"What sort of a duck are you?" they all said, coming round him. He bowed to them, and was as polite as he could be, but he did not reply to their question. "You are exceedingly ugly," said the wild ducks, "but that will not matter if you do not want to marry one of our family."
"Hvad er du for én?" spurgte de, og ællingen drejede sig til alle sider, og hilste så godt den kunne. "Du er inderlig styg!" sagde vildænderne, "men det kan da være os det samme, når du ikke gifter dig ind i vor familie!"