In the sunniest spot of all stood an old farmhouse, with deep canals around it.  At the water’s edge grew great burdocks.  It was just as wild there as in the deepest wood, and in this snug place sat a duck upon her nest.  She was waiting for her brood to hatch.

At last one eggshell after another began to crack.  From each little egg came “Cheep! cheep!” and then a little duckling’s head.

“Quack! quack!” said the duck; and all the babies quacked too.  Then they looked all around.  The mother let them look as much as they liked, for green is good for the eyes.

“How big the world is!” said all the little ducklings.

“Do you think this is all the world?” asked the mother.  “It stretches a long way on the other side of the garden and on to the parson’s field, but I have never been so far as that.  I hope you are all out.  No, not all; that large egg is still unbroken.  I am really tired of sitting so long.”  Then the duck sat down again.

“Well, how goes it?” asked an old duck who had come to pay her a visit.

“There is one large egg that is taking a long time to hatch,” replied the mother.  “But you must look at the ducklings.  They are the finest I have ever seen; they are all just like their father.”

“Let me look at the egg which will not hatch,” said the old duck.  “You may be sure that it is a turkey’s egg.  I was once cheated in that way.  Oh, you will have a great deal of trouble, for a turkey will not go into the water.  Yes, that’s a turkey’s egg.  Leave it alone and teach the other children to swim.”

“No, I will sit on it a little longer,” said the mother duck.

“Just as you please,” said the old duck, and she went away.

At last the large egg cracked.  “Cheep! cheep!” said the young one, and tumbled out.  How large it was!  How ugly it was!

“I wonder if it can be a turkey chick,” said the mother.  “Well, we shall see when we go to the pond.  It must go into the water, even if I have to push it in myself.”

Next day the mother duck and all her little ones went down to the water.  Splash! she jumped in, and all the ducklings went in, too.  They swam about very easily, and the ugly duckling swam with them.

“No, it is not a turkey,” said the mother duck.  “See how well he can use his legs.  He is my own child!  And he is not so very ugly either.”

II

Then she took her family into the duck yard.  As they went along, she told the ducklings how to act.

“Keep close to me, so that no one can step on you,” she said.  “Come; now, don’t turn your toes in.  A well-brought-up duck turns its toes out, just like father and mother.  Bow your heads before that old duck yonder.  She is the grandest duck here.  One can tell that by the red rag around her leg.  That’s a great honor, the greatest honor a duck can have.  It shows that the mistress doesn’t want to lose her.  Now bend your necks and say ‘Quack!’”