththetongs;thechildrenlaughedandscreamed,andtumbledovereachother,intheireffortstocatchhim;butluckilyheescaped.thedoorstoodopen;thepoorcreaturecouldjustmanagetoslipoutamongthebushes,andliedownquiteexhaustedinthenewlyfallensnow.

itwouldbeverysad,wereitorelateallthemiseryandprivationswhichthepoorlittleducklingenduredduringthehardwinter;butwhenithadpassed,hefoundhimselflyingonemorninginamoor,amongsttherushes.hefeltthewarmsunshining,andheardthelarksinging,andsawthatallaroundwasbeautifulspring.thentheyoungbirdfeltthathiswingswerestrong,asheflappedthemagainsthissides,androsehighintotheair.theyborehimonwards,untilhefoundhimselfinalargegarden,beforehewellknewhowithadhappened.theapple-treeswereinfullblossom,andthefragranteldersbenttheirlonggreenbranchesdowntothestreamwhichwoundroundasmoothlawn.everythinglookedbeautiful,inthefreshnessofearlyspring.fromathicketclosebycamethreebeautifulwhiteswans,rustlingtheirfeathers,andswimminglightlyoverthesmoothwater.theducklingrememberedthelovelybirds,andfeltmorestrangelyunhappythanever.

"iwillflytothoseroyalbirds,"heexclaimed,"andtheywillkillme,becauseiamsougly,anddaretoapproachthem;butitdoesnotmatter:betterbekilledbythemthanpeckedbytheducks,beatenbythehens,pushedaboutbythemaidenwhofeedsthepoultry,orstarvedwithhungerinthewinter."

thenheflewtothewater,andswamtowardsthebeautifulmomenttheyespiedthestranger,theyrushedtomeethimwithoutstretchedwings.

"killme,"saidthepoorbird;andhebenthisheaddowntothesurfaceofthewater,andawaiteddeath.

butwhatdidheseeintheclearstreambelow?hisownimage;nolongeradark,graybird,uglyanddisagreeabletolookat,butagracefulandbeautifulswan.tobeborninaduck'snest,inafarmyard,isofnoconsequencetoabird,ifitishatchedfromaswan'segg.henowfeltgladathavingsufferedsorrowandtrouble,becauseitenabledhimtoenjoysomuchbetterallthepleasureandhappinessaroundhim;forthegreatswansswamroundthenew-comer,andstrokedhisneckwiththeirbeaks,asawelcome.

intothegardenpresentlycamesomelittlechildren,andthrewbreadandcakeintothewater.

"see,"criedtheyoungest,"thereisanewone;"andtherestweredelighted,andrantotheirfatherandmother,dancingandclappingtheirhands,andshoutingjoyously,"thereisanotherswancome;anewonehasarrived."

thentheythrewmorebreadandcakeintothewater,andsaid,"thenewoneisthemostbeautifulofall;heissoyoungandpretty."andtheoldswansbowedtheirheadsbeforehim.

thenhefeltquiteashamed,andhidhisheadunderhiswing;forhedidnotknowwhattodo,hewassohappy,andyetnotatallhadbeenpersecutedanddespisedforhisugliness,andnowheheardthemsayhewasthemostbeautifulofallthebirds.eventheelder-treebentdownitsbowsintothewaterbeforehim,andthesunshonewarmandbright.thenherustledhisfeathers,curvedhisslenderneck,andcriedjoyfully,fromthedepthsofhisheart,"ineverdreamedofsuchhappinessasthis,whileiwasanuglyduckling."

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thewickedprince

byhanschristianandersen

therelivedonceuponatimeawickedprincewhoseheartandmindweresetuponconqueringallthecountriesoftheworld,andonfrighteningthepeople;hedevastatedtheircountrieswithfireandsword,andhissoldierstroddownthecropsinthefieldsanddestroyedthepeasants'hutsbyfire,sothattheflameslickedthegreenleavesoffthebranches,andthefruithungdrieduponthesingedblacktrees.manyapoormotherfled,hernakedbabyinherarms,behindthestillsmokingwallsofhercottage;butalsotherethesoldiersfollowedher,andwhentheyfoundher,sheservedasnewnourishmenttotheirdiabolicalenjoyments;demonscouldnotpossiblyhavedoneworsethingsthanthesesoldiers!