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Stevenson, Augusta

"Children's Classics in Dramatic Form"

We can see for
ourselves what he is.
GRAY GANDER. In all my life I never saw anything so ugly!
WHITE GOOSE. He is neither duck nor goose!
PLYMOUTH ROCK HEN. Nor duck nor chick!
TURKEY. I'd be 'shamed to have a turkey look like that!
RED ROOSTER. I'd allow no hen of mine to claim him!
MADAM DUCK. Come now, come now, friends. The poor child is not pretty, but
he is good, and he can swim even better than the others.
TURKEY. That he can swim well is nothing to me!
RED ROOSTER. Nor to me! He should be driven out, I say!
MADAM DUCK. Let him alone; he is not doing any harm.
FIRST DUCKLING. But, mother, no one will look at us if he stays with us!
MADAM Duck (_thoughtfully._) Now perhaps it may turn out that way.
SECOND DUCKLING. I'll not walk about with him!
THIRD DUCKLING. Nor I!
MADAM DUCK. Well, well! He must be uglier than I thought!
FIRST DUCKLING. Besides, dear mother, he will not quack.
MADAM DUCK. What is this? Did he not quack but just a moment ago?
SECOND DUCKLING. He turned his toes out, but quack he would not.
THIRD DUCKLING. 'T is true, dear mother.
MADAM DUCK (_to the Ugly Duckling_). Quack! Quack now--at once!
[_The Ugly Duckling tries to quack, but chokes.


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