The Ugly Duckling

"The Ugly Duckling" is a literaryfairytale by Danish poet and authorHans Christian Andersen (1805–1875).The story tells of a homely littlebird born in a barnyard who suffersabuse from the others around himuntil, much to his delight (and tothe surprise of others), he maturesinto a beautiful swan, the mostbeautiful bird of all. The storyis beloved around the world as atale about personal transformationfor the better. “The Ugly Duckling” was first published 11 November 1843, with three other tales by Andersen in Copenhagen, Denmark to great critical acclaim. The tale has been adapted to various media including opera, musical, and animated film. The tale is completely Andersen's invention and owes no debt to fairy tales or folklore.