the winter grew very very cold : the duckling was obliged to swim about on the water to keep it from freezing quite over , but every night the hole he swam in became smaller and smaller . it froze so hard that the ice cracked again ; the duckling had always to be moving about to keep the water open , till at last he was tired out and sat still , and was frozen fast in the ice . early in the morning a labourer came that way , saw him , went on the ice and with his wooden shoe broke it up and carried the duckling home to his wife , and there he was brought to life again . the children wanted to play with him , but he thought they meant to hurt him , and in his fright he dashed right into the milk - pan and made the milk splash out into the room . the woman screamed and threw up her hands . then he flew into the butter - tub and after that into the meal - bin and out again . goodness , what a sight he was ! the woman screamed out and hit at him with the tongs , and the children tumbled over one another trying to catch him , laughing , calling out -- by good luck the door stood open , and out he rushed into the bushes , on the new fallen snow , and there he lay almost in a swoon . 
the duckling was frozen fast in the ice .
why did the labourer save the duckling ?
why did the labourer save the duckling ?