DRINKING ALONE WITH THE MOON.docx

DRINKING ALONE WITH THE MOON.docx

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DRINKINGALONEWITHTHEMOON

TheUglyDuckling

ITwaslovelysummerweatherinthecountry,andthegoldencorn,thegreenoats,andthehaystackspiledupinthemeadowslookedbeautiful.ThestorkwalkingaboutonhislongredlegschatteredintheEgyptianlanguage,whichhehadlearntfromhismother.

Thecorn-fieldsandmeadowsweresurroundedbylargeforests,inthemidstofwhichweredeeppools.Itwas,indeed,delightfultowalkaboutinthecountry.Inasunnyspotstoodapleasantoldfarm-houseclosebyadeepriver,andfromthehousedowntothewatersidegrewgreatburdockleaves,sohigh,thatunderthetallestofthemalittlechildcouldstandupright.Thespotwasaswildasthecenterofathickwood.Inthissnugretreatsataduckonhernest,watchingforheryoungbroodtohatch;shewasbeginningtogettiredofhertask,forthelittleoneswerealongtimecomingoutoftheirshells,andsheseldomhadanyvisitors.Theotherduckslikedmuchbettertoswimaboutintheriverthantoclimbtheslipperybanks,andsitunderaburdockleaf,tohaveagossipwithher.Atlengthoneshellcracked,andthenanother,andfromeacheggcamealivingcreaturethatlifteditsheadandcried,"Peep,peep.""Quack,quack,"saidthemother,andthentheyallquackedaswellastheycould,andlookedaboutthemoneverysideatthelargegreenleaves.Theirmotherallowedthemtolookasmuchastheyliked,becausegreenisgoodfortheeyes."Howlargetheworldis,"saidtheyoungducks,whentheyfoundhowmuchmoreroomtheynowhadthanwhiletheywereinsidetheegg-shell."Doyouimaginethisisthewholeworld?

"askedthemother;"Waittillyouhaveseenthegarden;itstretchesfarbeyondthattotheparson'sfield,butIhaveneverventuredtosuchadistance.Areyouallout?

"shecontinued,rising;

"No,Ideclare,thelargesteggliestherestill.Iwonderhowlongthisistolast,Iamquitetiredofit;"andsheseatedherselfagainonthenest.

"Well,howareyougettingon?

"askedanoldduck,whopaidheravisit.

"Oneeggisnothatchedyet,"saidtheduck,"itwillnotbreak.Butjustlookatalltheothers,aretheynottheprettiestlittleducklingsyoueversaw?

Theyaretheimageoftheirfather,whoissounkind,henevercomestosee."

"Letmeseetheeggthatwillnotbreak,"saidtheduck;"Ihavenodoubtitisaturkey'segg.Iwaspersuadedtohatchsomeonce,andafterallmycareandtroublewiththeyoungones,theywereafraidofthewater.Iquackedandclucked,butalltonopurpose.Icouldnotgetthemtoventurein.Letmelookattheegg.Yes,thatisaturkey'segg;takemyadvice,leaveitwhereitisandteachtheotherchildrentoswim."

"IthinkIwillsitonitalittlewhilelonger,"saidtheduck;"asIhavesatsolongalready,afewdayswillbenothing."

"Pleaseyourself,"saidtheoldduck,andshewentaway.

Atlastthelargeeggbroke,andayoungonecreptforthcrying,"Peep,peep."Itwasverylargeandugly.Theduckstaredatitandexclaimed,

"Itisverylargeandnotatallliketheothers.Iwonderifitreallyisaturkey.Weshallsoonfinditout,howeverwhenwegotothewater.Itmustgoin,ifIhavetopushitmyself."

Onthenextdaytheweatherwasdelightful,andthesunshonebrightlyonthegreenburdockleaves,sothemotherducktookheryoungbrooddowntothewater,andjumpedinwithasplash."Quack,quack,"criedshe,andoneafteranotherthelittleducklingsjumpedin.Thewaterclosedovertheirheads,buttheycameupagaininaninstant,andswamaboutquiteprettilywiththeirlegspaddlingunderthemaseasilyaspossible,andtheuglyducklingwasalsointhewaterswimmingwiththem.

"Oh,"saidthemother,"thatisnotaturkey;howwellheuseshislegs,andhowuprightheholdshimself!

Heismyownchild,andheisnotsoveryuglyafterallifyoulookathimproperly.Quack,quack!

comewithmenow,Iwilltakeyouintograndsociety,andintroduceyoutothefarmyard,butyoumustkeepclosetomeoryoumaybetroddenupon;and,aboveall,bewareofthecat."

Whentheyreachedthefarmyard,therewasagreatdisturbance,twofamilieswerefightingforaneel'shead,which,afterall,wascarriedoffbythecat.

"See,children,thatisthewayoftheworld,"saidthemotherduck,whettingherbeak,forshewouldhavelikedtheeel'sheadherself."Come,now,useyourlegs,andletmeseehowwellyoucanbehave.Youmustbowyourheadsprettilytothatoldduckyonder;sheisthehighestbornofthemall,andhasSpanishblood,therefore,sheiswelloff.Don'tyouseeshehasaredflagtiedtoherleg,whichissomethingverygrand,andagreathonorforaduck;itshowsthateveryoneisanxiousnottoloseher,asshecanberecognizedbothbymanandbeast.Come,now,don'tturnyourtoes,awell-bredducklingspreadshisfeetwideapart,justlikehisfatherandmother,inthisway;nowbendyourneck,andsay'quack.'"

