The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-08-26
The ugly Dacknns.


ny cHRIsTIAE ANDERsEN.
II our information be correct, We know
nothing in this country Of Danish literature,
except through the medium of German transla-
tons; and the genius Of these two languages
unluckily has no correspondence Whatever
But the translation We now offer to our readers,
has not merely a certain value as being taken
from the Danish direet-it is a curiosity in it,
self; being the production Of young Danish
lady, IONA Groos, Of Holding. who is selftaught
in English, who never was out Of her own cOun-
try, and who never, except on one occasion,
even convened with a native Of England
This want of ordinary opportunities, our read
ers will see, has not prevented her from acquir-
ing a competent knowledge of English; and We
know that she is able 10 read Shakespeare with
great enjoyment. We may add, that in this Gu
rious piece Andersen is supposed to have ALE
gorised his own csreer.-EDs. CHAMBERS JoUR-
NAL
Il was very lovely in the country, for it
was summer; the corn was yellow and ripe
ming, and in the green meadows stood the
stork on his long red legs, and talked Egyp-
tan, for that was the language his mother
had taught him. Round the fields and
meadows were large woods. and in the
woods dark blue lakes. Oh, it was love-
ly scene! In the bright sunshine stood an
old manor-house, surrounded by wall and
a deep moat; and from the wall down to the
water grew large leaves, so large and high,
that little child might stand upright under
some Of them; and here duck lay upon
her nest, she was bIooding over her eggs
But at this time she was very weary, for she
had sat long, and she had very few visitors;
the other ducks liking better to swim on
the moat than TO sit under the leaves and
quack with her.
At length one egg cracked after another,
all the yolks were alive, and the little ones
put forth their heads and cried, Peep,
peep 'Quack, quackr said the mother
duck; and then the little ones looked abroad
from under the green leaves, and their moth
er suffered them to look as long as they
liked, for the green color is very pleasant
TO the eyes, and not at all hurful.
How large the world ISL said all the lit
tie ones for now they had more space to
look about them than when they were in
the egg.
DO you think this is the whole worldP
said the mother. oh 30 il reaches far OF
the other sidsof the garden, even to the
clergyman's meadow; but there | have new
er been. hope you are all here, said she,
as she rose from her nest. 'Ah no! the lar
gest egg is still there. How tedious it isl
and the poor duck lay down again.
How do you doP said an old duck who
came to pay her visit.
'One Of my eggs will not hatch, an
swered she; but pray look al my others; are
not they the loveliest ducks you ever saw?
They are the very image Of their father, the
rascal, who does not even pay me visit.
Let me see the egg that will not burst,
said the visitor; surely il is the egg Of a tur-
key! Twas once imposed upon in the very
same manner, and the little ones very
troublesome to me; for must tell you they
are afraid Of the ioateT. Leave off trying
to hatch that egg, and teach your other
ducklings to swim, F
4 viii Try it yet little longer, said the
poor duck.
DO as you like replied her visitor, and
away she went.
At length the great egg cracked. Peep,
peepP said the young one when he came
out but oh, how large and how ugly he
wssl The poor duck stared at him.
what wonderful large creaturer said
she; none Of my others look like that.
hope il will not turn out TO be turkey; but
that will soon be settled, for he shall 20 on
the ,0ater, even if push him in myself
The following day the weather was love
ly, the sun shone upon the large green leaves,
and the mother duck with her whole fami-
ly went TO the moat; and plash in she
plunged into the water. sQuack, quackP
said she, and all her little ones followed
her, smoothly gliding upon the waves; and
they were all there. even the great ugly
gray creature was also swimming.
NO, il is no turkey said she. See how
nicely he uses his feet, how well he bears
himself; he is my own little one after all
oiio H1ooco nc - iAoe ~ uSfls NOW COul6
all Of you with me, and | will introduce
you TO the world, and present you in the
poultry yard; but you must keep near me,
and beware Of the CATS
So they went TO the poultry yard here
they found terrible uproar, for two fami-
lies had laid claim to an cells head, which
At length the cat seized.
Such is the world said the mother duck,
wiping her beak, for she, too, had taken
fancy to the cells head. Now make haste;
come and curtsey TO the old duck there, she
is the grsndee Of the whole poultry-yard;
she has Spanish blood in her veins: and
zee. she has red rag tied round one Of her
legs that is most delightful thing, and the
greatest honor duck can obtain: il signi-
hes that she is not to be lost. but that both
animals and men are to know her. Come
on; look TO your feet well-bred dnckling
spreads his feet wide, like father and moth