The disgusting duckling

It was good in the country!

There was a summer. Золотилась a rye, the oats turned green, hay has been swept away in stacks; on a green meadow the long-legged stork perambulated and stirred on-egipetski - to this language it was learnt at mother.

Behind fields and meadows the big woods lasted, and in woods there were deep lakes. Yes, it was good in the country!

Directly on the sun the old manor surrounded with deep ditches with water laid; from walls of the house to the water the burdock, yes such big grew, that small children could stand under the largest leaves in all growth. In a burdock thicket was deafly and wildly as in the most dense wood, and here on eggs the duck there sat.

It should deduce ducklings, and to it it is rather has bothered, because it sat for a long time already and her seldom visited - other ducks liked to float on ditches more, than to sit in burdocks yes to grunt with it. At last egg скорлупки have cracked.

- Пип! Пип! - has begun to squeak inside. All egg yolks have revived and have put out heads.

- Кряк! Кряк! - the duck has told. Ducklings have quickly got out of a shell and began to look around around under green leaves of a burdock; mother did not stir it - green colour is useful to eyes.

- Ah, as the world is great! - ducklings have told.

Still! Here was where is more spacious, than in a shell.

- Whether you think, what here and all world? - Mother has told. - what there! It lasts far-far, there, for a garden, in the field, but there I отроду did not happen!. Well, all of you here?

And it has risen.

- Ah is not present, not all. The biggest egg целехонько! Yes when to it there will be an end! I soon absolutely will lose patience.

And she has taken seat again.

- Well, how are you doing? - The old duck who has come to visit her has asked.

- Yes here with one яйцом I will not cope in any way, - the young duck has told. - all does not burst. But look at babies! Simply charm! Everything, as one, - in the father.

- And well show me egg which does not burst, - the old duck has told. - for certain it индюшечье egg. Here in the same way and me once have spent. Well also was to me with these индюшатами efforts, I will tell to you! Could not entice them into water in any way. I both grunted, and pushed - do not go, and only! Well, show egg. Indeed! Индюшечье! Throw it yes go learn children to float!

- I will sit still! - the young duck has told. - sat so much, that it is possible and to sit still.

- Somehow! - the old duck has told and has left.

At last the big egg has burst also.

- Пип! Пип! - the baby bird has squeaked and has fallen out of egg. But what it was big and disgusting!

The duck has inspected it.

- It is awfully great! - she has told. - also it is completely not similar to the others! Whether индюшонок it, really? Well it at me will visit water, force yes I will tyre out!

For other day weather stood wonderful, the green burdock has been filled in by the sun. The duck with всею своею a family has gone to a ditch. Бултых! - and it has come to be in water.

- Кряк! Кряк! - she, and ducklings has called one behind another too побултыхались in water. At first water has covered them with a head, but they have now come up and have perfectly floated forward.

Pads and worked for them, and even the ugly grey duckling did not lag behind others.

- What it индюшонок? - The duck has told. - as nicely rows with pads! And as directly keeps! No, mine it, my dear... Yes it at all and not дурен as you will look at it properly. Well, it is live, live for me! Now I will enter you into a society, I will present you on a poultry yard. Only keep to me more close that somebody has not attacked you, yes be protected cats!

Have soon reached and a poultry yard. Fathers! That here was for noise!

Two duck families fought because of one head of the eel, and has come to an end that the head has got to a cat.

- Here see, how happens on light! - the duck has told and has licked a uvula a beak - it and itself had no objection to try угриной heads.

- Well-well, move with pads! - she has told to ducklings. - grunt and bow to that old duck! It here знатнее all. It of the Spanish breed and consequently such fat. See, at it on a pad a red rag. As it is beautiful! This higher difference what the duck only can receive. It means, that it do not wish to lose, - on this rag it learn both people and animals. Well, it is live! Yes do not hold a pad inside! The well-educated duckling should turn out pads outside, as the father and mother. Here so! Look! Now incline a head and tell: "Кряк!"

