安徒生童话-第192章

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row　out　of　his　coffin？　You　gave　all　you　possessed　thathe　might　rest　in　his　grave；　I　am　that　man。〃　As　he　said　this；　hevanished。

The　wedding　festivities　lasted　a　whole　month。　John　and　hisprincess　loved　each　other　dearly；　and　the　old　king　lived　to　see　many　ahappy　day；　when　he　took　their　little　children　on　his　knees　and　letthem　play　with　his　sceptre。　And　John　became　king　over　the　wholecountry。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　THE　UGLY　DUCKLING

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IT　was　lovely　summer　weather　in　the　country；　and　the　goldencorn；　the　green　oats；　and　the　haystacks　piled　up　in　the　meadows　lookedbeautiful。　The　stork　walking　about　on　his　long　red　legs　chattered　inthe　Egyptian　language；　which　he　had　learnt　from　his　mother。　Thecorn…fields　and　meadows　were　surrounded　by　large　forests；　in　the　midstof　which　were　deep　pools。　It　was；　indeed；　delightful　to　walk　aboutin　the　country。　In　a　sunny　spot　stood　a　pleasant　old　farm…houseclose　by　a　deep　river；　and　from　the　house　down　to　the　water　sidegrew　great　burdock　leaves；　so　high；　that　under　the　tallest　of　them　alittle　child　could　stand　upright。　The　spot　was　as　wild　as　the　centreof　a　thick　wood。　In　this　snug　retreat　sat　a　duck　on　her　nest；　watchingfor　her　young　brood　to　hatch；　she　was　beginning　to　get　tired　of　hertask；　for　the　little　ones　were　a　long　time　ing　out　of　their　shells；and　she　seldom　had　any　visitors。　The　other　ducks　liked　much　betterto　swim　about　in　the　river　than　to　climb　the　slippery　banks；　and　situnder　a　burdock　leaf；　to　have　a　gossip　with　her。　At　length　one　shellcracked；　and　then　another；　and　from　each　egg　came　a　living　creaturethat　lifted　its　head　and　cried；　〃Peep；　peep。〃　〃Quack；　quack；〃　said　themother；　and　then　they　all　quacked　as　well　as　they　could；　and　lookedabout　them　on　every　side　at　the　large　green　leaves。　Their　motherallowed　them　to　look　as　much　as　they　liked；　because　green　is　goodfor　the　eyes。　〃How　large　the　world　is；〃　said　the　young　ducks；　whenthey　found　how　much　more　room　they　now　had　than　while　they　were　insidethe　egg…shell。　〃Do　you　imagine　this　is　the　whole　world？〃　asked　themother；　〃Wait　till　you　have　seen　the　garden；　it　stretches　far　beyondthat　to　the　parson's　field；　but　I　have　never　ventured　to　such　adistance。　Are　you　all　out？〃　she　continued；　rising；　〃No；　I　declare；　thelargest　egg　lies　there　still。　I　wonder　how　long　this　is　to　last；　Iam　quite　tired　of　it；〃　and　she　seated　herself　again　on　the　nest。

〃Well；　how　are　you　getting　on？〃　asked　an　old　duck；　who　paid　hera　visit。

〃One　egg　is　not　hatched　yet；〃　said　the　duck；　〃it　will　not　break。But　just　look　at　all　the　others；　are　they　not　the　prettiest　littleducklings　you　ever　saw？　They　are　the　image　of　their　father；　who　isso　unkind；　he　never　es　to　see。〃

〃Let　me　see　the　egg　that　will　not　break；〃　said　the　duck；　〃I　haveno　doubt　it　is　a　turkey's　egg。　I　was　persuaded　to　hatch　some　once；　andafter　all　my　care　and　trouble　with　the　young　ones；　they　were　afraid　ofthe　water。　I　quacked　and　clucked；　but　all　to　no　purpose。　I　could　notget　them　to　venture　in。　Let　me　look　at　the　egg。　Yes；　that　is　aturkey's　egg；　take　my　advice；　leave　it　where　it　is　and　teach　the　otherchildren　to　swim。〃

