d just where to find it.
They know, and they do not know why they know. It is one of the things
that are.

Now that the first Duckling had chipped the shell, everybody wanted to
see him, and there was soon a crowd of fowls around the nest watching
him free himself from it. The Drake stood by, as proud as a Peacock. "I
think he looks much like his mother," said he.

"Yes, yes," cackled all the Hens. "The same broad yellow bill, the same
short yellow legs, and the same webbed feet."

The mother Duck smiled. "He looks more like me now than he will by and
by," she said, "for when his feathers grow and cover the down, he will
have a stiff little one curled up on his back like the Drake's. And
really, except for the curled feather, his father and I look very much
alike."

"That is so," said the Black Spanish Cock. "You do look alike; the same
white feathers, the same broad breast, the same strong wings, the same
pointed tail, the same long neck, the same sweet expression around the
bill!" That was just like the Black Spanish Cock. He always said
something pleasant about people when he could, and it was much better
than saying unpleasant things. Indeed, he was the most polite fowl in
the poultry-yard, and the Black Spanish Hen thought his manners quite
perfect.

Then the Duckling's five aunts pushed their way through the crowd to the
nest under the edge of the strawstack. "Have you noticed what fine
large feet he has?" said one of them. "That is like his mother's people.
See what a strong web is between the three long toes on each foot! He
will be a good swimmer. The one toe that points backward is small, to be
sure, but he does not need that in swimming. That is only to make
waddling easier."

"Yes, yes," "A fine web," and "Very large feet," cried the fowls around
the nest, but most of them didn't care so much about the size of his
feet as the Ducks did. Large feet are always useful, you know, yet
nobody needs them so badly as Geese and Ducks. The Geese were off
swimming, and so could not see the Duckling when first he came out of
the shell.

"Tap-tap, tap-tap," sounded inside another shell, and they knew that
there would soon be a second damp little Duckling beside the first. The
visitors could not stay to see this one come out, and they went away
for a time. The eldest Duckling had supposed that this was life, to have
people around saying, "How bright he is!" "What fine legs!" or "He has a
beautiful bill!" And now