Mummy Duck lived on a farm. In her nest, she had five little eggs
and one big egg. One day, the five little eggs started to crack.
Tap, tap, tap! Five pretty, yellow baby ducklings came out.
Then the big egg started to crack. Bang, bang, bang! One big,
ugly duckling came out. ‘That’s strange,’ thought Mummy Duck.
Nobody wanted to play with him. ‘Go away,’ said his brothers and sisters. ‘You’re ugly!’
The ugly duckling was sad. So he went to find some new friends.
‘Go away!’ said the pig.
‘Go away!’ said the sheep.
‘Go away!’ said the cow.
‘Go away!’ said the horse.
No one wanted to be his friend. It started to get cold. It started to snow! The ugly duckling found an empty barn and lived there. He was cold, sad and alone.
Then spring came. The ugly duckling left the barn and went back to the pond. He was very thirsty and put his beak into the water. He saw a beautiful, white bird! ‘Wow!’ he said. ‘Who’s that?’
‘It’s you,’ said another beautiful, white bird.
‘Me? But I’m an ugly duckling.’
‘Not any more. You’re a beautiful swan, like me. Do you want to be my friend?’
‘Yes,’ he smiled.
All the other animals watched as the two swans flew away, friends forever.
The Ugly Duckling
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