Onelovelysummerinthecountry,MotherDucksatonhernest.Shehadbeenwaitingforhereggstohatchforalongtime.Finallyoneeggbegantocrack.Andthenanother.Fromeachshellcameatinygoldencreaturecrying,”Peep!Peep!”Soonalltheeggswerehatched,exceptone. 　　Atlastthelargestegghatched.Ayoungbirdpeekedout,crying“Peep!Peep!”liketheothers.Butthisduckingwasgrayandquitelarger,andveryugly. 　　MotherDuckstaredathernewbaby.”Youarenotlikemyotherducklings,”shesaid,”Iwonderifyouarereallymyturkey,andnotaducklingatall?” 　　Shetookherducklingstotheriverbanktopracticetheirswimming.MotherDuckwatchedherlargestbaby,becauseitiswellknownthatturkeyscannotswim. 　　Alltheducklingsjumpedfearlesslyintotheriver,Eventheuglyducklingswamgracefully.thoughtMotherDuck:”Heisnotaturkeyatall.” 　　MotherDucjbroughtherfamilytoliveonthenearbyfarm,buttheuglyducklingwasveryunhappythere.Alltheotherduckspickedonhim,callinghimnamesandstealinghisfood.Eventhechickenslaughedattheuglyduckling,andoneturkeypeckedathiminamostviciousway.Thepoorducklingdecidedhemustrunaway.”Thereisnohomeforanuglyduckling,“hesaidmiserably.Heclosedhiseyesandwaddledaway. 　　Throughthewinterhealmoststarvedandnearlyfroze.Then,onedaythewarmspringcame,Theducklingtestedhiswingsandfoundthattheywerestrong.Hedlew,landingbychanceinabeautifulgardenwithaveryclearpond.Andinthepondwerethreebeautifulwhiteswans. 　　Theducklingswamtowardthebeautifulswans,thoughheknewtheywouldlaughandtellhimtogoaway.”I’djustliketoseethem,ifonlyforamoment,“thoughttheuglyduckling. 　　Buttheswansdidnotlaughortellhimgoaway.Theswansstrokedhisneckandwelcomedhim.Theducklinghappenedtoglancedownatthewatermwherehesawhisownreflection.Hewasnolongeragray,uglybird.Hehadgrownuptobeabeautifulwhiteswan!