Hans Christian Andersen - The Ugly Duckling: A Fairy Tale. Fairy tale The Ugly Duckling - Hans Christian Andersen

It was good outside the city! It was summer. The rye was golden, the oats were green, the hay was swept into stacks; A long-legged stork walked around the green meadow and chatted in Egyptian - he learned this language from his mother. Behind the fields and meadows stretched large forests, and in the forests there were deep lakes. Yes, it was good outside the city!
An old manor house lay right in the sun, surrounded by deep ditches filled with water; Burdock grew from the walls of the house right down to the water, so big that small children could stand under the largest leaves at their full height. In the thicket of burdock it was deaf and wild, like in the densest forest, and there a duck was sitting on her eggs. She had to take out the ducklings, and she was quite tired of it, because she had been sitting for a long time and was rarely visited - other ducks liked to swim in the ditches more than sit in the burdocks and quack with her.
Finally the eggshells cracked.
- Pip! Pip! - it squealed inside.
All the egg yolks came to life and stuck out their heads.
- Quack! Crack! - said the duck.
The ducklings quickly climbed out of the shell and began to look around under the green burdock leaves; the mother did not interfere with them - green color is good for the eyes.
- Oh, how big the world is! - said the ducklings.
Of course! It was much more spacious here than in the shell.
- Don’t you think that the whole world is here? - said the mother. - What is it! It stretches far, far away, beyond the garden, into the field, but I haven’t been there in my life!.. Well, are you all here? - And she stood up. - Oh no, not all. The biggest egg is whole! When will this end! I'm about to lose my patience completely.
And she sat down again.
- Well, how are you? - asked the old duck who came to visit her.
“But I can’t cope with just one egg,” said the young duck. - Everything doesn’t burst. But look at the little ones! Just lovely! Everyone, as one, is like their father.
“Come on, show me an egg that doesn’t burst,” said the old duck. - It's probably a turkey egg. This is exactly how I was tricked once. Well, I had a lot of trouble with these turkey poults, I tell you! There was no way I could lure them into the water. I quacked and pushed - they didn’t go, and that’s all! Come on, show me the egg. This is true! Turkey! Give it up and go teach the kids to swim!
- I’ll sit still! - said the young duck. - I sat for so long that I could sit some more.
- Whatever! - said the old duck and left.
Finally the big egg burst.
- Pip! Pip! - the chick squealed and fell out of the egg.
But how big and ugly he was!
The duck looked him over.
- Terribly big! - she said. - And not at all like the others! Isn't this really a turkey? Well, yes, he’ll be in the water with me, and I’ll drive him away by force!
The next day the weather was wonderful, the green burdock was flooded with sun. The duck and his whole family went to the ditch. Bultikh! - and she found herself in the water.
- Quack! Crack! - she called, and one after another the ducklings also splashed into the water. At first the water covered them completely, but they immediately surfaced and swam forward perfectly. Their paws worked like that, and even the ugly gray duckling kept up with the others.
- What kind of turkey is this? - said the duck. - Look how nicely he paddles with his paws! And how straight it stays! No, he’s mine, my dear... Yes, he’s not bad at all, no matter how good you look at him. Well, quickly, quickly follow me! Now I will introduce you to society, introduce you to the poultry yard.
Just stay close to me so that no one steps on you, and watch out for the cats!
Soon we reached the poultry yard. Fathers! What was all that noise! Two duck families fought over one eel head, and it ended with the cat getting the head.
- You see how it happens in the world! - said the duck and licked her beak with her tongue - she herself was not averse to tasting an eel’s head. - Well, well, move your paws! - she said to the ducklings. - Quack and bow to that old duck over there! She is the most famous here. She is of Spanish breed and that is why she is so fat. You see, she has a red patch on her paw. How beautiful! This is the highest distinction a duck can receive. This means that they don’t want to lose her - both people and animals recognize her by this flap. Well, it's alive! Don't keep your paws inward! A well-bred duckling should turn its paws outward, like its father and mother. Like this! Look! Now tilt your head and say: “Quack!”
So they did. But the other ducks looked at them and said loudly:
- Well, there’s still a whole horde! As if we weren't enough? And one is so ugly! We won’t tolerate him!
And now one duck flew up and pecked him on the back of the head.
- Leave him alone! - said the mother duck. - After all, he didn’t do anything to you!
- Let’s face it, but it’s so big and strange! - answered the alien duck. - He needs to be asked well.
- Nice kids you have! - said the old duck with a red patch on her leg. - All are nice, but there’s just one... This one didn’t work out! It would be nice to remake it!
- This is absolutely impossible, your honor! - answered the mother duck. - He is ugly, but he has a good heart. And he swims no worse, I dare say, better than others. I think over time it will even out and become smaller. It lay in the egg for too long, which is why it was not entirely successful. - And she scratched the back of his head and stroked his feathers. “Besides, he’s a drake, and a drake doesn’t really need beauty.” I think he will get stronger and make his way.
- The rest of the ducklings are very, very cute! - said the old duck. - Well, make yourself at home, and if you find an eel head, you can bring it to me.
So the ducklings made themselves at home. Only the poor duckling, who hatched later than everyone else and was so ugly, was pecked, pushed and teased by absolutely everyone - both ducks and chickens.
- It's too big! - they said.
And the Indian rooster, who was born with spurs on his legs and therefore imagined himself to be an emperor, pouted and, like a ship in full sail, flew up to the duckling, looked at him and began to babble angrily; his comb was filled with blood.
The poor duckling simply did not know what to do, where to go. And he had to be so ugly that the whole poultry yard laughs at him!..
That's how the first day passed, and then things got even worse. Everyone chased the poor duckling, even his brothers and sisters angrily told him: “If only the cat would drag you away, you obnoxious freak!” And the mother added: “The eyes would not look at you!” The ducks plucked him, the chickens pecked him, and the girl who gave food to the birds kicked him.
The duckling couldn't stand it, he ran across the yard - and through the fence! Little birds flew out of the bushes in fear.
“It’s because I’m so ugly!” - thought the duckling, closed his eyes and moved on. He ran and ran until he found himself in the swamp where they lived wild ducks. Tired and sad, he lay there all night.
In the morning, wild ducks rose from their nests and saw a new comrade.
- What kind of bird is this? - they asked.
The duckling turned and bowed in all directions as best he could.
- What a monster you are! - said the wild ducks. - However, we don’t care, just don’t think about becoming related to us.
Poor thing! Where could he have thought about this! If only they would let him sit in the reeds and drink swamp water.
He spent two days in the swamp. On the third day two wild ganders appeared. They had only recently hatched from the eggs and therefore were very proud.
- Listen, buddy! - they said. - You’re such a freak that we really like you! Do you want to fly with us and be a free bird? There is another swamp nearby, where pretty young lady geese live. They know how to say: “Ga-ha-ha!” You're such a freak that, what good, you'll be successful with them.
Bang! Pow! - suddenly rang out over the swamp, and both ganders fell dead into the reeds; the water was stained with their blood. Bang! Pow! - it was heard again, and a whole flock of wild geese rose from the reeds. The shooting began. Hunters surrounded the swamp on all sides; some even settled in tree branches hanging over the swamp. Blue smoke enveloped the trees in clouds and hung over the water. Hunting dogs were running through the swamp - splash! slap! The reeds and reeds swayed from side to side. The poor duckling was neither alive nor dead from fear. He was about to hide his head under his wing, when suddenly she appeared right in front of him. hunting dog with his tongue hanging out and his eyes sparkling. She stuck her mouth towards the duckling and bared her teeth sharp teeth and - slap! Slap! - ran further.
“I didn’t touch you,” the duckling thought and took a breath. “It’s obvious that I’m so ugly that even a dog is disgusted to bite me!”
And he hid in the reeds. Shots whistled over his head every now and then, and shots rang out.
The shooting died down only in the evening, but the duckling was still afraid to move for a long time. Only after a few hours did he dare to get up, look around and start running further through the fields and meadows. The wind was blowing so strong that the duckling could barely move.