〃I　think　I　will　sit　on　it　a　little　while　longer；〃　said　the　duck；〃as　I　have　sat　so　long　already；　a　few　days　will　be　nothing。〃

〃Please　yourself；〃　said　the　old　duck；　and　she　went　away。

At　last　the　large　egg　broke；　and　a　young　one　crept　forth　crying；〃Peep；　peep。〃　It　was　very　large　and　ugly。　The　duck　stared　at　it　andexclaimed；　〃It　is　very　large　and　not　at　all　like　the　others。　Iwonder　if　it　really　is　a　turkey。　We　shall　soon　find　it　out；　howeverwhen　we　go　to　the　water。　It　must　go　in；　if　I　have　to　push　it　myself。〃

On　the　next　day　the　weather　was　delightful；　and　the　sun　shonebrightly　on　the　green　burdock　leaves；　so　the　mother　duck　took　heryoung　brood　down　to　the　water；　and　jumped　in　with　a　splash。　〃Quack；quack；〃　cried　she；　and　one　after　another　the　little　ducklings　jumpedin。　The　water　closed　over　their　heads；　but　they　came　up　again　in　aninstant；　and　swam　about　quite　prettily　with　their　legs　paddlingunder　them　as　easily　as　possible；　and　the　ugly　duckling　was　also　inthe　water　swimming　with　them。

〃Oh；〃　said　the　mother；　〃that　is　not　a　turkey；　how　well　he　uses　hislegs；　and　how　upright　he　holds　himself！　He　is　my　own　child；　and　heis　not　so　very　ugly　after　all　if　you　look　at　him　properly。　Quack；quack！　e　with　me　now；　I　will　take　you　into　grand　society；　andintroduce　you　to　the　farmyard；　but　you　must　keep　close　to　me　or　youmay　be　trodden　upon；　and；　above　all；　beware　of　the　cat。〃

When　they　reached　the　farmyard；　there　was　a　great　disturbance；　twofamilies　were　fighting　for　an　eel's　head；　which；　after　all；　wascarried　off　by　the　cat。　〃See；　children；　that　is　the　way　of　the　world；〃said　the　mother　duck；　whetting　her　beak；　for　she　would　have　likedthe　eel's　head　herself。　〃e；　now；　use　your　legs；　and　let　me　seehow　well　you　can　behave。　You　must　bow　your　heads　prettily　to　thatold　duck　yonder；　she　is　the　highest　born　of　them　all；　and　hasSpanish　blood；　therefore；　she　is　well　off。　Don't　you　see　she　has　a　redflag　tied　to　her　leg；　which　is　something　very　grand；　and　a　great　honorfor　a　duck；　it　shows　that　every　one　is　anxious　not　to　lose　her；　as　shecan　be　recognized　both　by　man　and　beast。　e；　now；　don't　turn　yourtoes；　a　well…bred　duckling　spreads　his　feet　wide　apart；　just　likehis　father　and　mother；　in　this　way；　now　bend　your　neck；　and　say'quack。'〃

The　ducklings　did　as　they　were　bid；　but　the　other　duck　stared；　andsaid；　〃Look；　here　es　another　brood；　as　if　there　were　not　enoughof　us　already！　and　what　a　queer　looking　object　one　of　them　is；　wedon't　want　him　here；〃　and　then　one　flew　out　and　bit　him　in　the　neck。

〃Let　him　alone；〃　said　the　mother；　〃he　is　not　doing　any　harm。〃

〃Yes；　but　he　is　so　big　and　ugly；〃　said　the　spiteful　duck　〃andtherefore　he　must　be　turned　out。〃

〃The　others　are　very　pretty　children；〃　said　the　old　duck；　with　therag　on　her　leg；　〃all　but　that　one；　I　wish　his　mother　could　improve　hima　little。〃

