ll here. How long will this
last? I am so weary of it!" And then she sat down again.

"Well, and how are you getting on?" asked an old Duck, who had come to
pay her a visit.

"This one egg keeps me so long," said the mother. "It will not break.
But you should see the others! They are the prettiest little Ducklings
I have seen in all my days. They are all like their father--the
good-for-nothing fellow, he has not been to visit me once!"

"Let me see the egg that will not break," said the old Duck. "Depend
upon it, it is a turkey's egg. I was cheated in the same way once
myself, and I had such trouble with the young ones; for they were afraid
of the water, and I could not get them there. I called and scolded, but
it was all of no use. But let me see the egg--ah, yes! to be sure, that
is a turkey's egg. Leave it, and teach the other little ones to swim."

[Illustration: _The Ugly Duckling_
"What is the Matter?" asked the Old Woman]

"I will sit on it a little longer," said the Duck. "I have been sitting
so long, that I may as well spend the harvest here."

"It is no business of mine," said the old Duck, and away she waddled.

The great egg burst at last. "Chick! chick!" said the little one, and
out it tumbled--but, oh! how large and ugly it was! The Duck looked at
it. "That is a great, strong creature," said she. "None of the others
are at all like it. Can it be a young turkey-cock? Well, we shall soon
find out. It must go into the water, though I push it in myself."

The next day there was delightful weather, and the sun shone warmly upon
the green leaves when Mother Duck with all her family went down to the
canal. Plump she went into the water. "Quack! quack!" cried she, and one
duckling after another jumped in. The water closed over their heads, but
all came up again, and swam together quite easily. Their legs moved
without effort. All were there, even the ugly grey one.

"No; it is not a turkey," said the old Duck; "only see how prettily it
moves its legs, how upright it holds itself! It is my own child. It is
also really very pretty, when you look more closely at it. Quack! quack!
now come with me, I will take you into the world and introduce you in
the duck-yards. But keep close to me, or someone may tread on you; and
beware of the Cat."

So they came into the duck-yard. There was a horrid noise; two families
were quarreling about the head of an eel, which in the end was carried
off by the Cat.

"See, my