By nightfall he reached the poor hut. The hut was so dilapidated that it was ready to fall, but it didn’t know which side, so it held on. The wind kept picking up the duckling - it had to rest its tail on the ground. And the wind kept getting stronger. Then the duckling noticed that the door of the hut had come off one hinge and was hanging so crookedly that he could freely slip through the crack into the hut. So he did.
An old woman lived in a hut with a cat and a chicken. She called the cat son; he knew how to arch his back, purr and even make sparks if you stroke him against the grain. The chicken had small, short legs, which is why it was nicknamed Short-legged; she diligently laid eggs, and the old woman loved her like a daughter.
In the morning we noticed someone else's duckling. The cat purred, the chicken clucked.
- What's there? - asked the old woman, looked around and noticed a duckling, but due to her blindness she mistook it for a fat duck that had strayed from the house.
- What a find! - said the old lady. - Now I will have duck eggs, unless it's a drake. Well, let's see, let's try it!
And the duckling was accepted for testing. But three weeks passed, and there were still no eggs. The real master of the house was the cat, and the mistress was the chicken, and both always said: “We and the whole world!”
They considered themselves half of the whole world, and, moreover, better half. True, the duckling believed that one could have a different opinion on this matter. But the chicken did not tolerate this.
- Can you lay eggs? - she asked the duckling.
- No.
- So keep your tongue on a leash!
And the cat asked:
- Can you arch your back, purr and let off sparks?
- No.
- So don’t meddle with your opinion when they say smart people!
And the duckling sat in the corner, ruffled.
Suddenly he remembered fresh air and the sun, I really wanted to swim. He couldn't stand it and told the chicken about it.
- What's wrong with you? - she asked. - You're idle, and that's when a whim creeps into your head! Lay some eggs or purr, the stupidity will go away!
- Oh, it’s so nice to swim! - said the duckling. - It’s such a pleasure to dive headfirst into the very depths!
- What a pleasure! - said the chicken. - You're completely out of your mind! Ask the cat - he's smarter than anyone I know - if he likes to swim and dive. I’m not even talking about myself! Finally, ask our old lady, there is no one smarter than her in the world! In your opinion, does she want to swim or dive?
“You don’t understand me,” said the duckling.
- If we don’t understand, then who will understand you! Well, do you want to be smarter than the cat and the owner, not to mention me? Don't be stupid, but be grateful for everything they did for you! You were sheltered, warmed up, you found yourself in a society in which you can learn something. But you are an empty head, and it’s not worth talking to you. Believe me! I wish you well, that’s why I scold you. This is how true friends are always recognized. Try to lay eggs or learn to purr and let off sparks!
“I think it’s better for me to leave here wherever I look,” said the duckling.
- Well, go ahead! - answered the chicken.
And the duckling left. He swam and dived, but all the animals still despised him for his ugliness.
Autumn has come. The leaves on the trees turned yellow and brown; the wind picked them up and swirled them through the air. It became very cold. Heavy clouds rained hail and snow on the ground, and a raven sat on the fence and croaked from the cold at the top of its lungs. Brr! You'll freeze just thinking about such cold! Things were bad for the poor duckling.
Once; in the evening, when the sun was still shining in the sky, a whole flock of beautiful big birds, the duckling has never seen such beautiful ones: all white as snow, with long, flexible necks.
These were swans. Having uttered a strange cry, they flapped their magnificent large wings and flew from the cold meadows to warm lands, beyond the blue sea. The swans rose high, high, and the poor duckling was seized with an incomprehensible anxiety. He spun around like a top in the water, stretched out his neck and also screamed, so loudly and strangely that he got scared. Ah, he could not take his eyes off these beautiful happy birds, and when they were completely out of sight, he dived to the very bottom, emerged and was as if out of his mind. The duckling didn’t know the name of these birds or where they were flying, but he fell in love with them as he had never loved anyone in the world before. He did not envy their beauty; It never occurred to him that he could be as beautiful as them.
He would be very happy if at least the ducks didn’t push him away. Poor ugly duckling!
Winter has come, very cold. The duckling had to swim without rest to prevent the water from freezing completely, but every night the hole in which he swam became smaller and smaller. It was so freezing that even the ice crackled. The duckling worked tirelessly with its paws, but in the end it was completely exhausted, froze and was completely frozen.
Early in the morning a peasant passed by. He saw the duckling, broke the ice with his wooden shoes and took the half-dead bird home to his wife. The duckling was warmed up.
But the children decided to play with him, and it seemed to him that they wanted to offend him. The duckling jumped out of fear and fell straight into a milk pan. The milk spilled. The hostess screamed and waved her hands, and meanwhile the duckling flew into a tub of butter, and from there into a barrel of flour. Fathers, what did he look like! The housewife screamed and chased him with coal tongs, the children ran, knocking each other down, laughing and screaming. It’s good that the door was open - the duckling jumped out, rushed into the bushes, straight into the freshly fallen snow, and lay there for a long, long time, almost unconscious.
It would be too sad to describe all the duckling’s troubles and misfortunes during this harsh winter. When the sun again warmed the earth with its warm rays, he lay in the swamp, in the reeds. The larks began to sing. Spring has come!
The duckling flapped its wings and flew away. Now the wind hummed in his wings, and they were much stronger than before. Before he knew it, he found himself in a large garden. The apple trees were in bloom; fragrant lilacs bent their long green branches over the winding canal. Oh, how nice it was here, how it smelled like spring!
And suddenly three wonderful white swans swam out of the reed thicket. They swam so easily and smoothly, as if they were gliding through the water. The duckling recognized the beautiful birds, and was overcome by some incomprehensible sadness.
- I’ll fly to them, to these majestic birds. They will probably peck me to death because I, so ugly, dared to approach them. But let it be! It is better to die from their blows than to endure the pinch of ducks and chickens, the kicks of a poultry woman, and endure the cold and hunger in winter!
And he sank onto the water and swam towards the beautiful swans, who, seeing him, also swam towards him.
- Kill me! - said the poor thing and lowered his head low, expecting death, but what did he see in the water, clear as a mirror? Your own reflection. But he was no longer an ugly dark gray duckling, but a swan.
It doesn't matter if you were born in a duck's nest if you were hatched from a swan's egg!
Now he was glad that he had suffered so much grief and trouble - he could better appreciate his happiness and the splendor that surrounded him. And large swans swam around and stroked him with their beaks.
Little children came running into the garden. They began to throw bread crumbs and grains to the swans, and the youngest shouted:
- A new one has arrived!
And everyone else chimed in:
- New, new!
The children clapped their hands and danced with joy, and then ran after their father and mother and again began to throw crumbs of bread and cake into the water. Everyone said:
- The new swan is the best! He is so handsome and young!
And the old swans bowed their heads before him.
And he was completely embarrassed and hid his head under his wing, not knowing why. He was very happy, but not at all proud - a good heart knows no pride; he remembered the time when everyone laughed at him and drove him away. And now everyone says that he is the most beautiful among the beautiful birds. The lilac bent its fragrant branches into the water toward him, the sun shone so warmly, so brightly... And then its wings rustled, its slender neck straightened, and a jubilant cry burst from its chest:
- No, I never dreamed of such happiness when I was still an ugly duckling!
1832

It was good outside the city! It was summer. The rye was already golden in the fields, the oats were turning green, the hay was swept into stacks; A long-legged stork walked around a green meadow and chatted in Egyptian - he learned this language from his mother. It was getting dark beyond the fields and meadows big forest, and deep blue lakes were hidden in the forest. Yes, it was good outside the city! The sun illuminated the old manor, surrounded by deep ditches of water. The entire earth - from the walls of the house to the water itself - was overgrown with burdock, so tall that small children could stand under the largest leaves at their full height.

