The Ugly Duckling

Out (На природі) in the country (в селі /поза містом) it was beautiful (було дуже гарно), it was summer (було літо).

On the bank (На березі) of the river (річки) a duck sat (сиділа качка) in her nest (у своєму гнізді), hatching her eggs (висиджувала свої яйця).

She grew (Вона ставала) more and more impatient (все більш нетерплячою), because it was taking so long (бо це так довго тривало). 

Out in the country it was beautiful, it was summer.

On the bank of the river a duck sat in her nest, hatching her eggs.

She grew more and more impatient because it was taking so long.

„I have to (Я мушу) sit (сидіти) here (тут) all alone (зовсім одна)! And nobody (І ніхто) comes (не приходить) to visit me (відвідати мене)“ But what (Але що) could she do? (могла вона зробити?). A mother duck (Мама-качка) has to keep her eggs warm (повинна тримати свої яйця в теплі) until they hatch (поки вони не вилупляться).

Finally (Нарешті) the eggs began (яйця почали) to crack (лопатися). One after the other, (Один за одним) little yellow ducklings (маленькі жовті каченятка) came out (вилазили) of their eggshells (зі своєї яєчної шкаралупи).

"I have to sit here all alone! And nobody comes to visit me.“ But what could she do? A mother duck has to keep her eggs warm until they hatch.

Finally the eggs began to crack. One after the other, little yellow ducklings came out of their eggshells.

"Look at you (Погляньте на себе): you are all (ви всі) so sweet (такі милі)! “ said Mama Duck (сказала Мама Качка).

„Peep, peep (Піп, піп)!“ answered (відповіли) little ducklings (маленькі каченята).

Mama Duck said (Мама Качка сказала) „All of you come to me (підходьте всі до мене). We will all (Ми всі) go down to the lake (підемо вниз до озера) for your (для вашого) first swim (першого плавання).“ She counted (Вона порахувала) „one, two, three, four, five (1,2,3,4,5)“.

"Look at you: you are all so sweet!" said Mama Duck.

 "Peep, peep!" answered the little ducklings.

Mama Duck said, "all of you come to me. We will all go down to the lake for your first swim." She counted "one, two, three, four, five.

Oh no! (О ні!) I’m supposed (Я повинна) to have six ducklings (мати 6 каченят)!“

The biggest egg (Найбільше яйце) is still lying (все ще лежить) in the nest (в гнізді)! How much longer (Як довго) is that going to take? (повинно це ще тривати?) She said (вона сказала) and sat back down (та сіла назад) on her nest (на своє гніздо).

Finally (Нарешті) the big egg (велике яйце) cracked (лопнуло). „Peep, peep! (Піп, піп!)“ said the young one (сказало Мале).

Oh no! I'm supposed to have six ducklings!"

The biggest egg is still lying in the nest! How much longer is that going to take? She said and sat back down on her nest.

Finally the big egg cracked. "Peep, peep!" said the young one.

It was very big (Воно було дуже велике), gray (сіре), and ugly (й потворне/гидке).

The old duck (Стара качка) looked at it (оглянула його): „That is a terribly big duckling (Це страшенно велике каченя)“, she said (сказала вона); „None of the others (Ніхто з інших) look like that ((не) виглядає так)“.

One of the yellow ducklings (Одне з жовтих каченят) shoutet (закричало) „What is that? (Що це таке?) He can't be (Він не може бути) one of us! (одним із нас!).“

It was very big, gray, and ugly.

The old duck looked at it: "That is a terribly big duckling," she said; "none of the others look like that."

One of the yellow ducklings shouted "What is that? He can't be one of us!"

All the others (Всі інші) shouted (закричали): „Ugly! Ugly! Ugly! (Гидке! Гидке! Гидке!)“

The ugly duckling (Гидке каченя) did not know (не знало) why (чому) the others (інші) were shouting at him (кричали на нього).

The next day (Наступного дня) the weather was wonderful (погода була чудова). The mother duck (Матір каченят) went down (пішла вниз) to the water (до води) with her whole family (з її цілою сім’єю). Splash! (Сплеск!) There she jumped (То вона стрибнула) into the water (у воду).

All the others shouted: "Ugly! Ugly! Ugly!"

The ugly duckling did not know why the others were shouting at him.

The next day the weather was wonderful. The mother duck went down to the water with her whole family. Splash! There she jumped into the water.

„Quick, quick!" (Швидко, швидко!)“ she said (сказала вона), and one duckling (i каченята одне) after another (за одним) jumped in (стрибнули всередину (озера)) even (навіть) the ugly gray young one (гидке сіре Мале) swam along (попливло з ними).

„Quick, quick! (Швидко, швидко!) Come (Йдіть) with me now (зі мною тепер), then (тоді) I will introduce you to the world (я вас познайомлю з світом) and present you in the duck yard (i представлю вас на качиному дворі).