So they also have made. But other ducks have inspected them and have told loudly:

- Well here, still the whole crowd! As though us was a little? And one what ugly! We will not suffer it!

And now one duck has flown up and has pecked it in a nape.

- Leave it! - the duck-mother has told. - after all it to you has made nothing!

- Let's put, but it such big and strange! - another's duck has answered. - it should set properly.

- Nice children at you! - the old duck with a red rag on a paw has told. - all nice, here only one... This is not has gone right! Well it to alter!

- It in any way is impossible, your favour! - the duck-mother has answered. - it is ugly, but at it kind heart. And it floats not worse, I dare even to tell - better others. I think, in due course it will be levelled and becomes it is less. It has too long lain in egg, because and not absolutely daringly.

And it has scratched at it in a nape and has stroked plumelets.

- Besides it a drake, and the beauty is not too necessary to a drake. I think, it will get stronger and will punch to itself road.

- Other ducklings very much, are very lovely! - the old duck has told. - well, make yourself at home, and will find угриную a head, can bring it to me.

Here ducklings also were arranged as the house. Only the poor duckling who hatched after all and was such ugly, pecked, pushed and teased resolutely all - and ducks and hens.

- It is painfully great! - they spoke.

And the American Indian cock who was born with spurs standing and consequently imagined itself the emperor, was inflated and as if the ship in full sail, has flown up to the duckling, has had a look at it and is angry залопотал; the comb at it and was poured by blood.

The poor duckling simply did not know, that to it to do where to disappear. Also it was necessary to it to be born such ugly, that all poultry yard laughs at it!.

So there has passed the first day, and then tritely is even worse. All drove the poor duckling, even brothers and sisters angrily spoke to it:

- Though the cat would drag off you, the intolerable ugly creature!

And mother added:

Eyes would not look at you!

Ducks burnt it, hens pecked, and the girl who gave to birds of sterns, pushed ногою.

The duckling has not sustained, has run across a court yard - and through a fence! Small birdies have scaredly flushed from bushes.

"It because, that I such ugly!" - the duckling has thought, has closed eyes and was started up further.

Ran-ran, has not come to be yet in a bog where there lived wild ducks. Tired and sad, it has lain here all night long.

In the morning wild ducks have risen from nests and увидали a new companion.

- It that for a bird? - They have asked.

The duckling span and bowed extensively as was able.

- Well and a fright you! - wild ducks have told. - however, to all of us it is equal, only do not think to become related with us.

The poor thing! Where to it was to think of it! If only have allowed it to sit in canes yes to have a drink marsh водицы.

Two days were spent by it in a bog. For the third day two wild ganders were. They only hatched recently from eggs and consequently very much put on airs.

- Listen, дружище! - they have told. - you such ugly creature, that, the right, like us! You wish to fly with us and to be a free bird? Here nearby there is other bog, there there live pretty wild geese-young ladies. They are able to speak: "Hectares-hectares-hectares!" You such ugly creature, that that kind, you will make at them success.

Pif! Паф! - it was distributed suddenly over a bog, and both ganders замертво have fallen in canes; water was empurpled by their blood.

Pif! Паф! - it was distributed again, and from canes the whole flight of wild geese has risen. Firing has gone. Hunters have surrounded a bog from different directions; some have sat down even at the branches which have hung over a bog of trees.

The blue smoke shrouded in clouds trees and стлался over water. On a bog hunting dogs - flop ran! Flop! The cane and a reed and shook here and there.

The poor duckling was is live dead for fear. He wanted was to hide a head under a wing as suddenly it is direct before it the hunting dog with высунутым language and sparkling malicious eyes has come to be.

It was put by a mouth to the duckling, has shown a sharp teeth and - flop! Flop! - has run further.

"Has not touched, - the duckling has thought and has taken breath. - it is visible, such I ugly, what even it is opposite to dog to bite me!"