In the burdock thicket it was as deaf and wild as in a dense forest, and there a duck was sitting on her eggs. She had been sitting for a long time, and she was quite tired of this activity. In addition, she was rarely visited - other ducks liked to swim along the ditches more than sit in the burdock and quack with her.

Finally the eggshells cracked.

The ducklings began to stir, chattered their beaks and stuck their heads out.

Peep, peep! - they said.

Crack, crack! - answered the duck. - Hurry up!

The ducklings somehow climbed out of the shell and began to look around, looking at the green leaves of the burdock. Mother did not interfere with them - green good for the eyes.

Oh, how big the world is! - said the ducklings. Of course! Now they had much more space than in the shell.

Don't you think that the whole world is here? - said the mother. - What is it! It stretches far, far away, beyond the garden, beyond the field... But, to tell the truth, I’ve never been there in my life!.. Well, has everyone got out already? - Jonah rose to his feet. - Oh no, that’s not all... The biggest egg is intact! When will this end! I'm about to lose my patience completely.

And she sat down again.

Well, how are you? - asked the old duck, sticking her head into the thicket of burdock.

“Well, I just can’t cope with one egg,” said the young duck. - I sit and sit, but it still doesn’t burst. But look at those little ones that have already hatched. Just lovely! All, as one, like their father! And he, the worthless one, didn’t even visit me even once!

“Wait, show me first that egg that doesn’t burst,” said the old duck. - Isn’t it turkey, what’s wrong? Well, yes, of course!.. That’s exactly how they tricked me once. And how much trouble I had later with these turkey poults! You won’t believe it: they are so afraid of water that you can’t even drive them into a ditch. I hissed, and quacked, and simply pushed them into the water - they weren’t coming, and that’s all. Let me take another look. Well, it is! Turkey! Give it up and go teach your kids to swim!

No, I think I’ll sit,” said the young duck. “I’ve endured so much that I can endure a little more.”

Well, sit down! - said the old duck and left. And finally the big egg cracked.

Pip! Pip! - the chick squealed and fell out of the shell.

But how big and ugly he was! The duck looked at him from all sides and flapped his wings.

Horrible freak! - she said. - And not at all like the others! Isn't this really a turkey? Well, he’ll be in the water with me, even if I had to push him there by force!

The next day the weather was wonderful, the green burdock was flooded with sun.

The duck and his whole family went to the ditch. Bultikh! - and she found herself in the water.

Crack-crack! Follow me! Alive! - she called, and one after another the ducklings also splashed into the water.

At first the water covered them completely, but they immediately surfaced and swam forward perfectly. Their paws worked just like that, and they worked like that. Even the ugly gray duckling kept up with the others.

What kind of turkey is this? - said the duck. - Look how nicely he paddles his paws! And how straight it stays! No, this is my own son. Yes, he is not so bad at all, if you take a good look at him. Well, quickly, quickly follow me! I will now introduce you to society - we will go to the poultry yard. Just stay close to me so that no one steps on you, and watch out for the cats!

Soon the duck and its entire brood reached the poultry yard. My God! What was all that noise! Two duck families were fighting over the head of an eel. And in the end this head went to the cat.

This is how it always happens in life! - said the duck and licked her beak with her tongue - she herself was not averse to tasting an eel’s head. - Well, well, move your paws! - she commanded, turning to the ducklings. - Quack and bow to that old duck over there! She is the most famous here. She is of Spanish breed and that is why she is so fat. See, she has a red patch on her paw! How beautiful! This is the highest distinction a duck can receive. This means that they don’t want to lose her - both people and animals immediately recognize her by this scrap. Well, it's alive! Don't keep your paws together! A well-bred duckling should turn its paws outward. Like this! Look. Now tilt your heads and say: “Quack!”

The ducklings did just that.

But the other ducks looked at them and spoke loudly:

Well, here's another whole horde! It’s as if we wouldn’t be enough without them! And one is so nasty! We will never tolerate this!

And now one duck flew up and pecked him on the neck.

Leave him! - said the mother duck. - After all, he didn’t do anything to you!

Let's assume that it is so. But it’s kind of big and awkward! - the evil duck hissed. - It doesn’t hurt to teach him a lesson.

And the noble duck with a red patch on her leg said:

Nice kids you have! Everyone is very, very nice, except for one, perhaps... The poor fellow was a failure! It would be nice to remake it.

This is absolutely impossible, your honor! - answered the mother duck. “He’s ugly, that’s true, but he has a good heart.” And he swims no worse, I dare say, better than others. I think over time it will even out and become smaller. It had been in the egg for too long and had therefore grown a little. - And she smoothed the feathers on his back with her beak. “Besides, he’s a drake, and a drake doesn’t really need beauty.” I think he will grow up strong and make his way in life.

The rest of the ducklings are very, very cute! - said the noble duck. - Well, make yourself at home, and if you find an eel head, you can bring it to me.

And so the ducklings began to behave like at home. Only the poor duckling, who hatched later than the others and was so ugly, was not given a pass. He was pecked, pushed and teased not only by ducks, but even by chickens.

Too big! - they said.

And the Indian rooster, who was born with spurs on his legs and therefore imagined himself almost an emperor, pouted and, like a ship in full sail, flew straight up to the duckling, looked at him and began to babble angrily; his comb was filled with blood. The poor duckling simply did not know what to do, where to go. And he had to be so ugly that the whole poultry yard laughs at him!

The first day went like this, and then it got even worse. Everyone chased the poor duckling, even his brothers and sisters angrily told him: “If only the cat would drag you away, you obnoxious freak!” And the mother added: “My eyes would not look at you!” The ducks nibbled him, the chickens pecked him, and the girl who gave food to the birds pushed him away with her foot.

Finally the duckling couldn't stand it anymore. He ran across the yard and, spreading his clumsy wings, somehow fell over the fence straight into the thorny bushes.

Small birds sitting on the branches took off at once and scattered in different directions.

“It’s because I’m so ugly,” thought the duckling and, closing his eyes, he began to run, not knowing where. He ran until then. until he found himself in a swamp where wild ducks lived.

Here he spent the whole night. The poor duckling was tired and very sad.

In the morning, wild ducks woke up in their nests and saw a new comrade.

What kind of bird is this? - they asked. The duckling turned and bowed in all directions as best he could.

Well, you are disgusting! - said the wild ducks. - However, we have nothing to do with this, as long as you don’t interfere with our family.

Poor thing! Where could he even think about it! If only he were allowed to live in the reeds and drink swamp water, he never dreamed of anything more.

So he sat in the swamp for two days. On the third day, two wild ganders flew there. They had just recently learned to fly and were therefore very self-important.

Listen, buddy! - they said. - You are so wonderful that it’s fun to look at you. Do you want to be friends with us? We are free birds - we fly wherever we want. There is also a swamp nearby, where lovely little wild geese live. They know how to say: "Rap! Rap!" You are so funny that, good luck, you will be a great success with them.

Bang! Pow! - suddenly rang out over the swamp, and both ganders fell into the reeds dead, and the water turned red with blood.

