The Ugly Duckling
A mother duck was happy with her children, even the biggest one, even though he was clumsy and of uncomely, grey-black colour. But as time went by and the ugly duckling was treated worse and worse by everyone at the manor, mother duck wanted him gone, as well. The duckling flew over the hedge and started wandering across swamps, fields and meadows, strayed into one or another farmer’s cottage, yet an odd and inexplicable urge to float on the water set him off again.
Autumn’s only joy was the sight of a flock of swans, but winter brought only sorrows. At the onset of spring, the duckling approached the swans and asked them to kill him, but as he bowed his head, he caught sight of his own image reflected in the water. And what did he see? Not an ugly duckling, quite the contrary – a most beautiful swan.