Читать книгу Tales for Young Children - В. Спейс - Страница 4

On the big pond, reeds, was one nest. There were three duck eggs. Mama duck hatched their long, tired and went to drink some water.

Suddenly, from the inside of one of the shells of eggs the faint knock. Then cockleboat broke and there seemed beak, then cockleboat broke away from it more and seemed little yellow duckling head.

– Pee-wee! – Said the Duck. – Where am I?!

– You were born into the world! – Someone said. Duckling turned the head and saw a bird that was sitting on a stalk of cane in the offing.

– Yeah, yeah, baby – say a bird – you’re born. Get out of the shell and see how wonderfully around! – Said and flew away.

– «Um» – thought Duckling – «And what light?!» – And with these thoughts, he got out of the shell. Looked around. Everywhere Noise reeds. Somewhere, nearby, heard splashes of water.

– «I will go and have a look, what is this light?» – And he got out of the nest and saw the glistening strip of water. – «Go there.» – Decided Duckling. Water splashed against the shore, her outbursts were heard everywhere. Water, as if beckoning Duckling: – «touch me, come to me, I will show you the light.» – Duckling came to the water quite beside and she licked his foot wave.

– Oh! – Cried Duckling – What is it?!

– Ha-ha-ha! – Was heard from everywhere – It’s water! – Said the stranger.

– Who are you?! – Asked Duckling

– I, Frog! – Replied the stranger, and added – I know you, you, Duck!

– Is it because my name? – Duckling asked in surprise.

– Yes, you are so called, because you’re born duckling. – Answered Frog and disappeared under the water.

– What is light? – Asked the Duck, but he has not been answered yet, only been heard splashes of water, but the sound of wind in the reeds. Suddenly his attention was attracted by a little fish that swim past the nest in water.

– «Maybe she knows what is light?» – Duckling. – thought «I’m going to ask her.» He boldly stepped onto the surface of the water, not thinking that it’s not hard twigs and reed on which a mother Duck nest. And plunged into the water.

– Oh! – Squeaked Duckling and fast, quickly earned legs. From this he floated, rocking from side to side along the shore.

– How nice! As well! – Squeaked with delight Duckling. – I swim! I swim! And I know what light! – He swam on, but then swim was scary. – «I shall go back home» – thought Duckling and turned back toward the slot. He got out of the water onto dry twigs and went to the nest. And he was already running towards agitated mother duck.

– Quack! Quack! Where have you been?! I was so worried about you! – And together they went to the nest. Houses had already waited two Duckling that hatched from eggs until Duckling senior went to learn what light is.

– You see; you already have two sister Ducks. They were born after you. – Said the mother duck.