Bang! Pow! - it was heard again, and a whole flock of wild geese rose above the swamp. Shot after shot rang out. Hunters surrounded the swamp on all sides; some of them climbed into trees and fired from above. Blue smoke enveloped the treetops in clouds and hung over the water. Hunting dogs scoured the swamp. All you could hear was: slap-slap! And the reeds swayed from side to side. The poor duckling was neither alive nor dead from fear. He was about to hide his head under his wing, when suddenly a hunting dog with its tongue hanging out and sparkling evil eyes appeared right in front of him. She looked at the duckling, bared her sharp teeth and - slap-slap! - ran further.

“It seems like it’s gone,” the duckling thought and took a breath. “Apparently, I’m so disgusting that even a dog is disgusted to eat me!”

And he hid in the reeds. And over his head every now and then the shot whistled and shots rang out.

The shooting died down only in the evening, but the duckling was still afraid to move for a long time.

Several hours passed. Finally he dared to get up, looked around carefully and began to run further through the fields and meadows.

There was such a strong headwind that the duckling could barely move its paws.

By nightfall he reached a small, miserable hut. The hut was so dilapidated that it was ready to fall, but it didn’t know which side, so it held on.

The wind kept catching the duckling, and I had to press close to the ground to avoid being carried away.

Fortunately, he noticed that the door of the hut had come off one hinge and was so warped that one could easily get inside through the crack. And the duckling made its way.

An old woman lived in a hut with her chicken and cat. She called the cat Sonny; he knew how to arch his back, purr and even throw sparks, but for this you had to stroke him against the grain. The chicken had small, short legs, and that’s why it was called Short-legged. She laid eggs diligently, and the old woman loved her like a daughter.

In the morning the duckling was spotted. The cat began to purr and the chicken began to cluck.

What is it? - asked the old lady. She looked around and saw a duckling in the corner, but blindly mistook it for a fat duck that had strayed from the house.

What a find! - said the old lady. - Now I will have duck eggs, unless it is a drake. And she decided to keep the stray bird with her. But three weeks passed, and there were still no eggs. The real master of the house was the cat, and the mistress was the chicken. Both of them always said: “We and the whole world!” They considered themselves half of the whole world, and, moreover, the better half. The duckling, however, seemed to have a different opinion on this matter. But the chicken did not allow this.

Can you lay eggs? - she asked the duckling.

So keep your tongue on a leash! And the cat asked:

Can you arch your back, shoot sparks and purr?

So don’t meddle with your opinion when smart people speak!

And the duckling sat in the corner, ruffled.

One day the door opened wide and a stream of fresh air and bright light rushed into the room. sunbeam. The duckling was so drawn to freedom, he wanted to swim so much that he could not resist and told the hen about it.

Well, what else did you come up with? - the chicken attacked him. - You're idle, and all sorts of nonsense creeps into your head! Lay some eggs or purr, the stupidity will go away!

Oh, it's so nice to swim! - said the duckling. - It’s such a pleasure to dive headfirst into the very depths!

What a pleasure! - said the chicken. - You're completely crazy! Ask the cat - he is the most sensible person I know - does he like to swim and dive? I'm not talking about myself. Finally, ask our old lady, there’s probably no one in the world smarter than her! She'll tell you if she likes to dive headfirst into the deep end!

You don't understand me! - said the duckling.

If we don’t understand, then who will understand you! You obviously want to be smarter than the cat and our mistress, not to mention me! Don't be a fool and be grateful for everything they did for you! You were sheltered, warmed up, you found yourself in a society in which you can learn something. But you are an empty head, and there is no point in talking to you. Believe me! I wish you well, that’s why I scold you. This is what true friends always do. Try to lay eggs or learn to purr and sprinkle sparks!

I think I'd better get out of here and head off! - said the duckling.

Well, go ahead! - answered the chicken.

And the duckling left. He lived on a lake, swam and dived upside down, but everyone around him still laughed at him and called him disgusting and ugly.

Meanwhile, autumn has come. The leaves on the trees turned yellow and brown. They fell from the branches, and the wind picked them up and swirled through the air. It became very cold. Heavy clouds scattered either hail or snow on the ground. Even the raven, sitting on the fence, croaked at the top of his lungs from the cold. Brr! You'll freeze just thinking about such cold!

Things were bad for the poor duckling.

One evening, when the sun was still shining in the sky, a whole flock of wonderful, large birds rose from behind the forest. The duckling had never seen such beautiful birds - all white as snow, with long flexible necks...

These were swans.

Their scream sounded like a trumpet. They spread their wide, mighty wings and flew from the cold meadows to warm regions, for blue seas... So they rose high, high, and the poor duckling kept looking after them, and some kind of incomprehensible anxiety gripped him. He spun around in the water like a top, stretched out his neck and also screamed, so loudly and strangely that he got scared. He could not take his eyes off these beautiful birds, and when they were completely out of sight, he dived to the very bottom, then swam out again and still could not come to his senses for a long time. The duckling did not know the name of these birds, did not know where they were flying, but he fell in love with them. how I have never loved anyone in the world before. He did not envy their beauty. It never occurred to him that he could be as beautiful as them.

He would have been glad if at least the ducks had not pushed him away from them. Poor ugly duckling!

Winter has come, very cold. The duckling had to swim around the lake without rest in order to prevent the water from freezing completely, but every night the hole in which he swam became smaller and smaller. The frost was such that even the ice crackled. The duckling worked tirelessly with its paws. In the end, he was completely exhausted, stretched out and froze to the ice.

Early in the morning a peasant passed by. He saw a duckling frozen to the ice, broke the ice with his wooden shoe and took the half-dead bird home to his wife.

The duckling was warmed up.

The children decided to play with him, but the duckling thought that they wanted to offend him. He jumped out of fear into a corner and fell straight into a milk pan. Milk flowed across the floor. The hostess screamed and clasped her hands, and the duckling rushed around the room, flew into a tub of butter, and from there into a barrel of flour. It's easy to imagine what he looked like!

The housewife scolded the duckling and chased him with coal tongs, the children ran, knocking each other down, laughing and squealing. It’s good that the door was open - the duckling ran out, spreading his wings, rushed into the bushes, straight into the freshly fallen snow, and lay there for a long, long time, almost unconscious.

It would be too sad to talk about all the troubles and misfortunes ugly duckling in this harsh winter.

Finally, the sun again warmed the earth with its warm rays. The larks rang in the fields. Spring is back!

The duckling got out of the reeds, where he had been hiding all winter, flapped his wings and flew. His wings were now much stronger than before; they made noise and lifted him above the ground. Before he had time to come to his senses, he had already reached a large garden. The apple trees were all in bloom, fragrant lilacs bent their long green branches over the winding canal. Oh, how nice it was here, how it smelled like spring!

And suddenly three wonderful white swans swam out of the reed thicket. They swam so easily and smoothly, as if they were gliding through the water. The duckling recognized these beautiful birds, and was overcome by some incomprehensible sadness.

“I’ll fly to them, to these majestic birds. They will probably peck me to death because I, so disgusting, dared to approach them. But still! It’s better to die from their blows than to endure the pinch of ducks and chickens, the kicks of a poultry woman, and endure cold and hunger in winter!”

And he sank onto the water and swam towards the beautiful swans, and the swans, seeing him, flapped their wings and swam straight towards him.

Kill me! - said the ugly duckling and lowered his head low.

And suddenly, in water as clear as a mirror, he saw his own reflection. He was no longer an ugly dark gray duckling, but a beautiful white swan!

Now the duckling was even glad that he had endured so much grief and trouble. He endured a lot and therefore could better appreciate his happiness. And big swans swam around and stroked him with their beaks.

