The Ugly Duckling

One day Mother Duck sat on her eggs. One by one, they hatched.

Crack, crack, crack! Nine baby ducks popped out of their shells.

“My babies are so pretty,” said Mother Duck. “But this must be a bad egg. It has not hatched!”

Mother Duck poked the last egg.

Suddenly, the egg moved. It wiggled from side to side. “It’s hatching!” quacked the nine little ducks.

Finally, the egg broke open. A tiny grey bird poked up his head.

“He is so ugly!” quacked one duck.

“His feathers are the wrong color!” said another.

Even Mother Duck agreed. This was a very ugly duckling.