Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780241699805
Publisher: Penguin Random House UK
Published: 2014-01-11T00:00:00+00:00

The cat was the master of the house and the hen the mistress; they were always saying, ‘We and the world,’ for they looked on themselves as half the world, and the better half at that. The duckling thought that there might be other opinions on that matter, but the hen would not hear of it.

‘Can you lay eggs?’ she asked. ‘No? Then kindly keep your views to yourself!’

The cat asked, ‘Can you arch your back and purr, or give out sparks? No? Then you had better keep quiet while sensible people are talking.’

So the duckling sat in a corner and moped. Thoughts of fresh air and sunshine came into his mind and then, an extraordinary longing seized him to float on the water. At last, he could not help telling the hen about it.

‘What a preposterous notion!’ she exclaimed. ‘The trouble with you is that you have nothing to do; that’s why you get these fancies. Just lay a few eggs, or practise purring, and they’ll pass off.’

‘But it is so delicious to float on the water,’ said the duckling. ‘It is so lovely to put down your head and dive to the bottom.’

‘That must be delightful!’ said the hen sarcastically. ‘You must be out of your mind! Ask the cat – he’s the cleverest person I know – if he likes floating on the water, or diving to the bottom. Never mind my opinion: ask our mistress, the old woman; there’s no one wiser in the whole world. Do you imagine that she wants to float or put her head under water?’

‘You don’t understand,’ said the duckling, sadly.

‘Well, if we don’t understand you, nobody will. You’ll never be as wise as the cat and the old woman, to say nothing of myself. Don’t give yourself airs, child, but be thankful for all the good things that have been done for you. Haven’t you found a warm room and elegant company, from whom you can learn plenty if you listen? But all you do is talk nonsense; you’re not even cheerful to be with. Believe me, I mean this for your good. Now do make an effort to lay some eggs, or at least learn to purr and give out sparks.’

‘I think I had better go out into the wide world,’ said the duckling.

‘All right, do,’ said the hen.

So the duckling went. He floated on the water, and dived below the surface; but it seemed to him that other ducks ignored him because of his ugliness.

Now autumn came; the leaves in the wood turned brown and yellow; the wind caught them and whirled them madly round; the very sky looked chill; the clouds hung heavy with hail and snow, and the raven, perched on the fence, cried ‘Caw! Caw!’ because of the cold. Even to look at the scene was enough to make you shiver. It was a hard time for the duckling too.

One evening, as the sky flamed with the setting sun, a flock of marvellous great birds rose out of the rushes.

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