The Ugly Duckling

Story

A mysterious egg rolls into the nest of a family of ducks. Once the chick hatches, the other ducks throw him out of the pond because they think he is so ugly. Everywhere he goes, animals tease the poor duckling. As he wanders, he sees a group of beautiful white birds, flying in the sky, and dreams of one day being as magnificent as them…

Why we chose it

One of Hans Christian Andersen’s best known stories, The Ugly Duckling has been retold, re-imagined and reinterpreted many times since its first publication.

Where it came from

Danish writer, Hans Christian Andersen (1805 – 1875), felt ugly as a child and was mocked by other children. He also grew up very poor and, like the ugly duckling, was forced to fend for himself from an early age. Anderson himself described The Ugly Duckling as an autobiographical reflection on his own life.

Where it went next

The Ugly Duckling was published in a collection with three others and sold out immediately. It is now considered to be one of Andersen’s most famous tales. It has appeared in books and on television, including in two short Disney animations and a Tom and Jerry cartoon. It has also been adapted as a ballet and an award-winning musical, Honk!

Associated stories

The other stories in the collection were The Angel, The Nightingale and The Sweethearts (or The Top and the Ball). Hans Christian Anderson wrote over 100 fairy stories in his life including The Little Mermaid, The Emperor’s New Clothes, Thumbelina, The Princess and the Pea and The Snow Queen.