Story | The Ugly Duckling

Once upon a time, there was a small duck that felt very unhappy. He thought he was the most unattractive among all his brothers and sisters. They didn't want to play with him and they made fun of him, which made the poor little duck feel even worse. One day, while looking at his own reflection in the water, he cried out, "Nobody likes me. I am so ugly." Feeling sad and lonely, he made up his mind to leave his home and go far away into the woods.

Deep inside the forest, he discovered a small house where an elderly lady lived with her hen and cat. The duckling stayed with them for a while, but he didn't find happiness there and decided to leave. When winter arrived, the poor duckling nearly froze to death. Fortunately, a farmer found him and took him home to his wife and children. However, the duckling was scared of the children and managed to escape. He spent the winter in a damp pond.

Finally, spring came, and one day, the duckling spotted a stunning swan swimming in the pond. He fell in love with her instantly. However, he remembered all the times when others had teased him and felt ashamed. As he looked at his own reflection in the water, he couldn't believe his eyes. He was no longer an ugly duckling but a handsome young swan! He finally understood why he had always looked different from his siblings. "They were ducklings, but I was a baby swan!" he exclaimed to himself.

He married the beautiful swan and they lived happily together forever.