Theducklingsdidastheywerebid,buttheotherduckstared,andsaid,

"Look,herecomesanotherbrood,asiftherewerenotenoughofusalready!

andwhataqueerlookingobjectoneofthemis;wedon'twanthimhere,"andthenoneflewoutandbithimintheneck.

"Lethimalone,"saidthemother;"heisnotdoinganyharm."

"Yes,butheissobigandugly,"saidthespitefulduck"andthereforehemustbeturnedout."

"Theothersareveryprettychildren,"saidtheoldduck,withtheragonherleg,"allbutthatone;Iwishhismothercouldimprovehimalittle."

"Thatisimpossible,yourgrace,"repliedthemother;"heisnotpretty;buthehasaverygooddisposition,andswimsaswellorevenbetterthantheothers.Ithinkhewillgrowuppretty,andperhapsbesmaller;hehasremainedtoolongintheegg,andthereforehisfigureisnotproperlyformed;"andthenshestrokedhisneckandsmoothedthefeathers,saying,

"Itisadrake,andthereforenotofsomuchconsequence.Ithinkhewillgrowupstrong,andabletotakecareofhimself."

"Theotherducklingsaregracefulenough,"saidtheoldduck.

"Nowmakeyourselfathome,andifyoucanfindaneel'shead,youcanbringittome."

Andsotheymadethemselvescomfortable;butthepoorduckling,whohadcreptoutofhisshelllastofall,andlookedsougly,wasbittenandpushedandmadefunof,notonlybytheducks,butbyallthepoultry."Heistoobig,"theyallsaid,andtheturkeycock,whohadbeenbornintotheworldwithspurs,andfanciedhimselfreallyanemperor,puffedhimselfoutlikeavesselinfullsail,andflewattheduckling,andbecamequiteredintheheadwithpassion,sothatthepoorlittlethingdidnotknowwheretogo,andwasquitemiserablebecausehewassouglyandlaughedatbythewholefarmyard.Soitwentonfromdaytodaytillitgotworseandworse.Thepoorducklingwasdrivenaboutbyeveryone;evenhisbrothersandsisterswereunkindtohim,andwouldsay,"Ah,youuglycreature,Iwishthecatwouldgetyou,"andhismothersaidshewishedhehadneverbeenborn.Theduckspeckedhim,thechickensbeathim,andthegirlwhofedthepoultrykickedhimwithherfeet.Soatlastheranaway,frighteningthelittlebirdsinthehedgeasheflewoverthepalings.

"TheyareafraidofmebecauseIamugly,"hesaid.Soheclosedhiseyes,andflewstillfarther,untilhecameoutonalargemoor,inhabitedbywildducks.Hereheremainedthewholenight,feelingverytiredandsorrowful.

Inthemorning,whenthewildducksroseintheair,theystaredattheirnewcomrade."Whatsortofaduckareyou?

"theyallsaid,comingroundhim.

Hebowedtothem,andwasaspoliteashecouldbe,buthedidnotreplytotheirquestion."Youareexceedinglyugly,"saidthewildducks,"butthatwillnotmatterifyoudonotwanttomarryoneofourfamily."

Poorthing!

hehadnothoughtsofmarriage;allhewantedwaspermissiontolieamongtherushes,anddrinksomeofthewateronthemoor.Afterhehadbeenonthemoortwodays,therecametwowildgeese,orrathergoslings,fortheyhadnotbeenoutoftheegglong,andwereverysaucy."Listen,friend,"saidoneofthemtotheduckling,"youaresougly,thatwelikeyouverywell.Willyougowithus,andbecomeabirdofpassage?

Notfarfromhereisanothermoor,inwhichtherearesomeprettywildgeese,allunmarried.Itisachanceforyoutogetawife;youmaybelucky,uglyasyouare."

"Pop,pop,"soundedintheair,andthetwowildgeesefelldeadamongtherushes,andthewaterwastingedwithblood."Pop,pop,"echoedfarandwideinthedistance,andwholeflocksofwildgeeseroseupfromtherushes.Thesoundcontinuedfromeverydirection,forthesportsmensurroundedthemoor,andsomewereevenseatedonbranchesoftrees,overlookingtherushes.Thebluesmokefromthegunsroselikecloudsoverthedarktrees,andasitfloatedawayacrossthewater,anumberofsportingdogsboundedinamongtherushes,whichbentbeneaththemwherevertheywent.Howtheyterrifiedthepoorduckling!

Heturnedawayhisheadtohideitunderhiswing,andatthesamemomentalargeterribledogpassedquitenearhim.Hisjawswereopen,histonguehungfromhismouth,andhiseyesglaredfearfully.Hethrusthisnoseclosetotheduckling,showinghissharpteeth,andthen,"splash,splash,"hewentintothewaterwithouttouchinghim,"Oh,"sighedtheduckling,"howthankfulIamforbeingsougly;evenadogwillnotbiteme."Andsohelayquitestill,whiletheshotrattledthroughtherushes,andgunaftergunwasfiredoverhim.Itwaslateinthedaybeforeallbecamequiet,buteventhenthepooryoungthingdidnotdaretomove.Hewaitedquietlyforseveralhours,andthen,afterlookingcarefullyaroundhim,hastenedawayfromthemoorasfastashecould.Heranoverfieldandmeado