The poor duckling was driven about by every one; even his brothers and sisters were unkind to him, and would say, "Ah, you ugly creature, I wish the cat would get you," and his mother said she wished he had never been born.
Den stakkels ælling blev jaget af dem allesammen, selv hans søskende var så onde imod ham, og de sagde altid: "bare katten ville tage dig, dit fæle spektakel!" og moderen sagde at hun ønskede at han aldrig var blevet født.