Favorite Fairy Tales | Page 9

by them than to be bitten by the Ducks, pecked by
the Hens, kicked by the girl who feeds the poultry, and to have so much
to suffer during the winter!"
[Illustration]
He flew into the water and swam towards the beautiful creatures. They
saw him and shot forward to meet him. "Only kill me," said the poor
creature, and he bowed his head low, expecting death. But what did he
see in the water? He saw beneath him his own form, no longer that of a
plump, ugly grey bird--it was that of a Swan.
It matters not to have been born in a duck-yard, if one has been hatched

from a Swan's egg. And now the Swan began to see the good of all the
trouble he had been through. He would never have known how happy
he was if he had not first had all his sorrow and unhappiness to bear.
The larger Swans swam round him, and stroked him with their beaks.
Some little children were running about in the garden; they threw grain
and bread into the water, and the youngest exclaimed: "There is a new
one!" The others also cried out: "Yes, a new Swan has come!" and they
clapped their hands, and danced around.
They ran to their father and mother, bread and cake were thrown into
the water, and every one said: "The new one is best, so young and so
beautiful!" And the old Swans bowed before him. The young Swan felt
quite ashamed, and hid his head under his wings. He scarcely knew
what to do. He was too happy, but still not proud, for a good heart is
never proud.
He remembered how he had been persecuted and laughed at, and he
now heard everyone say that he was the most beautiful of all beautiful
birds. The syringas bent down their branches toward him low into the
water, and the sun shone warmly and brightly. He shook his feathers,
stretched his slender neck, and in the joy of his heart said: "How little
did I dream of so much happiness when I was the despised Ugly
Duckling!"
[Illustration]

ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP
[Illustration]
Aladdin was the only son of a poor widow who lived in China; but
instead of helping his mother to earn their living, he let her do all the
hard work, while he himself only thought of idling and amusement.
One day, as he was playing in the streets, a stranger came up to him,
saying that he was his father's brother, and claiming him as his

long-lost nephew. Aladdin had never heard that his father had had a
brother; but as the stranger gave him money and promised to buy him
fine clothes and set him up in business, he was quite ready to believe
all that he told him. The man was a magician, who wanted to use
Aladdin for his own purposes.
[Illustration]
The next day the stranger came again, brought Aladdin a beautiful suit
of clothes, gave him many good things to eat, and took him for a long
walk, telling him stories all the while to amuse him. After they had
walked a long way, they came to a narrow valley, bounded on either
side by tall, gloomy-looking mountains. Aladdin was beginning to feel
tired, and he did not like the look of this place at all. He wanted to turn
back; but the stranger would not let him. He made Aladdin follow him
still farther, until at length they reached the place where he intended to
carry out his evil design. Then he made Aladdin gather sticks to make a
fire, and when they were in a blaze he threw into them some powder, at
the same time saying some mystical words, which Aladdin could not
understand.
Immediately they were surrounded with a thick cloud of smoke. The
earth trembled, and burst open at their feet--disclosing a large flat stone
with a brass ring fixed in it. Aladdin was so terribly frightened that he
was about to run away; but the Magician gave him such a blow on the
ear that he fell to the ground.
Poor Aladdin rose to his feet with eyes full of tears, and said,
reproachfully--
"Uncle, what have I done that you should treat me so?"
"You should not have tried to run away from me," said the Magician,
"when I have brought you here only for your own advantage. Under
this stone there is hidden a treasure which will make you richer than the
richest monarch in the world. You alone may touch it. If I assist you in
any way the spell will be broken, but if you obey me faithfully, we
shall both be rich for the rest of our lives. Come,