★The Ugly Duckling

I read Tales from Hans Andersen retold by Karen Holmes. There are 5 stories in this book so I read one of those stories named The Ugly Duckling. I know this story because I had read it in Japanese before.


A duck sat on her eggs for a long time. Almost eggs opened and ducklings came out. But the largest one opened later and very big and ugly duckling came out.
Ducks except his mom and hens were unkind to him so he was very unhappy.

'They don't like me because I'm ugly,' he thought.

His mom found he was clever and he swam very well, so she took him away sadly.
Many wild geese were kind to him but some geese were killed by men with guns. He was afraid and he run away. One day he watched beautiful birds flying near him. They were swans and he loved them.
After the winter, he became bigger and he could fly high in the sky. When he watched swans again, he tried to talk to them.

'Kill me,' said the poor duckling. He put his head down near the water, and he saw... What did he see in the water? He saw a swan! He was not a fat, ugly duckling, he was a swan! He was born from a swan's egg!

Little children gave him some bread and said 'he's the most beautiful swan in the world!' He was very happy and he thought 'I'm the happiest swan in the world!'


I learned it is important not to give up anything. The ugly duckling wanted to die but he didn't so he became beautiful swan.
If his family and all animals hating him know that he is a beautiful swan, what do they think? I think they should said sorry to him! We shouldn't judge a person by his appearance!!

Tales from Hans Andersen, Penguin Readers Level 2, 0-582-42112-8

(311 words)