At this time, children came running into the garden. They began to throw pieces of bread and grain to the swans, and the youngest of them shouted:

The new one has arrived! The new one has arrived! And everyone else chimed in:

Yes, new, new!

The children clapped their hands and danced with joy. Then they ran after their father and mother and again began throwing pieces of bread and cake into the water.

Both children and adults said:

The new swan is the best! He is so handsome and young!

And the old swans bowed their heads before him. And he was completely embarrassed and hid his head under his wing, not knowing why. He remembered the time when everyone laughed at him and drove him away. But all this was behind us. Now people say that he is the most beautiful among the beautiful swans. The lilac bends its fragrant branches into the water towards him, and the sun caresses him with its warm rays... And then his wings rustled, his slender neck straightened, and a jubilant cry burst from his chest:

No, I never dreamed of such happiness when I was still an ugly duckling!

Who among us has not admired the proud and graceful birds - swans. These majestic and snow-white beauties with excellent posture immediately resemble the fairy tale of the Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen “The Ugly Duckling”. This work is simply a miracle! The story of the ugly duckling who turned into a beautiful swan has touched the souls of many children and adults. The great storyteller was able to very deeply and sensually describe all the adventures of the poor, unfortunate chick, until it turned into a majestic bird.

The world of fairy tales of the great Danish master

From childhood, most people recognize the author of "The Ugly Duckling" - Hans Christian Andersen. The world of his fairy tales is very diverse. “The Snow Queen”, “The Little Mermaid”, “The Princess and the Pea”, “The Nightingale”, “Wild Swans” - these are real masterpieces that are known in all corners of the world. Many characters from Andersen's fairy tales became household names during the writer's lifetime. Hans Christian did not consider himself a children's writer; many of his works raise very deep problems for adults. What are they, the fairy tales of the author of "The Ugly Duckling"?

Among the huge number of Andersen's works, there are many creations with a happy ending, which children love very much. The collection also contains serious stories that only adults can understand. The minds of children and their parents are captivated by a wonderful story called “Thumbelina” about a tiny girl who grew up in a flower bud. The motif of the miraculous transformation of heroes is a favorite in the fairy tales of Hans Christian. So, in the fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea,” readers see an inconspicuous girl who became a princess.

The writer depicts true love and self-sacrifice in the fairy tale “Wild Swans”. The girl Eliza risks her life to save her brothers from the spell of her evil stepmother. This work is already more dramatic. But the story of the young Little Mermaid, who sacrificed her life for the sake of her beloved prince, is filled with special tragedy. Great power Andersen showed true art in the fairy tale "The Nightingale". ostentatious grandeur and spiritual emptiness reflected the writer in the work “The King’s New Dress”. It is impossible to imagine the fairy tales of the great Dane without the mysterious little man who gives wonderful dreams to obedient children - Ole Lukoje.

Literary fairy tale concept

The creative heritage of H. H. Andersen mainly consists of literary fairy tales. They brought world fame to the author of The Ugly Duckling. At first, the Writer retold some folk tales, and then began to create his own works in this genre. A literary fairy tale is a narrative genre that has magical and fantastic content, fictional or real characters, fairy-tale or real reality. Writers raised moral, aesthetic, social problems society.

The early fairy tales of H. H. Andersen are similar to the works of the Brothers Grimm: they have a simple and natural intonation of folk storytelling. His first collection was called “Fairy Tales Told to Children,” which contains a lot of similarities with folklore. He based the collection on 10 tales that he was told as a child. From these works, readers discover the beauty and spiritual essence of the world.

What is the main author's credo of the author of "The Ugly Duckling"? The writer appreciates sincere souls and immediate feelings. In depictions of the tragic sides of life, good still prevails. Andersen believes that the divine principle always wins in man himself. The storyteller himself believed very much in good God. He believed that every event in a person's life indicates that he belongs to the Lord. According to the writer, only those who will experience many trials and hardships in life will see the light and become better.

The most voluminous literary fairy tale by Hans Christian is “The Snow Queen”. In it, the author touches on very deep problems. The main thing that the storyteller showed is the all-conquering power of love, capable of overcoming any obstacles. The brave girl Gerda not only saved her brother Kai from the palace Snow Queen, but also returned his good heart.

The difficult fate of the writer and autobiographical moments in the fairy tale

In Denmark there is an ancient town of Odense. It was there that the author of The Ugly Duckling, Hans Christian Andersen, was born in 1805. His father was a simple shoemaker. He lived in a poor apartment, was surrounded ordinary people, ate the most meager foods. But he saw miracles in the most simple things, really enjoyed listening to the stories of older people. He often looked at theater posters. He made homemade dolls and performed entire performances.

Such fantasies led Hans to theatrical activities. He set up a puppet theater right at home. He wrote the scripts himself, made the sets and paper costumes. After his father’s funeral in 1819, the young man moved to the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen. Dreaming of becoming happy, he tries to fulfill his dream of becoming an actor. Good people helped him get into the gymnasium. The fourteen-year-old boy had to sit at a desk with students much younger than him. Andersen received a lot of ridicule and humiliation from his classmates. Hans passed the test and graduated from high school. Then he entered the university. It was this period of his life that the writer depicted in the book “The Ugly Duckling.”

Being a famous master of words, Andersen himself understood that he was benefiting the world. That's why he felt happy. Each new fairy tale brought a lot of joyful emotions to his readers. Hans Christian began to read fairy tales himself ordinary people. He was not at all ashamed of his low origins, but, on the contrary, wanted his books to be read by children from poor families like himself. Most of all, the writer hated empty, ignorant, boastful and lazy representatives of high society.

The noble people whom Andersen ridiculed in his books were dissatisfied with his caustic ridicule. They could not understand how the son of a shoemaker could make fun of them. After all, he even has a surname of low origin. It was only on his 50th birthday that the author was recognized in his hometown of Odense. On the day he was awarded the title of honorary citizen, the townspeople lit the illumination.

Hans Christian published his tale in 1843. Many children wonder who wrote The Ugly Duckling, and this is not surprising. After all, the problems raised by Andersen in this tale are still relevant today. Translated into Russian by Anna Ganzen. In accordance with the plot and semantic sections of the fairy tale, the work “The Ugly Duckling” can be divided into five parts:

1. The hard life of a duckling in a poultry yard. It was during the sunny summer season . In one old manor, among the fluffy burdock leaves, a mother duck hatched her ducklings. It is already becoming clear that the heroes of “The Ugly Duckling” are animals. Little children looked at it with delight large leaves around you. The duck reassured the children that the world is much bigger than these plants, and she herself has not yet seen it all. An experienced duck approached the young mother and inquired about the situation? The mother was pleased with her cubs, only one chick from the largest egg still could not hatch. The ducks decided that a turkey egg had accidentally fallen into the nest. Finally, this moment has come. From the last egg a chick appeared, which was very different from the others, even the mother did not like it. She decided to check if he could swim like all the other ducklings.

   

2. The beginning of wanderings. Duckling meets real friends. One sunny day the whole family went to the lake. All the kids were yellow. There was only one last one gray, but swam no worse than the rest. After bathing, the duck decided to show off her brood and took everyone to the poultry yard to show it to the “society.” Before this, she taught the children how to behave in front of the inhabitants of the courtyard and bow to them. What were the residents of the courtyard like? The ducklings watched as they fought over the head of a fish thrown to them by their owners. stood in the yard terrible scream. Then one Spanish duck gave a positive opinion new family. Only one, the most “awkward” cub, irritated her and everyone else. The mother duck initially defended the gray duckling, saying that he would grow up to become a prominent drake. Then all the kids went to play. Everyone wanted to offend the gray duckling. They pecked at him every now and then. Over time, even his brothers, sisters and mother hated him. The duckling was exhausted from humiliation and ridicule. He didn't know how to get out of this situation. His only salvation was to run away from home.