And it has hidden in canes.

Over головою it the fraction continually whistled, shots were distributed. Firing has abated only by the evening, but the duckling long still was afraid to move.

Only in some hours he has dared to rise, has looked round and has started running further on fields and meadows. Barrels such strong wind, that the duckling hardly could move.

By the night it has reached a poor izba. The izba has decayed before, that was ready to fall, yes did not know, on what side therefore kept.

The wind and picked up the duckling - it was necessary to rest against the earth a tail. And the wind all grew stronger.

Here the duckling has noticed, that the izba door has come off one loop and hangs so crookedly, that it is possible to slip freely through a crack in an izba. So it also has made.

In an izba there lived the old woman with a cat and a hen. She called a cat a sonny; he was able to curve a back, to purr and even to start up sparks, if to stroke it the wrong way.

The hen had small, short legs therefore it and have nicknamed Коротконожкой; it diligently bore eggs, and the old woman loved it, as a daughter.

In the morning of another's duckling have noticed. A cat замурлыкал, a hen заклохтала.

- What there? - The old woman has asked, has looked around and has noticed the duckling, but on blindness has accepted it for a fat duck who has beaten off from the house.

- Here so a find! - the old woman has told. - now I will have duck eggs, if only it not a drake. Well, yes we will see, we will test!

And the duckling have accepted on test. But has passed weeks three, and eggs all were not.

The cat, and the mistress - a hen was the present owner in the house, and both always spoke:

- We and all light!

They considered themselves as half of all light, and besides the best half.

However, the duckling believed, that it is possible to be in this respect and other opinion. But the hen of it has not suffered.

- You are able to bear eggs? - She has asked the duckling.

- No.

- And hold language on привязи!

And the cat has asked:

- You are able to curve a back, to purr and start up sparks?

- No.

- And be not put with the opinion when clever people speak!

And the duckling sat in a corner having ruffled up.

Fresh air and the sun were suddenly recollected to it, terribly it wanted to swim for a while. It has not sustained and has told about it to a hen.

- Yes that with you? - She has asked. - you idle, here to you the whim in a head and climbs! Bear E eggs or purr, дурь and will pass!

- Ah, to float so it is pleasant! - the duckling has told. - such pleasure to dive headfirst into the depth!

- Here so pleasure! - the hen has told. - you absolutely c mind have descended! Ask a cat - it most cleverly whom I know, - whether it is pleasant to it to float and dive. I also do not speak about myself! Ask, at last, our old woman of the madam, it is cleverer than it anybody is not present on light! Your way, and it would like to float or dive?

- You do not understand me, - the duckling has told.

- If we do not understand, so who and will understand you! You well, wish to be cleverer than a cat and the mistress, not speaking already about me? Do not make a fool, and be grateful for everything, that for you have made! You have sheltered, have warmed, you have got to such society in which you can learn something. But you an empty head and to talk to you it is not necessary. Believe to me! I wish you good therefore I scold you. So true friends are always learnt. Try to bear eggs or learn to purr yes to start up a spark!

- I think, it is better to me to leave from here where eyes look, - the duckling has told.

- Well also go to itself! - the hen answered.

And the duckling has left. It floated and dived, but all animals to the former despised it for a disgrace.

The autumn has come. Leaves on trees have turned yellow and have grown brown; the wind picked up and turned them by air. It became very cold.

Heavy clouds strewed on the earth that hailstones snow, and on a fence sat a raven and croaked from a cold in all throat. Брр! You will freeze at one thought on such cold!

Badly it was necessary to the poor duckling. Time, towards evening, when the sun still shone in the sky, from bushes the whole flight of fine big birds has risen, the duckling never before did not see such beautiful: all white as snow, with long, flexible necks.

It were swans.

Having let out strange cry, they всплеснули magnificent big wings also have departed from cold meadows to warm edges, for the dark blue sea. Swans have highly-highly risen, and the poor duckling was captured by not clear alarm.