"Quick, quick!" she said, and one duckling after another jumped in, even the ugly gray young one swam along.

"Quick, quick! Come with me now, then I will introduce you to the world and present you in the duck yard.

But stay (Але тримайтеся) close to me (близько до мене), so that no one steps on you (щоб вас ніхто не штовхав), and beware of the cat (та остерігайтеся кицьки).“

„Now use your legs (А тепер використовуйте свої ноги / побігли)“

But stay close to me, so that no one steps on you, and beware of the cat."

"Now use your legs."

The young ducklings did that (молоді каченята так і зробили); buth the other ducks (але інші качки) around them (навколо них) looked at them (подивилися на них) and said (і сказали): „Ugh (Тьфу), what an ugly duckling! (яке гидке каченя!) We will not tolerate (Ми не потерпимо) that among us (такого серед нас)!“

And immediate (І тут же) a duck (якась качка) flew over (налетіла) and bit it (i вкусила його) on the neck (за шию).

The young ducklings did that; but the other ducks around them looked at them and said: "Ugh, what an ugly duckling! We will not tolerate that among us!"

And immediately a duck flew over and bit it on the neck.

„Leave it alone! (Залиште його в спокої!) said the mother (сказала мати). „It's not hurting anyone! (Воно ж нікому не шкодить!)“

So now they were (Тож тепер вони були) at home (вдома) in the duck yard (на качиному дворі).

But the poor duckling (Але бідолашне каченя), which had crawled (яке виповзло) out of the egg last (з яйця останнім) and was so ugly (і було таке гидке), was bitten (було покусане), pushed (заштовхане) and teased (дразнене) by the ducks (качками) as well as by the chickens (і так само курами).

"Leave it alone!" said the mother. "It's not hurting anyone!"

So now they were at home in the duck yard.

But the poor duckling, which had crawled out of the egg last and was so ugly, was bitten, pushed, and teased by the ducks as well as by the chickens.

„It is too big (Воно надто велике)“, they all said (вони всі казали).

That's how it went (Так було) on the first day (в перший день), and later (і пізніше) it got worse and worse (ставало все гірше та гірше). The poor duckling (Бідне каченя) was chased by everyone (було загнене всіма), even its brothers (навіть його брати) and sisters (та сестри) were naughty to it (вели себе погано по відношенню до нього) and always said (і завжди казали): „If only the cat would get you! (От би тебе кішка упіймала!) You ugly thing! (Ти гидка істота!)“

"It is too big," they all said.

That's how it went on the first day, and later it got worse and worse. The poor duckling was chased by everyone, even its brothers and sisters were naughty to it and always said: "If only the cat would get you! You ugly thing!"

Yes, even the mother said (Та навіть мама сказала): „I wish (Я так хочу) you were (ти був би) far away! (далеко!)“

Then it ran away (То ж воно побігло далеко) and flew (та полетіло) over the fence (через паркан), where the little birds (де малі пташенята) flew up (позлітали) from the bushes (з кущів) in fright (перелякано).

Yes, even the mother said: "I wish you were far away!"

Then it ran away and flew over the fence, where the little birds flew up from the bushes in fright.

„Oh (Ой), my ugliness (моя потворність) is to blame (винна) for that too! (і в цьому!)“ thought the duckling (подумало каченя) and squeezed its eyes shut (та заплющило очі), but continued to run (проте продовжувало бігти). Thus it reached (Так воно потрапило) the great moor (до великого болота), where the wild ducks lived (де дикі качки жили) …

Now it became autumn (Згодом настала осінь); the leaves (листя) in the forest (в лісі) turned yellow (стало жовтим) and brown (і коричневим); the storm (сильний вітер) carried them away (відривав його) and swirled them around (і кружляв його навколо).

"Oh, my ugliness is to blame for that too!" thought the duckling and squeezed its eyes shut, but continued to run. Thus it reached the great moor, where the wild ducks lived...

Now it became autumn; the leaves in the forest turned yellow and brown; the storm carried them away and swirled them around.

The cold (Холоднеча) took over (опанувала все). Heavy clouds (Важкі хмари) hung (висіли) in the sky (на небі), and on the fence (а на паркані) stood (стояла /сиділа) a raven (ворона) and cried (і кричала): „Caw, caw! (Краа, краа!)“ and „Ow!“ (і: „Ой!“) from the sheer cold (через сильний холод).

Yes (Так), one would freeze ((одному) ставало холодно), just thinking about it (лише думаючи про це /від однієї думки про це).

The poor duckling (Бідолашному каченяті) was really not doing well (було справді не дуже добре/погано).

The cold took over. Heavy clouds hung in the sky, and on the fence stood a raven and cried: "Caw, caw!" and: "Ow!" from the sheer cold.