   

3. Meeting with geese. The duckling somehow managed to get over the fence. There he immediately met wild ducks, they also began to make fun of his unsightly appearance and worried that he would not ask to be their relative. A few days later, two important ganders flew to the lake. Appearance They thought the new guy was funny, and they even decided to show him to their wives. Only this was not destined to come true: the hunters began to shoot at the geese, and two new friends turned out to be dead. Then a hunting dog came running to the lake to collect the prey. The gray duckling was very scared. But even the dog didn’t like him: she didn’t touch the chick. In fear, he sat in the reeds until evening, and then decided to run away.
4. The suffering of a duckling in the harsh winter. The poor chick wandered all day. Finally he saw the hut. An old woman, a chicken and a cat lived in it. The owner decided to keep the chick with her, hoping that it would lay eggs. The cat and the chicken laughed at the duckling in every possible way, but he never laid eggs. One day the chick felt that he was very drawn to swim, so he went to live by the lake. One day there he saw very beautiful birds. These were swans. They screamed and the chick screamed back. He did not dare to approach the important birds, fearing that they would reject him like everyone else. And then I came cold winter. To avoid freezing, the duckling had to constantly swim. But this did not save the poor fellow. He was completely exhausted and froze to the ice. One peasant saw a duckling and took it home. The chick was unfamiliar with the new environment. He was afraid of the little children who wanted to play with him. While running away from them, the duckling spilled milk and got dirty in flour. He had to spend the winter in the bushes near the lake. It was cold and hungry.
5. Spring awakening and the unexpected transformation of the duckling. One spring, a chick climbed out of the reeds and flew away. Near the blossoming apple trees he suddenly noticed proud and beautiful white swans. The duckling became sad. But then, remembering all his wanderings, he decided to approach these birds, even if they pecked him. The duckling went down to the water and began to quietly swim towards the flock of swan, and they swam towards him. The duckling sullenly lowered his head in front of the swans, expecting to be killed. And suddenly he saw his reflection in the water. Who was the ugly duckling? It was a beautiful majestic swan! Other birds swam past the handsome young man and stroked him with their long beaks. They gladly accepted him into their flock. Children came running, began throwing pieces of bread to the birds and calling the new one the most beautiful swan. Previously, the duckling had never even dreamed of such happiness.

That's it summary"The Ugly Duckling" The sad fairy tale turned out to have a happy ending.

Analysis of "The Ugly Duckling": genre, theme, writer's style

It is believed that in this tale Andersen veiled his biography. The name of the creation itself is very unusual and is an oxymoron. The same hero appears both ugly and beautiful. Who wrote “The Ugly Duckling” and in connection with what is already clear. In what genre is the work written? Of course it is literary fairy tale. But she has others too distinctive features. There are motifs of myth in it, since the theme of the exile was very close to ancient myths. Very often the hero of such works cannot control his destiny - other forces dominate over him.

The fairy duckling acts as a representative wildlife, which instinctively survives even the most harsh conditions. Wild natures are desperately fighting for existence. The reason for the duckling's expulsion was not because he was ugly, but because he was different from the others. No one knows how the swan egg ended up in the nest. The author shows what trials the hero had to go through before everyone began to admire his beauty. The main topic"The Ugly Duckling" is a fight between good and evil. The transformation of a nondescript chick into a snow-white beauty is only a shell, but not the main meaning of the fairy tale. Andersen showed that the soul of a little duckling is open to love and kindness.

The author's style reveals a special dynamism. All events develop with special tension. For a skillful and lively narrative, the writer uses many different phrases: “they fell dead,” “the reeds moved,” “the hunters surrounded,” “the fog enveloped,” “the reeds swayed.”

Psychological coloring of the fairy tale

The work "The Ugly Duckling" is very unusual. Andersen not only shows the fate of the hero, but describes his state of mind in different situations. He did this through monologues. The duckling constantly wonders why he is so ugly. The author shows him either tired or sad. Shown especially clearly psychological state duckling at the moment of transformation into a beautiful swan. His joy knew no bounds. Andersen's fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling" is very sensual; it overwhelms readers with feelings for the little hero.

The idea and problems of the work

The hero of Andersen's book "The Ugly Duckling" had to suffer and humiliate himself a lot, but, having gone through such a lonely and difficult life, he was able to truly appreciate his happiness. The ideological meaning of the fairy tale is expressed by the following concepts:

• Not everything in life is simple and easy; sometimes there is suffering and joy, roughness and beauty.
• For an acute perception of happiness, a person needs wandering and suffering.
• Sensitivity of the soul and inner talent are sure to be rewarded by fate.
• Nobility and generosity appear after suffering and unexpected happiness. After all, this taught the duckling to forgive his offenders.

It should be noted that in allegorical form the tale shows the struggle that Andersen had to wage on his path to fame.

Conclusions about the personality of the author himself

The title of the fairy tale has long grown into a metaphor. Such a common noun as “ugly duckling” refers to unprepossessing teenagers whose appearance is still in its infancy. From this autobiographical tale the following conclusions emerge about Andersen:

• The writer, like his hero, suffered a lot of suffering, misunderstandings and ridicule of rude people.
• Andersen had a very vulnerable and sensitive soul.
• Like the hero of the fairy tale, the author was a generous person who forgave his offenders and enemies.
• Andersen had great faith in the victory of goodness, beauty and justice.

It was good outside the city! It was summer, the rye had already turned yellow, the oats were turning green, the hay had been swept into stacks; A long-legged stork walked around a green meadow and chatted in Egyptian - he learned this language from his mother. Behind the fields and meadows there were large forests with deep lakes in the thicket. Yes, it was good outside the city! An old manor house lay right in the sun, surrounded by deep ditches filled with water; from the building itself right down to the water grew burdock, so large that small children could stand under the largest of its leaves at their full height. In the thicket of burdock it was as deaf and wild as in a dense forest, and there a duck was sitting on her eggs. She had been sitting for a long time, and she was quite tired of this sitting - she was visited little: other ducks liked to swim along the ditches more than sit in the burdock and quack with her. Finally the eggshells cracked.

Pi! Pi! - was heard from them, the egg yolks came to life and poked their noses out of the shells.

Alive! Alive! - the duck quacked, and the ducklings hurried, somehow climbed out and began to look around, looking at the green leaves of the burdock; the mother did not interfere with them - green light is good for the eyes.

How big the world is! - said the ducklings.

Of course! Now they had somewhere more space than when they were in the eggs.

Do you think that the whole world is here? - said the mother. - No! He goes far, far away, beyond the garden, into the priest’s field, but I haven’t been there in my life!.. Well, is that all you are here? - And she stood up. - Oh, no, not all! The biggest egg is intact! Will this end soon? Really, I'm tired of it.

And she sat down again.

Well, how are you? - the old duck looked at her.

Yes, there's one more egg left! - said the young duck. - I sit and sit, but there’s no point! But look at the others! Just lovely! They look an awful lot like their father! But he, the worthless one, never visited me even once!

Wait a minute, I'll take a look at the egg! - said the old duck. - It might be a turkey egg! I was cheated once too! Well, I was tormented as I brought out the turkey chicks! They are passionately afraid of water; I already quacked, and called, and pushed them into the water - they won’t come, and that’s the end! Let me look at the egg! Well, it is! Turkey! Drop him and go teach others to swim!

I'll sit still! - said the young duck. - I sat for so long that I could sit a little longer.

Whatever! - said the old duck and left. Finally, the shell of the largest egg cracked.

