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

look now ugly thdt one Is; We Will not sui
fer HIM to be among US; and so duck ran
and bit him in his neck.
Let him alone, said his mother; he does
no harm
No; but he is such an immense creature.
and looks 50 odd said the duck that bit
him.
Your children are very pretty, my good
woman, said the old duck with the red rag
round her leg very charming, save that
one which has not prospered so well; wish
he could be renodeiied.'
That is impossible, your ladyship, repli-
ed the duck. He certainly is not handsome,
but he has a kind heart, and he swims SO
nicely, quite like the others-nay, perhaps
somewhat better; and as he is drake. the
beauty is not Of much consequence. think
he will be very strong. and then he will get
we'll through the world.
Your other ducklings are charming, said
the Spanish duck. Now regard this a'
your home; and il you should find fsh's
head al any time, you can bring il TO me.
And thenceforward they looked upon the
poultry-yard as their home. But the poor
duckling that was so large and so ugly was
scorned and laughed at by the whole Poul-
try.yard. The hens and ducks said, He is
such huge ugly creature; and the turkey
cock, who was born with spurs. and there
fore thought himself an emperor, pulled out
his feathers, like ship under sail, and
marched straight up to him, and gobbled at
him till his head grew red as fire. The
poor duckling knew not whether to run OF
stand still; and felt very sonowful at being
so ugly, and the laughing-stock Of the whole
POultryyard.
Thus it was the first day, and afterwards
it grew worse and worse. The poor duck.
ling was desPised by them all; even his
brothers and sisters were unkind to him,
tand said often, Would that the cat might
catch thee. thou ugly oner and even his
mother said, Would that thou vert far from
hence! And the ducks still bit him, and
the hens pecked him, and the servant who
fed the poultry kicked him away with hei
foot.
AT length he few over the hedge; the lit
tie birds in the bushes were terrified. 'Ah
it is because am so uglyI thought the poor
duckling and he stole away. On be wand
cred till he came to the great fens, where the
wild geese dwelt; and there he lay awake
the whole night weary and sorrowlul.-
Next morning the wild geese few up, and
then they discovered their new comrade..-
what sort Of creature art thouP said
they; and the duckling turned to all sides,
and made his best reverence. Thou arr
very ugly said the wild geese; but no mat
ter, if thou dost not marry any Of our fani
ly.' Poor creature! be did not think Of
marrying, if he were but suffered to lie in
the reeds, and drink the muddy water in
peace.
Bang bang two wild geese fell dead
in the fens, and the water grew bloody
Bang bang' whole troops of wild geese
flew up, and then the report was again
heard. 1t was large shooting party. The
sportsmen surrounded the fenS some were
seated in branches Of the trees. The blue
smoke from the guns hung like a cloud over
the dark leaves and the water: the dogs
searched the fens. What a season of terror
to the poor duc&lingl He turned his head
in order to hide il under his wing from such
dreadful sights, and saw an immense dog
with flashing eyes and red tongue. He
opened his mouth, showed his sharp white
teeth, and skunk of. Thank Heaven,
thought the duckling, that am so ugly
that even the dog will not bite me; and he
kept quite still while the shots were rushing
through the reeds.
Some time after, all became silent, but
YET he dared not move. He waited several
hours; then at last he looked round, and
left the fens as fast as possible Away he
ran over the fields and meadows; and the
wind blew so high, he could hardly go on.
About nightlall he reached poor little cot.
tage. 1t was so MISERABLE that it did not
know to which side to fall, and therefore il
stood.
The wind grew higher and higher; and
looking eagerly for a shelter, the poor duck.
ling saw that the door fitted so miserably,
that there was room for him to creep in
through the crack; and so he did.
There an old woman lived with her cat
and hen-tbe cat could catch mice, new and
PurT and the hen laid good eggs, and the
old woman loved them both as if they had
been her children.
Next morning they discovered the poor
duckling, when the hen began to cackle and
the cat 10 new: this attracted the attention
of the old woman. what is the matter?
said she; but soon she too observed the duck
ling, and being short-sighted, thought il was
some very large fat duck that had lost its
way. What good catch | have got; now
| shall have ducks eggs All hope it is
no drake that we shall soon see.'
And she waited three weeks, but had no
eggs. And the duckling found that the cat
was master of the house, and the hen was
mistress; and whenever they conversed, they
always said, WE and the world and they
thought themselves the greatest and best part
Of the world. Sometimes the duckling at
tempted to be Of another opinion, but the
hen would not permit it.
Gan you lay eggs? asked she.
No., replied the poor duckling.
Then hold your tongue
And the cat would say--'Csn you catch
mice. NEW, and purI?
No
Then you must be silent when wiser peo.
pie are speaking
And the duckling sat in one corner of the
room, and was always very sad He tbopght