The top started turning it in water, has extended a neck and too has cried, yes so it is loud and strange, that itself was frightened. Ah, it could not tear off eyes from these fine happy birds and when they have absolutely passed out of sight, has dived on the bottom, has come up and was as if not in itself. The duckling as call these birds where they fly did not know, but has grown fond of them as did not love till now anybody on light.

It did not envy their beauty; to it and to a head did not come, that it can be same beautiful, as they. It would be glad-radehonek, if though ducks did not push away him from themselves.

The poor disgusting duckling!

The winter has come cold-very cold. The duckling had to float without rest not to allow to water to freeze absolutely, but with each night the ice-hole in which it floated, became ever less.

Froze so, what even ice crackled. As pads the duckling tirelessly worked, but in the end has absolutely become exhausted, gauging and all was frosted over.

Early in the morning the peasant passed by. It увидал the duckling, has broken ice the wooden boots and has carried a half-dead bird home to the wife.

The duckling have warmed.

But here children have taken in head to play with it, and it seemed to it, that they wish to offend him. The duckling has jumped aside for fear and has pleased directly in подойник with milk.

Milk was spilt. The mistress has screamed and has waved hands, and the duckling has meanwhile flown in a tub with oil, and therefrom - in a keg with a flour. Fathers, on what it became similar!

The mistress shouted and chased it with coal nippers, children ran, knocking each other down, laughed loudly and squealed.

Well still, the door has been opened, - the duckling has jumped out, has rushed in bushes, is direct on свежевыпавший snow, and long-long laid there almost without feelings.

Would be too sad to describe all troubles and misfortunes of the duckling for this severe winter. When the sun has again warmed the earth the warm beams, it laid in a bog, in canes.

Larks have started singing. The spring has come! The duckling has waved wings and has departed. Now in its wings the wind hooted, and they were where more strong former.

He as has come to be in the big garden has not had time to come round. Apple-trees stood in colour; the fragrant lilac declined the long green branches over the twisting channel.

Ah, as here it was good, as smelt весною!

And suddenly from a reed thicket have come up three wonderful white swans. They floated so easily and smoothly, precisely slid on water.

The duckling has learnt fine birds, and it was captured by any not clear grief.

- I will depart to them, to these stately birds. They, probably, will peck me to death that I, such ugly, have dared to come nearer to them. But let! It is better to be lost from their blows, than to take down щипки ducks and hens, kicks of the poultry-maid yes to endure a cold and hunger in winter!

And it has fallen on water and has floated towards to fine swans which, завидя it, too have floated to it.

- Kill me! - has told the poor thing and has low hung a head, expecting death but what he has seen in pure how a mirror, to water? Own reflexion.

But it was not so disgusting dark grey duckling, and a swan. It doesn't matter to be born in a duck nest if you hatched from swan egg!

Now it was glad, that has transferred so much a grief and troubles, - it could estimate is better the happiness and magnificence surrounding it.

And the big swans floated around and ironed its beaks.

In a garden small children have come running. They began to throw to swans grain crumbs and grains, and the most younger has cried:

- The new has arrived!

And the others have picked up all:

- New, new!

Children slapped hands together and danced for pleasure, and have then run for the father and mother and again began to throw in water of a crumb of bread and a cake. All spoke:

- The new swan is the best! It such beautiful and young!

And old swans have inclined before it a head.

And he absolutely was confused and has hidden a head under a wing, itself not knowing what for.

It was very happy, but at all has not become proud - kind heart does not know pride; to it that time when all laughed at it was recollected and drove it. And now all say, that it the finest among fine birds.

The lilac declined to it in water the fragrant branches, the sun shone so warmly so it is bright...

And here its wings have rustled, the harmonous neck was straightened, and from a breast exulting shout was pulled out:

- No, I also did not dream of such happiness, when was still the disgusting duckling!