〃That　is　impossible；　your　grace；〃　replied　the　mother；　〃he　is　notpretty；　but　he　has　a　very　good　disposition；　and　swims　as　well　oreven　better　than　the　others。　I　think　he　will　grow　up　pretty；　andperhaps　be　smaller；　he　has　remained　too　long　in　the　egg；　and　thereforehis　figure　is　not　properly　formed；〃　and　then　she　stroked　his　neckand　smoothed　the　feathers；　saying；　〃It　is　a　drake；　and　therefore　notof　so　much　consequence。　I　think　he　will　grow　up　strong；　and　able　totake　care　of　himself。〃

〃The　other　ducklings　are　graceful　enough；〃　said　the　old　duck。　〃Nowmake　yourself　at　home；　and　if　you　can　find　an　eel's　head；　you　canbring　it　to　me。〃

And　so　they　made　themselves　fortable；　but　the　poor　duckling；who　had　crept　out　of　his　shell　last　of　all；　and　looked　so　ugly；　wasbitten　and　pushed　and　made　fun　of；　not　only　by　the　ducks；　but　by　allthe　poultry。　〃He　is　too　big；〃　they　all　said；　and　the　turkey　cock；who　had　been　born　into　the　world　with　spurs；　and　fancied　himselfreally　an　emperor；　puffed　himself　out　like　a　vessel　in　full　sail；and　flew　at　the　duckling；　and　became　quite　red　in　the　head　withpassion；　so　that　the　poor　little　thing　did　not　know　where　to　go；　andwas　quite　miserable　because　he　was　so　ugly　and　laughed　at　by　the　wholefarmyard。　So　it　went　on　from　day　to　day　till　it　got　worse　and　worse。The　poor　duckling　was　driven　about　by　every　one；　even　his　brothers　andsisters　were　unkind　to　him；　and　would　say；　〃Ah；　you　ugly　creature；　Iwish　the　cat　would　get　you；〃　and　his　mother　said　she　wished　he　hadnever　been　born。　The　ducks　pecked　him；　the　chickens　beat　him；　andthe　girl　who　fed　the　poultry　kicked　him　with　her　feet。　So　at　last　heran　away；　frightening　the　little　birds　in　the　hedge　as　he　flew　overthe　palings。

〃They　are　afraid　of　me　because　I　am　ugly；〃　he　said。　So　he　closedhis　eyes；　and　flew　still　farther；　until　he　came　out　on　a　large　moor；inhabited　by　wild　ducks。　Here　he　remained　the　whole　night；　feelingvery　tired　and　sorrowful。

In　the　morning；　when　the　wild　ducks　rose　in　the　air；　they　staredat　their　new　rade。　〃What　sort　of　a　duck　are　you？〃　they　all　said；ing　round　him。

He　bowed　to　them；　and　was　as　polite　as　he　could　be；　but　he　did　notreply　to　their　question。　〃You　are　exceedingly　ugly；〃　said　the　wildducks；　〃but　that　will　not　matter　if　you　do　not　want　to　marry　one　ofour　family。〃

Poor　thing！　he　had　no　thoughts　of　marriage；　all　he　wanted　waspermission　to　lie　among　the　rushes；　and　drink　some　of　the　water　on　themoor。　After　he　had　been　on　the　moor　two　days；　there　came　two　wildgeese；　or　rather　goslings；　for　they　had　not　been　out　of　the　egglong；　and　were　very　saucy。　〃Listen；　friend；〃　said　one　of　them　to　theduckling；　〃you　are　so　ugly；　that　we　like　you　very　well。　Will　you　gowith　us；　and　bee　a　bird　of　passage？　Not　far　from　here　is　anothermoor；　in　which　there　are　some　pretty　wild　geese；　all　unmarried。　Itis　a　chance　for　you　to　get　a　wife；　you　may　be　lucky；　ugly　as　you　are。〃

〃Pop；　pop；〃　sounded　in　the　air；　and　the　two　wild　geese　fell　deadamong　the　rushes；　and　the　water　was　tinged　with　blood。　〃Pop；　pop；〃echoed　far　and　wide　in　the　distance；　and　whole　flocks　of　wild　geeserose　up　from　the　rushes。　The　sound　continued　from　every　direction；　forthe　sportsmen　surrounded　the　moor；　and　some　were　even　seated　onbranches　of　trees；　overlooking　the　rushes。　The　blue