In the morning the wild ducks flew up to inspect their new comrade.
“What sort of a creature are you? they inquired as the duckling turned from side to side and greeted them as well as he could. "You are frightfully ugly" said the wild ducks; “but that does not matter to us so long as you do not marry into our family" Poor fellow! he had no thought of marriage, all he wanted was permission to lie among the rushes and to
drink a little of the marsh water.