Yes, one would freeze just thinking about it.

The poor duckling was really not doing well.

One evening (Одного вечора) – the sun (сонце) was just setting beautifully (вже гарно сідало) – a flock (зграя) of large magnificent birds (великих, чудових птахів), the likes of which the duckling had never seen before (яких каченя ще ніколи не бачило), emerged from the bushes (з’явилася з кущів).

They were (Вони були) dazzlingly white (сліпучо-білі) and had long (й мали довгі), supple necks (гнучкі шиї): they were swans (то були лебеді).

One evening – the sun was just setting beautifully – a flock of large magnificent birds, the likes of which the duckling had never seen before, emerged from the bushes.

They were dazzlingly white and had long, supple necks: they were swans.

They uttered (Вони видали) a peculiar sound (дивний звук), raised (підняли) their magnificent (свої чудові), large wings (великі крила) and flew (і полетіли) away from the cold region (з холодного краю) towards the warm countries (в теплі краї), to open lakes (до відкритих озер).

They rose so high (Вони піднялися так високо), so high (так високо), that the ugly young duckling (що гидкому малому каченяті) felt quite strange about it (на душі стало дуже дивно).

They uttered a peculiar sound, raised their magnificent, large wings and flew away from the cold region towards the warm countries, to open lakes.

They rose so high, so high, that the ugly young duckling felt quite strange about it.

It turned around (Воно закрутилося) in the water (у воді) like a wheel (як колесо), stretched its neck out (витягнуло шию) towards them (до них) and let out such a peculiar cry (і видало такий незвичний крик), that it was properly (що воно себе сильно) afraid of itself (злякалося) …

It became (Настала) a bitterly cold winter (дуже холодна зима). The duckling (Каченя) had to (мусило) swim tirelessly around (невтомно плавати навколо) in the pond (в ставку) to prevent it from freezing (щоб перешкодити замерзанню (води)).

It turned around in the water like a wheel, stretched its neck out towards them and let out such a peculiar cry that it was properly afraid of itself...

It became a bitterly cold winter. The duckling had to swim tirelessly around in the pond to prevent it from freezing.

But every night (Проте кожну ніч) the hole (проруб) in which it swam (у якій воно плавало) became smaller and smaller (ставала все меншою та меншою).

It was so cold (Було так холодно), that the sheet of ice (що льодяна ковдра) creaked (хрустіла) and cracked (і тріщала), and the duckling (і каченя) had to (мусіло) constantly (постійно) use it legs (працювати ногами), so that the hole (щоб проруб) would not close completely (не промерзла повністю).

But every night the hole in which it swam became smaller and smaller.

It was so cold that the sheet of ice creaked and cracked, and the duckling had to constantly use its legs so that the hole would not close completely.

Finally (Зрештою) it was (воно стало) completely exhausted (повністю знеможене), lay quite still (лежало зовсім нерухомо) and froze fast in the ice (і вмерзло швидко в лід).

The next morning (Наступного ранку) a farmer came by (фермер проходив мимо), and saw (і побачив) the poor animal (бідну тварину). He went over (Він підійшов), broke the ice (розбив лід) with his shoe (своїм черевиком), took the duckling out (вийняв каченя) and carried it home (та відніс його додому) to his wife (своїй жінці).

Finally it was completely exhausted, lay quite still and froze fast in the ice.

The next morning a farmer came by and saw the poor animal.

He went over, broke the ice with his shoe, took the duckling out and carried it home to his wife.

Then (Там) it came back to life (воно знову ожило).

The children (Діти) wanted (захтіли) to play with it (погратися з ним). But the duckling (Проте каченя) thought (подумало), they wanted to harm it (що вони хтіли нашкодити йому), and out of fear (і злякано) it jumped right (стрибнуло) into the milk bowl (в миску з молоком), so that the milk (так що молоко) splashed around the room (бризнуло навколо кімнати).

Then it came back to life.

The children wanted to play with it. But the duckling thought they wanted to harm it, and out of fear it jumped right into the milk bowl, so that the milk splashed around the room.

The woman (Жінка) clapped her hands over the head (сплеснула руками над головою) in horror (розчаровано); and now the duckling flew (після чого каченя полетіло) first into the butter churn (спочатку в маслобійку), then from there (потім звідти) into the flour sack (у мішок з борошном), and then up again (і потім знову вгору).

Oh dear (О боже), how it looked! (як воно виглядало!)

The woman screamed (Жінка закричала) and hit at it (і вдарила вслід за ним) with the kitchen towel (кухонним полотенцем).

The woman clapped her hands over the head in horror; and now the duckling flew first into the butter churn, then from there into the flour sack, and then up again.

Oh dear, how it looked!

The woman screamed and hit at it with the kitchen towel.

The children (Діти) ran over each other (збіглися до купи), laughing (сміялися) and making noise (і галасували).