Pi! Pi! - and a huge ugly chick fell out of there. The duck looked him over.

Terribly big! - she said. - And not at all like the others! Is this really a turkey? Well, yes, he will visit me in the water, even if I had to push him there by force!

The next day the weather was wonderful, the green burdock was all flooded with sun. The duck and his whole family went to the ditch. Bultikh! - and the duck found himself in the water.

Follow me! Alive! - she called the ducklings, and one after another they also splashed into the water.

At first the water covered their heads, but then they emerged and swam in such a way that they could not. Their paws worked like that; the ugly gray duckling kept up with the others.

What kind of turkey is this? - said the duck. - Look how nicely he paddles his paws, how straight he holds himself! No, this is my own son! Yes, he’s not bad at all, no matter how good you look at him! Well, quickly, quickly, follow me! I will now introduce you to society: we will go to the poultry yard. But stay close to me so that no one steps on you, and watch out for cats!

Soon we reached the poultry yard. Fathers! What was all the noise and commotion here! Two families fought over one eel's head, and in the end it went to the cat.

This is how things go in this world! - said the duck and licked her beak with her tongue: she also wanted to taste the eel’s head. - Well, well, move your paws! - she said to the ducklings. - Quack and bow to that old duck over there! She is the most famous here! She is of Spanish breed and that is why she is so fat. Do you see the red patch on her paw? How beautiful! This is the highest distinction a duck can receive. People make it clear that they do not want to lose her; both people and animals recognize her by this patch. Well, it's alive! Don't keep your paws together! A well-bred duckling should keep its paws apart and turn them outward, like dad and mom! Like this! Bow now and quack!

They did so, but the other ducks looked at them and said loudly:

Well, here's another whole horde! There really weren't enough of us! And one is so ugly! We won't tolerate him!

And now one duck jumped up and pecked him on the neck.

Leave him! - said the mother duck. - He didn’t do anything to you!

Let's face it, but it's so big and strange! - answered the bully. - He needs to be asked well!

Nice kids you have! - said the old duck with a red patch on her leg. - Everyone is very nice, except for one... This one was a failure! It would be nice to remake it!

No way, your honor! - answered the mother duck. - He is ugly, but he has a kind heart, and he swims no worse, I dare say, better than others. I think he will grow, get prettier or become smaller over time. It stayed in the egg, which is why it wasn’t entirely successful. - And she ran her nose over the feathers of a large duckling. “Besides, he’s a drake, and he doesn’t need beauty that much.” I think he will mature and make his way!

The rest of the ducklings are very, very cute! - said the old duck. - Well, make yourself at home, and if you find an eel head, you can bring it to me.

So they began to behave like at home. Only the poor duckling, who hatched later than everyone else and was so ugly, was pecked, pushed and ridiculed by absolutely everyone - both ducks and chickens.

He's too big! - everyone said, and the turkey, who was born with spurs on his legs and therefore imagined himself to be an emperor, pouted and, like a ship in full sail, flew up to the duckling, looked at him and began to babble angrily; his comb was so full of blood. The poor duckling simply did not know what to do, what to do. And he had to be such an ugly laughingstock for the entire poultry yard!

The first day went like this, then things got even worse. Everyone chased the poor thing, even his brothers and sisters angrily told him: “If only the cat would drag you away, you obnoxious freak!” - and the mother added: “My eyes would not have seen you!” The ducks pecked at him, the chickens plucked him, and the girl who gave food to the birds kicked him.

The duckling could not stand it, ran across the yard and - through the fence! Little birds flew out of the bushes in fear.

“They were scared of me - I’m so ugly!” - thought the duckling and set off with eyes closed further until he found himself in a swamp where wild ducks lived. Tired and sad, he sat here all night.

In the morning the ducks flew out of the nests and saw a new comrade.

Who are you? - they asked, and the duckling spun around, bowing in all directions as best it could.

You are ugly! - said the wild ducks. - But we don’t care about that, just don’t try to become related to us!

Poor thing! Where could he even think about it! If only they would let him sit here in the reeds and drink some swamp water.

He spent two days in the swamp, on the third two wild ganders appeared. They had recently hatched from eggs and therefore performed with great force.

Listen, buddy! - they said. - You’re such a freak that we really like you! Do you want to wander with us and be a free bird? Not far from here, in another swamp, live some pretty little wild geese. They know how to say “rap, rap!” You're such a freak that - what a blessing - you'll be a big success with them!

“Bang! pow!” - suddenly rang out over the swamp, and both ganders fell into the reeds dead: the water was stained with blood. “Bang! pow!” - it was heard again, and a whole flock of wild geese rose from the reeds. The shooting began. Hunters surrounded the swamp on all sides; some of them were sitting in tree branches overhanging the swamp. Blue smoke enveloped the trees in clouds and hung over the water. Hunting dogs splashed across the swamp; the reeds swayed from side to side. The poor duckling was neither alive nor dead from fear and just wanted to hide his head under his wing, when lo and behold, in front of him was a hunting dog with his tongue hanging out and sparkling evil eyes. She brought her mouth closer to the duckling, bared her sharp teeth and - plop, plop - she ran on.

God bless! - the duckling took a breath. - God bless! I'm so ugly that even a dog doesn't want to bite me!

And he hid in the reeds; pellets flew over his head every now and then, and shots rang out.

The shooting died down only in the evening, but the duckling was still afraid to move for a long time. Several more hours passed before he dared to get up, look around and start running further across the fields and meadows. The wind was blowing so strong that the duckling could barely move.

By nightfall he reached the poor hut. The hut was already so dilapidated that it was ready to fall, but it didn’t know which side, that’s why it held on. The wind kept catching the duckling - you had to rest your tail on the ground!

The wind, however, grew stronger; What was the duckling to do? Fortunately, he noticed that the door of the hut had come off one hinge and was hanging completely crooked: it was possible to freely slip through this gap into the hut. So he did.

An old woman lived in a hut with a cat and a chicken. She called the cat son; he knew how to arch his back, purr and even emit sparks if he was stroked against the grain. The chicken had small, short legs, and it was nicknamed Short-legged; she laid eggs diligently, and the old woman loved her like a daughter.

In the morning the alien was noticed: the cat began to purr and the chicken began to cluck.

What's there? - asked the old woman, looked around and noticed a duckling, but due to her blindness she mistook it for a fat duck that had strayed from the house.

What a find! - said the old lady. - Now I will have duck eggs, unless it is a drake. Well, we'll see, we'll try it!

And the duckling was accepted for testing, but three weeks passed and there were still no eggs. The master of the house was a cat, and the mistress was a chicken, and both always said: “We and the light!” They considered themselves half of the whole world, and, moreover, the best half of it. It seemed to the duckling that he could have a different opinion on this matter. The chicken, however, did not tolerate this.

Can you lay eggs? - she asked the duckling.

So keep your tongue on a leash!

And the cat asked:

Can you arch your back, purr and emit sparks?

So don’t meddle with your opinion when smart people speak!

And the duckling sat in the corner, ruffled. Suddenly he remembered the fresh air and the sun, and he really wanted to swim. He couldn't stand it and told the chicken about it.

What's wrong with you?! - she asked. - You're idle, and that's when a whim creeps into your head! Lay eggs or purr - the stupidity will pass!

Oh, it’s so nice to swim on water! - said the duckling. - What a pleasure it is to dive headlong into the very depths!

Good enjoyment! - said the chicken. - You're completely crazy! Ask the cat - he's smarter than anyone I know - if he likes to swim or dive! I'm not even talking about myself! Finally, ask our old lady: there is no one in the world smarter than her! In your opinion, does she want to swim or dive headfirst?

