The ugly duckling couldn’t be happier.  The geese were very kind to him though their honks hurt his ears.
Many days and nights passed and the ugly duckling was living happily with the geese.  He loved to play with the goslings and the mother and father treated him like their own.  Everything was perfect.  Until…

Basset hound chases the birds.A hunter and his basset hound approached the pond.  The hunter began firing off shots at the geese and the hound chased the birds around the pond trying to catch one.  The ugly duckling could do nothing but sit still.  As the hound approached him, sniffed for awhile and cocked its head, “What are you?  You sure are ugly!” it said before it ran off in search of a real goose.

In the midst of the hunter’s ambush, the ugly duckling sadly waddled off once more.


< PREV     [Index     [Story all on one page]        NEXT >