The Ugly Duckling
by Hans Christian Andersen
C.A. Reitzel
On the surface, this fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen is about a cygnet born among ducks and ostracised for being ugly and so different from the other barnyard animals.
In fact, the real ugliness lives in the characters of the creatures our protagonist encounters. They tease and torment him so much that in the end he believes his only escape is through death.
But it wouldn't be a fairy tale without a happy ending (although Andersen's Little Match Girl was less fortunate), and in the lowest depths of his despair, he sees his reflection and realises he has grown into a gorgeous swan.
So, too, has grown the duckling's strength of character. He does not gloat in the praise and respect he now receives for his transformation. He is humble and honoured, for 'a good heart is never puffed up'.
The duckling's reflection is not the only one in this story. When asked after the story's publication if Andersen would write an autobiography, he said he already had. As a child, Andersen was apparently quite ugly himself and was teased by other children, so he viewed the duckling's story as a reflection of his own life.