The Ugly Duckling

A mother duck sits on her nest, waiting for her eggs to hatch in a sunny meadow. One egg hatches much later than the rest, revealing a large and ugly young duckling. The mother takes her brood to the farmyard to introduce them to other ducks. However, the ugly duckling is immediately mocked by the other poultry for his strange appearance. He is bitten, pushed, and laughed at by everyone around him, including his own siblings. Even the proud tom cat and the hen in a nearby cottage reject his desire to swim. Feeling miserable and unwanted, he runs away into the wild moors. There, he narrowly escapes hunters and their dogs while hiding in the rushes. He eventually finds shelter in a freezing cottage but is again told he has no place among sensible animals. As winter arrives, he struggles against the cold and even freezes in the ice until a peasant saves him. He endures the harsh season until spring brings warmth and blooming flowers. During his wanderings, he spots beautiful swans flying away and feels a deep longing to be like them. In the garden of a new estate, he sees three swans swimming gracefully on the water. Gathering his courage, he swims toward them, expecting to be killed for being ugly. Instead, he looks into the water and sees his own reflection has changed. He realizes he is no longer an ugly duckling but a magnificent young swan. The other swans welcome him as one of their own with gentle strokes. Children arrive to feed the birds, praising the new swan as the most beautiful of all. He hides his head in joy, happy that his suffering led to this wonderful transformation.