丑小鸭---英文版

³óСѼUglyDucklingThecountrysidewaslovely.Itwassummer.Thewheatwasgoldenandtheoatswerestillgreen.Thehaywasstackedinthelow-lyingmeadows.Therelaygreatwoodsaroundthefieldsandmeadows.Thereweredeeplakesinthemidstofthewoods.Inthesunniestspotstoodanoldmansionsurroundedbyadeepmoat.Greatleavesgrewfromthevinesonthewallsofthehouserightdowntothewater'sedge.Someoftheleavesweresobigthatachildcouldusethemasanumbrella.Inthedepthsofaforestaduckwassittinginhernest.Herlittleducklingswereabouttobehatched.Atlastoneeggafteranotherbegantocrack.Cheep,cheep!theducklingssaid.Quack,quack!saidtheduck.Howbigtheworldis!saidalltheyoungones.Butthebiggesteggwasstillthere.Andthenshesettledherselfonthenestagain.Well,howareyougettingon?saidanoldduckwhocametopayheravisit.Thiseggistakingsuchalongtime,answeredthesittingduck.Theshellwillnotcrack,buttheothersarethefinestducklings.Theyareliketheirfather.letmelookattheeggwhichwon'tcrack,saidtheoldduck.Youmaybesittingonaturkey'segg!Ihavebeencheatedlikethatonce.Yes.it'saturkey'segg!Youhadbetterleaveitaloneandteachtheotherchildrentoswim.Iwillsitonitalittlelonger.Atlastthebigeggcracked.Howbiganduglythebabywas!Thatisaverybigduckling.shesaid,Noneoftheotherslooklikethat.Canhebeaturkey'schick?Iwillsoonfindout.Iwillmakehimgointowater.Thenextdaythemotherduckwithherfamilywentdowntothemoat.Shesaid,andoneducklingjumpedinafteranother.Thebiguglyoneswamaboutwiththem.No,thatisnoturkey,shesaid,Quack,quack!NowcomewithmeandIwilltakeyouintotheworld.Keepclosetomeallthetime.Becarefulofthecat!Thefirstdaypassed,andeverythingwasfine.Afterwards,mattersgrewworseandworse.Thepoorducklingwaschasedandharassedbyalltheducklingsbecausehewasveryugly.Theducksbithim,thehenspeckedhim.andthegirlwhofedthemkickedhimaside.Thenheranoffandsooncametoagreatmarshwherethewildduckslived.Hewassotiredandmiserablethathestayedtherethewholenight.Inthemorningthewildducksflewuptoseetheirnewfriend.Youareveryugly,saidthewildducks,butthatdoesnotmattertous.Hestayedtheretwowholedays.Andthentwowildgeesecame.JustatthatmomentthesoundofBang!Bang!washeard,andboththewildgeesefelldeadamongthereeds.Itwasaterribleshocktothepoorduckling.Abigdogappearedclosebesidehim.Heshowedhissharpteethandwentonwithouttouchinghim.Oh,thankHeaven!Iamsouglythateventhedogwon'tbiteme!sighedtheduckling.Intheeveninghereachedalittlecottagewhereanoldwomanlivedwithhercatandherhen.Hereyesightwasnotgood,andshethoughttheducklingwasafatduck.willberichifIhaveduckeggs,shesaid.Soshetookintheducklingforthreeweeks,buthelaidnoeggs.Thecatwasthemasterofthehouseandthehenwasthemistress.Canyoulayeggs?askedthehen.No,answeredtheduckling.Thenyouhadbettergooutintothewideworld,saidthecat.Soawaywenttheduckling.Oneeveningthesunwasjustsettingwhenaflockofbeautifullargebirdsappearedoutofthebushes.Theducklingthought,I'veneverseenanythingsobeautiful.Theyweredazzlinglywhitewithlongnecks.Theywereswans.Hedidnotknowwhatthebirdswere.Thewinterwassobitterlycoldthattheducklingswamaboutinthewatertokeephimselffromfreezing.Thesunbegantoshinewarmlyagain.Thelarksweresingingandbeautifulspringhadcome.Then,allatonce,theducklingraisedhiswingsandtheyflappedwithmuchgreaterstrengththanbefore.Beforeheknewit,hefoundhimselfinalargegardenwheretheappletreeswereinfullblossomandlongbranchesoflilacsoverhungtheshoresofthelake.Justinfrontofhimhesawthreebeautifulwhiteswansswimmingtowardshim.IwillflytothemandtheywillhackmetopiecesbecauseIamsougly.Butitdoesn'tmatter.Iwouldratherbekilledbythemthanbebittenbytheducksorpeckedbythehens.Soheflewintothewaterandswamtowardstheswans.Theysawhimanddartedtowardshim.Killme!Oh,killme!saidthepoorduckling,andhewaitedforhisdeathbowinghisheadtowardsthewater.Butwhatdidheseeintheclearwater?Hewasnolongeradarkgrayuglybird.Hewashimselfaswan!Somechildrencameintothegardenwithcornandpiecesofbread,whichtheythrewintothewater.Thesmallestchildshoutedwithjoy,Thereisanewone.Theotherchildrenshouted,Yes,anewonehascome.Hesaidtohimself,IneverdreamedthatIcouldbesohappywhenIwastheuglyduckling!