The ugly duckling

Waddle into a heartwarming story about finding your true self! “The ugly duckling” tells the tale of a little bird who feels out of place among the ducks, only to discover later that he’s a beautiful swan. It’s a timeless story of transformation, self-acceptance, and inner beauty.

“The ugly duckling” was written by Hans Christian Andersen and first published in 1843. In this article, we share two versions: the full tale and a simplified graded reader for younger English learners. Along with fun questions to build comprehension, your child will learn valuable life lessons through this beloved story.

Want to continue the magic of learning English? Explore the Studycat Learn English app for more fun stories, games, and lessons.

Let’s pounce into journey of “The ugly duckling” and see how true beauty shines from within!

The story of “The ugly duckling”

Once upon a time, in the warm days of summer, a mother duck sat on her nest waiting for her eggs to hatch. One by one, the eggs cracked open, and out came five beautiful, fluffy yellow ducklings. But the biggest egg hadn’t hatched yet.

When the last egg finally cracked, out came a duckling that looked very different from the others. He was much larger, and instead of being yellow and fluffy, he was grey and awkward-looking. The other ducklings stared at him and whispered, “How ugly he is!” Even his own mother was unsure why he looked so different.

From the start, the ugly duckling was treated badly by the other animals on the farm. They teased him, pecked at him, and made him feel unwelcome. “You’re not like us!” they would say, leaving him sad and lonely.

The journey of the ugly duckling

Unable to take the teasing any longer, the ugly duckling decided to run away. He wandered far from the farm, hoping to find a place where he could belong. As he traveled, he met many different animals—none of whom treated him any better.

As autumn turned to winter, the ugly duckling was all alone. He struggled to survive in the cold, hiding in a hollow tree and shivering under the snow. He felt like the world had forgotten about him, and he began to believe that he would always be ugly and alone.

But one day, after a long, hard winter, the sun began to shine again, and the ice started to melt. The ugly duckling ventured out of his hiding spot and saw a group of beautiful swans swimming in the nearby pond. He was drawn to them, though he thought they would never accept him.

With his heart pounding, he slowly approached the swans, ready to be rejected once again. But to his surprise, the swans didn’t chase him away. Instead, they looked at him kindly and welcomed him into their group.

The ugly duckling looked down into the water and, for the first time, saw his reflection clearly. He couldn’t believe his eyes—he wasn’t an ugly duckling anymore. Over the winter, he had transformed into a beautiful swan! He had been a swan all along, but he just didn’t know it.

The ugly duckling’s transformation

Filled with joy, the once-ugly duckling stretched his long, graceful neck and flapped his beautiful white wings. He joined the other swans, swimming proudly across the pond, finally feeling that he had found his place in the world.

The other animals who had teased him now watched in awe, realizing that the ugly duckling had grown into the most beautiful swan of all. The ugly duckling had found his true beauty and learned that sometimes it takes time to grow into who you’re meant to be.

The moral of “The ugly duckling”

True beauty comes from within, and everyone has their own journey of transformation.
The ugly duckling teaches us that we shouldn’t judge ourselves—or others—by appearances. Just because you don’t fit in right away doesn’t mean you won’t find where you truly belong. Patience, self-acceptance, and kindness will lead you to your true potential.

Questions about “The ugly duckling”

1. What happened when the ugly duckling was born?
2. How did the other animals treat the ugly duckling?
3. Why did the ugly duckling run away from the farm?
4. What did the ugly duckling discover when he looked at his reflection in the water?
5. What lesson does the story of The Ugly Duckling teach us?

Answers

1. When the ugly duckling was born, he looked very different from his siblings—he was grey and awkward, unlike the fluffy yellow ducklings.
2. The other animals teased and bullied the ugly duckling, making him feel unwelcome because of his appearance.
3. The ugly duckling ran away because he was tired of being treated badly and wanted to find a place where he could belong.
4. When the ugly duckling saw his reflection in the water, he discovered that he had transformed into a beautiful swan.
5. The story teaches us that true beauty comes from within and that everyone has their own path to discovering their potential.

Words to learn

• Duckling: A baby duck. The ugly duckling didn’t look like the other baby ducks on the farm.
• Swan: A large, beautiful bird with a long neck and white feathers. The ugly duckling grew into a graceful swan.
• Tease: To make fun of someone in a mean way. The other animals would tease the ugly duckling because of his appearance.
• Transformation: A complete change in appearance or character. The ugly duckling’s transformation into a swan shows how much he had grown.
• Reflection: An image seen in a mirror or on the surface of water. The ugly duckling saw his reflection in the pond and realized he was a swan.

What type of story is “The ugly duckling”?

The Ugly Duckling is a fairy tale, a magical story that teaches an important lesson about life and self-discovery.

Who wrote “The ugly duckling”?

The Ugly Duckling was written by Hans Christian Andersen, a famous Danish author known for his fairy tales. Learn more about Hans Christian Andersen here.

When was “The ugly duckling” written?

The Ugly Duckling was first published in 1843 by Hans Christian Andersen.

Who are the main characters in “The ugly duckling”?

The main characters are the ugly duckling, the mother duck, and the swans that the duckling meets later in the story.

What lesson can we learn from “The ugly duckling”?

We learn that true beauty comes from within, and we shouldn’t judge ourselves or others by appearances. The story teaches us that everyone grows and transforms in their own way, and sometimes it takes time to discover who we truly are.

”The ugly duckling” story for young English learners (ages 2-5, Pre-A1 graded reader)

Once upon a time, a mother duck was sitting on her eggs.

One day, the eggs began to crack, and out came little ducklings.

They were cute and yellow.

But one egg did not crack like the others.

It was bigger and different.

When it finally cracked open, out came a big, gray duckling. He did not look like his brothers and sisters.

The other ducklings laughed at him.

“You are ugly!” they said.

The ugly duckling felt sad and lonely.

The ugly duckling decided to leave.

He swam away to find a new home.

He met many animals, but they all called him ugly too.

He felt very alone.

As time passed, the ugly duckling grew.

He was sad and still thought he was ugly.

One day, he saw his reflection in the water.

To his surprise, he saw a beautiful swan looking back at him!

The ugly duckling had grown into a lovely swan.

Now, when he met the other swans, they welcomed him.

He was happy to find his true family.

The ugly duckling was no longer ugly; he was beautiful!

Fun fact!

Did you know? Hans Christian Andersen wrote “The ugly duckling” based on his own experiences of feeling out of place and different during his childhood. Just like the ugly duckling, he grew up to find his own place in the world, becoming a famous and beloved writer.