LESSON 17 THE UGLY DUCKLING

THE UGLY DUCKLING

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farm-er grey first

ug-ly oth-er alone

1. Once upon a time, at a farm, a duck had a brood of ten little ducklings.

2. They were pretty, soft, yellow, little things—all but one. That one was grey, and it had long legs, and a long, thin neck.

3. "What an ugly thing!" said the duck, when she first saw it. "Go away, you are not mine. Don't come near me."

4. She took the other ducklings off to the pond, and left the ugly duckling all alone.

5. Then some hens came by, and when they saw it, they began to talk about it.

Dear, me! What an ugly bird! Where did it come from? Go away; and they ran at it and pecked it.

6. Next the farmer's wife came out of the house to feed the hens.

Oh, dear! she said when she saw it, "what an ugly little thing! It is not a bit like my ducks. I will not have it here"; and she drove it out into the road.

GO AWAY, YOU ARE NOT MINE.

7. Poor little ugly duckling! How sad it felt as it walked down the road.

8. Two dogs then came by. One was a very rude dog. He called out, "Where did you get that neck? Go and hide it."

9. "That is just what I want to do. Can you tell me where to go?" said the poor duckling.

10. The other dog said: "There is a dark wood a long way down the road; you can hide there."

11. As the ugly duckling went to the wood, it said to itself: "No one loves me, or wants to see me, and so I will live here all alone."