[He flies to the water and swims toward the Swans.  They see him and rush to meet him with outstretched wings.]

DUCKLING.  Kill me!  Kill me!

FIRST SWAN.  Kill you!  Why, we have come to welcome you, beautiful stranger.

SECOND SWAN.  We saw you from afar, and came to meet you.

THIRD SWAN.  We are so happy to have you with us!

[Enter several CHILDREN.]

FIRST CHILD.  See, there is a new swan!

SECOND CHILD (calling).  Father, mother, come!  There is another swan!

[Enter the FATHER and MOTHER.]

FATHER.  What were you calling?

THIRD CHILD.  A new swan has come!  Look!

MOTHER.  I see him!  He is beautiful!

FATHER.  He is very young, but he is the most beautiful of all!

FOURTH CHILD.  See how the others stroke him with their beaks!

MOTHER.  They are showing him how glad they are to have him with them.  See how they swim around him and how gently they touch him!

FATHER.  I have never seen anything so pretty.  How happy the new swan is!  See how he rustles his feathers!  See how proudly he curves his slender neck!

FIRST CHILD.  And see how he looks at himself in the water!

SECOND CHILD.  Let’s get bread and cake for him!

THIRD CHILD.  Yes, yes!

FOURTH CHILD.  Yes, yes!

[The Children run off, followed by the Father and Mother.]

MOLE (going into his hill).  ’T was not so bad after all—­not to have the family quack!

THE RED SHOES

SCENE I

TIME:  one morning.

PLACE:  the Shoemaker’s shop.

* * * * *

GRANDMOTHER. 
KAREN. 
SHOEMAKER.

* * * * *

[The GRANDMOTHER and KAREN enter the shop of the SHOEMAKER.]

GRANDMOTHER.  This is my little granddaughter Karen, Shoemaker.  Please to take her measure for a pair of shoes.

SHOEMAKER.  What kind do you wish, madam?

GRANDMOTHER.  Morocco, the finest you have, Karen is to wear these shoes to church.

SHOEMAKER.  What color do you wish, madam?

GRANDMOTHER.  Black.

KAREN (whispering to Shoemaker).  Red.

SHOEMAKER (puzzled).  Eh?

GRANDMOTHER (louder).  Black.

KAREN (whispering to Shoemaker).  Red.

SHOEMAKER.  Of course, madam, if you say black, black they shall be.

KAREN.  The little princess wore red shoes, Grandmother.

SHOEMAKER (nodding).  That is true; I saw them myself.

GRANDMOTHER.  Red shoes?

KAREN (nodding).  Of beautiful red morocco.  The queen let the princess stand at a window so every one could see her new shoes.