"That can't be done, your grace," said the mother duck;

“那可不能，太太，”鸭妈妈回答说，

"he is not handsome, but he is a thorough good creature, and he swims as beautifully as any of the others;

“也许他没那么漂亮，但他秉性温和，游起水来也毫不逊色——甚至比别人还好呢。

nay, I think I might venture even to add that I think he will improve as he goes on, or perhaps in time he may grow smaller!

我想他会出落得越来越好看的，没准体型还会缩小一点儿。

he was too long in the egg, and so he has not come out with a very good figure."

在蛋里闷了太久，因此他的模样没那么好看。”

And then she patted his neck and stroked him down.

她说着，同时在他的脖颈上啄了几下，把他的羽毛理了一理。

"Besides, he is a drake," said she; "so it does not matter so much.

“而且他还是一只公鸭呢，”她说，“所以关系也不太大。

I believe he will be very strong, and I don't doubt but he will make his way in the world."

他身体这么结实，将来总会自己找到出路的。”

"The other ducklings are very pretty," said the old duck.

“别的小鸭倒很可爱，”老母鸭说，

"Now make yourselves quite at home, and if you find the head of an eel you may bring it to me!"

“你在这儿不要客气。要是你找到鳝鱼头就把它送给我好了。”

After that they felt quite at home.

他们现在在这儿，就像在自己家里一样。

But the poor duckling which had been the last to come out of the shell, and who was so ugly,

不过从蛋壳里爬出的那只小鸭实在是太丑了，

was bitten, pushed about, and made fun of both by the ducks and the hens.

他处处挨啄，被排挤，被讥笑，不仅在鸭群中是如此，连在鸡群中也是这样。

"He is too big," they all said;

“他实在太大！”大家都说。

and the turkey-cock, who was born with his spurs on, and therefore thought himself quite an emperor,

那只雄火鸡生下来脚上就有距，因此他就以为自己是皇帝。

puffed himself up like a vessel in full sail, made for him, and gobbled and gobbled till he became quite red in the face.

他把自己吹得像一条鼓满了风的帆船，来势汹汹地向他走来，瞪着一双大眼睛，脸上涨得通红。

The poor duckling was at his wit's end, and did not know which way to turn;

可怜的丑小鸭不知道该站在哪，或者要到什么地方去才好。

he was in despair because he was so ugly and the butt of the whole duckyard.

他觉得非常悲哀，自己长得那么丑陋，还成了全体鸡鸭的嘲笑对象。

So the first day passed, and afterwards matters grew worse and worse.

这还只是头一天的情形。往后的日子一天比一天糟。

The poor duckling was chased and hustled by all of them;

大家都要赶走这只可怜的丑小鸭；

even his brothers and sisters ill-used him, and they were always saying,

连他自己的兄弟姊妹也对他生气起来。他们老是说：

"If only the cat would get hold of you, you hideous object!"

“你这个丑妖怪，但愿猫儿把你抓去才好！”

Even his mother said, "I wish to goodness you were miles away."

就连妈妈也说：“我希望你走远些！”

The ducks bit him, the hens pecked him, and the girl who fed them kicked him aside.

鸭子们啄他，小鸡扑打他，喂鸡鸭的女佣人用脚踢他。

Then he ran off and flew right over the hedge, where the little birds flew up into the air in a fright.

于是他穿过篱笆逃走了；灌木林里的小鸟一见到他，就惊慌地向空中飞去。

"That is because I am so ugly," thought the poor duckling, shutting his eyes, but he ran on all the same.

“这是因为我太丑了！”小鸭想。于是他闭起眼睛，继续往前跑。