You don't understand me! - said the duckling.

If we don’t understand, then who will understand you! Well, do you want to be smarter than the cat and the lady, not to mention me? Don’t be a fool, but rather thank the Creator for everything they have done for you! You have been sheltered, warmed up, you are surrounded by a society in which you can learn something, but you are an empty head, and it’s not worth talking to you! Believe me! I wish you well, that’s why I scold you: this is how true friends are always recognized! Try to lay eggs or learn to purr and let off sparks!

I think I'd better get out of here and head off! - said the duckling.

And with God! - answered the chicken.

And the duckling left, swam and dived headlong, but all the animals still despised him for his ugliness.

Autumn has come; the leaves on the trees turned yellow and brown; the wind picked them up and swirled them through the air; Above, in the sky, it became so cold that heavy clouds were pouring hail and snow, and a raven sat on the fence and croaked from the cold at the top of its lungs. Brr! You'll freeze just thinking about such cold! Things were bad for the poor duckling.

One evening, when the sun was still shining so gloriously in the sky, a whole flock of wonderful large birds rose from behind the bushes; The duckling had never seen such beauties: they were all white as snow, with long, flexible necks! They were swans. They let out some strange cry, flapped their magnificent large wings and flew from the cold meadows to warm lands, beyond the blue sea. They rose high, high, and the poor duckling was overcome by some strange excitement. He spun around in the water like a top, stretched out his neck and also let out such a loud and strange cry that he himself was frightened. The wonderful birds could not leave his mind, and when they were completely out of sight, he dived to the very bottom, emerged again and was as if beside himself. The duckling did not know the names of these birds, where they were flying, but he fell in love with them as he had never loved anyone before. He did not envy their beauty: it could not even occur to him to wish to be like them; He would also be glad that at least the ducks didn’t push him away. Poor ugly duckling!

And the winter was very, very cold. The duckling had to swim through the water without rest in order to prevent it from freezing completely, but every night the ice-free space became smaller and smaller. It was so freezing that the ice crust was cracking. The duckling worked tirelessly with his paws, but in the end he became weak, stopped and was completely frozen.

Early in the morning, a peasant passed by, saw a frozen duckling, broke the ice with his wooden shoe and brought the bird home to his wife. The duckling was warmed up.

But then the children decided to play with him, and he imagined that they wanted to offend him, and out of fear he jumped straight into the milk pan - the milk all splashed out. The woman screamed and threw up her hands; Meanwhile, the duckling flew into a tub of butter, and from there into a barrel of flour. Fathers, what did he look like! The woman screamed and chased him with coal tongs, the children ran, knocking each other down, laughing and screaming. It’s good that the door was open: the duckling ran out, rushed into the bushes straight into the freshly fallen snow and lay there for a long, long time, almost unconscious.

It would be too sad to describe all the misadventures of the duckling during harsh winter. When the sun again warmed the earth with its warm rays, he lay in the swamp, among the reeds. The larks began to sing, the red spring has come.

The duckling flapped his wings and flew; Now his wings made noise and were much stronger than before. Before he had time to come to his senses, he found himself in a large garden. The apple trees were all in bloom, fragrant lilacs bent their long green branches over the winding canal.

Oh, how nice it was here, how it smelled like spring! Suddenly, three wonderful white swans swam out of the reed thicket. They swam so easily and smoothly, as if they were gliding through the water. The duckling recognized the beautiful birds, and was overcome by some strange sadness.

“I’ll fly to these royal birds; They will probably kill me for my insolence, for the fact that I, so ugly, dared to approach them, but let them! It’s better to be killed by them than to endure the pinching of ducks and chickens, the kicks of the poultry house, and endure the cold and hunger in winter!”

And he flew into the water and swam towards the handsome swans, who, seeing him, also rushed towards him.

Kill me! - said the poor thing and lowered his head, expecting death, but what did he see in the water, clear as a mirror? His own reflection, but he was no longer an ugly dark gray bird, but a swan!

It doesn't matter if you were born in a duck's nest if you hatched from a swan's egg!

Now he was glad that he had endured so much grief and disaster: he could now better appreciate his happiness and all the splendor that surrounded him. Large swans swam around him and caressed him, stroking his feathers with their beaks.

Little children came running into the garden; They began to throw bread crumbs and grains to the swans, and the smallest of them shouted:

New, new!

And everyone else chimed in:

Yes, new, new! - they clapped their hands and danced for joy; then they ran after their father and mother, and again threw crumbs of bread and cake into the water.

Everyone said that the new one was the most beautiful of all. So young and adorable!

And the old swans bowed their heads before him.

And he was completely embarrassed and hid his head under his wing, not knowing why. He was too happy, but not at all proud: a kind heart does not know pride, remembering the time when everyone despised and persecuted him. And now everyone says that he is the most beautiful among the beautiful birds! The lilacs bowed their fragrant branches towards him into the water; the sun was shining so gloriously... And then its wings rustled, its slender neck straightened, and a jubilant cry burst from its chest:

No, I never dreamed of such happiness when I was still an ugly duckling!

You, of course, know that there is such a country as Denmark. On the map it is completely painted green. And indeed, everywhere you look, there are meadows, wide plains, on which small settlements and small towns are scattered, with cleanly swept streets, with houses covered with red tiles.
Denmark is the birthplace of the great storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. All of Andersen’s creativity, including fairy tales, is connected with it. The writer certainly chose provincial quiet towns and villages as the setting for his tales, and their heroes were people whom he encountered at every step: simple fishermen and sailors, soldiers and cooks, poor and rich townspeople, arrogant masters of philosophy and arrogant aristocrats... In a word , all of Denmark, motley and diverse, fit into Andersen’s fairy tales. Denmark, where Andersen spent his entire life, where he had the great happiness of lifetime national recognition, and also had to endure many hardships, sorrows and injustices.
Hans Christian Andersen was born in the small coastal town of Odense into a poor family. He received his education on the copper pennies of his washerwoman mother, and graduated from the university only thanks to his own perseverance and perseverance. His literary talent manifested itself extremely early. As a boy he began to write poetry and poems. Some of them were published in provincial and metropolitan newspapers and magazines. Andersen's poems were not immediately understood and accepted, like his fairy tales. They could not forgive the writer for his “plebeian” origin. Even in his old age, Andersen was sometimes made to understand that he was a “poor relative” in Danish literature and that he should know his place.
Andersen forever retained in his memory the memories of this difficult time, of his first literary steps. To these years he dedicated one of best fairy tales-"Ugly duckling". This fairy tale is a kind of autobiography of the writer. In it, under the guise of “The Ugly Duckling,” Andersen brought himself out; a wasteland overgrown with burdocks, where there was a duck’s nest, is Odense, the writer’s hometown; the poultry yard where the “ugly duckling” was pecked and poisoned is none other than the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen; the house where a kind old woman lived with a smart chicken and an even smarter cat - one family familiar to Andersen, in which, although they welcomed the young writer, they in every possible way instructed and taught how to live and write...
Fortunately, Andersen was not broken by life's troubles. He turned out to be as persistent as Tin soldier- the hero of one of his fairy tales. In 1855, already the author of several books, Hans Christian Andersen published the first edition of his “fairy tales”. The first release was followed by others. Soon the name of the Danish storyteller becomes widely known.
Both adults and children have been reading Andersen's fairy tales for more than a hundred years. They captivate young readers with bright fiction and wild imagination, and adults with deep worldly wisdom. Figuratively speaking, each Andersen fairy tale is a chest with a double bottom. There is a lot of stuff in this magical chest, but the most important wealth is hidden on the second day.
B. Zabolotskikh