It was a lovely summer day in the country. Mother Duck sat on her eggs for a long time. After a while, one by one, ducklings came out of the eggs.

　　Ducklings: Peep, peep

　　Mother Duck: Quack, quack! Are you all out?

　　Duckling1: No, one egg is still here. Look how big it is!

　　At last, the big egg came open. This duckling was very big and very ugly!

　　MD: Oh,my!This duckling is big and different from the others. I wonder if it is a turkey. We will soon find out.

　　Mother Duck took her ducklings to the water. One after another, the little ducklings jumped in the water. The Ugly Duckling also jumped in the water and swam very well.

　　MD: Oh, he is not a turkey. Turkeys can’t swim. He is my child. Let’s go to the farmyard. But you must stay close to me and watch out for the cat.

　　Duck1:Look at that duckling! He looks so strange.

　　Duck2:He is so big and ugly. Go away!

　　MD: Please, leave him alone. He is not doing any harm.

　　But the ducks pecked the Ugly Duckling. All the animals in the farmyard bit him and pushed him, too.

　　Ducklings: I wish the cat would eat you!

　　MD: You should never have been born.

　　So the poor, little duckling was very sad. Finally, he ran away.

　　UD: Why does everyone hate me? Is it because I am so ugly? But I am really nice.

　　The Ugly Duckling met two wild ducks.

　　WD: What kind of duck are you? You are really ugly. But that’s OK, if you don’t marry one of our family

　　Then the Ugly Duckling heard, “Pop, pop!” And the two wild ducks fell dead.

　　Just then, many hunting dogs appeared. The Ugly Duckling was very afraid. So, he tucked his head under his wing. A hunting dog sniffed the Ugly Duckling. “Sniff, sniff!”

　　Dogs: You are ugly!

　　And they went away without touching the Ugly Duckling.

　　UD: Oh, I am alive! No one wants me. Even dogs don’t want to bite me.