Page 542 - Child's own book

anil took wing. t( That is because I am so ugly,” thought the
duckling, as he closed bis eyes, though lie Tan farther till be
came to a large marsh inhabited by wild ducks. There he spent
Ihe whole night, and tired and sorrowful enough he was. Ob
the following morning, when the wild ducks rose and saw
their new coin rnde,t hey said, “ What sort of a creature arc
vou?'J upon which the duckling greeted them all mind as
civilly as he knew lion'.
“ You arc remarkably ugly/' observed the wild ducks, “ but
wc don't care about that, so long as you don't want to marry in
our piiily,'* I’oor forlorn c tea tare, ho had no such thoughts
in hi* head j all he wanted was to obtain have to lie
amongst the rushes, and drink a little of the marsh water.
He remained there for two whole days, at the end of \^hich
there came two wild geese, or morn properly speaking^gosfmgs
who wetfS only just out of the; egg-shell, and, consequently,
very purt, ** 1 say, frinid," <|tiotli they, ** yon are to ugly that
wo should have no objection to take you with us fora travelling
companion. In the neighbouring marsh there dwells some
pretty frnmle geese, all of them unmarried, and who cackle
most charmingly, Perhaps you may have a chance to pick up
a wife amongst them, ugly as you are."
IMp I pop ! stmtidud through the air, and (he two wild gos-
lings fell dead amongst tho rushes, while the water turned red
as b ld l. Pop ! pop! again echoed around, and whole flocks
of wild geese flew up from the rushes. Again and again the
same alarming; noise was heard. It was a shooting party, and
tlie sportsmen surrounded the whole marsh, whilst others had
climbed into the branches of the trees that overshaded the
marshes. A blue mist rose iu the clouds and mingled with the
green leaves, and sailed far away across the water; a couple of
dogs next plunged into the marsh,—splash, splash, they went,