his world," said the mother duck; and she
licked her bill, for she wanted the eel's head for herself.

"Use your legs," said she; "mind you quack properly, and bend your
necks to the old duck over there! She is the grandest of them all; she
has Spanish blood in her veins and that accounts for her size, and, do
you see? she has a red rag round her leg; that is a wonderfully fine
thing, and the most extraordinary mark of distinction any duck can
have. It shows clearly that she is not to be parted with, and that she
is worthy of recognition both by beasts and men! Quack now! don't
turn your toes in, a well brought up duckling keeps his legs wide
apart just like father and mother; that's it, now bend your necks, and
say quack!"

They did as they were bid, but the other ducks round about looked at
them and said, quite loud: "Just look there! now we are to have that
tribe! just as if there were not enough of us already, and, oh dear!
how ugly that duckling is, we won't stand him!" and a duck flew at him
at once and bit him in the neck.

"Let him be," said the mother; "he is doing no harm."

"Very likely not, but he is so ungainly and queer," said the biter,
"he must be whacked."

"They are handsome children mother has," said the old duck with the
rag round her leg; "all good looking except this one, and he is not a
good specimen; it's a pity you can't make him over again."

"That can't be done, your grace," said the mother duck; "he is not
handsome, but he is a thorough good creature, and he swims as
beautifully as any of the others; nay, I think I might venture even to
add that I think he will improve as he goes on, or perhaps in time he
may grow smaller! he was too long in the egg, and so he has not come
out with a very good figure." And then she patted his neck and stroked
him down. "Besides, he is a drake," said she; "so it does not matter
so much. I believe he will be very strong, and I don't doubt but he
will make his way in the world."

"The other ducklings are very pretty," said the old duck. "Now make
yourselves quite at home, and if you find the head of an eel you may
bring it to me!"

After that they felt quite at home. But the poor duckling which had
been the last to come out of the shell, and who was so ugly, was
bitten, pushed about, and made fun of both by the ducks and the hens.
"He is too big," they all said; and the turkey-cock, who was born with
his spurs on, and therefore thought himself quite an