Luckily (На щастя) the door was open (двері були відчинені), so the duckling could run out (тож каченя змогло вибігти) between the bushes (між кущами) into the freshly fallen snow (у щойно випавший сніг), and there it lay (і там воно лежало), exhausted to death (знеможене до смерті).

The children ran over each other, laughing and making noise.

Luckily the door was open, so the duckling could run out between the bushes into the freshly fallen snow, and there it lay, exhausted to death.

But it would be truly too sad (Але було б надто сумно), to tell about (розповідати) all the hardship and misery (про всі труднощі й нещастя), the duckling (які каченя) had to endure (мусило перетерпіти) during the hard winter (в ту важку зиму).

It lay (Воно лежало) among the reeds in the moor (серед очерету на болоті), when the sun (коли сонце) began to shine again (почало знову світити), when the larks sang (коли жайворонки заспівали) and it became spring (і настала весна).

But it would be truly too sad to tell of all the hardship and misery the duckling had to endure during the hard winter.

It lay among the reeds in the moor, when the sun began to shine again, when the larks sang and it became spring.

Then it could (Тоді з воно могло) finally (нарешті) spread its wings (розправити свої крила).

They rustled (Вони зашелестіли) more strongly (сильніше) than ever bevore (ніж будь-коли раніше) and carried it away powerfully (і потужно понесли його геть).

Then it could finally spread its wings.

They rustled more strongly than ever before and carried it away powerfully.

And before the duckling (І не встигло каченя) quite knew what was happening to it (ще й зрозуміти, що з ним відбувається), it found itself in a large garden ((як) воно опинилося у великому саду), where the apple trees (де яблуні) were in full bloom (стояли у повному цвіті), where the lilac bushes (де кущі бузку) were fragrant (пахніли) and their long green branches (та свої довгі зелені гілки) stretched out (простягали) the gently meandering (понад м’яко завиваючимися) streams and canals (струмками та протоками).

Oh, how beautiful (Ой, як гарно) it was here (було тут), how wonderful! (як чудово!)

And before the duckling quite knew what was happening to it, it found itself in a large garden, where the apple trees were in full bloom, where the lilac bushes were fragrant and their long green branches stretched out over the gently meandering streams and canals.

Oh, how beautiful it was here, how wonderful!

And right in front of it (А просто перед ним) three large beautiful swans (три великі красиві лебеді) came (з’явилися) swimming out of the thicket (пливучи із гущавини). They rustled their wings (Вони шелестіли своїми крилами) and glided lightly (і ковзали легко) and gracefully (й витончено) over the water (над водою).

The duckling (Каченя) recognized (впізнало) the magnificent animals (розкішних тварин) and was seized by a peculiar sadness (і його охопив звичний йому сум).

And right in front of it, three large beautiful swans came swimming out of the thicket. They rustled their wings and glided lightly and gracefully over the water.

The duckling recognized the magnificent animals and was seized by a peculiar sadness.

„I want to fly to them (Я хочу полетіти до них), to these royal birds (до цих королівських птахів). They will surely bite me to death (Вони неодмінно покусають мене до смерті), because I (бо я), the ugly animal (гидка тварина), dare to approach them (насмілююся наблизитися до них); but for all I care! (але як на мене /то нехай так і буде!)

Better to be killed by them (Краще бути вбитим ними), than to be pinched by the ducks (ніж бути пощипаним качками), pecked by the chickens (покльованим курами), pushed by the people (штовханим людьми), and to have to suffer in the winter! (та мусити страждати взимку!)“

"I want to fly to them, to these royal birds. They will surely bite me to death, because I, the ugly animal, dare to approach them; but for all I care!

Better to be killed by them, than to be pinched by the ducks, pecked by the chickens, pushed by the people and to have to suffer want in the winter!"

With that (З цим) it flew (воно вилетіло) onto the water (на воду) and swam (і попливло) towards the magnificent animals (назустріч пишним звірям). When they saw the duckling (Коли вони побачили каченя), they shot towards it with ruffled feathers (вони поспішили до нього з настовбученим пір‘ям).

„Yes, just kill me! (Так, просто вбийте мене!)“ said the poor animal (сказала бідна тварина), lowered its head (опустивши голову) to the surface of the water (до поверхні води) and awaited death (і чекало смерті) – but what did it see (але що побачила воно) in the clear water? (в чистій воді?)

With that, it flew onto the water and swam towards the magnificent animals. When they saw the duckling, they shot towards it with ruffled feathers.

"Yes, just kill me!" said the poor animal, lowered its head to the surface of the water and awaited death – but what did it see in the clear water?

It saw (Воно побачило) its own image (своє відображення) below it (під собою): but it was (але це був) no longer a clumsy (вже не незграбний), gray (сірий), ugly bird (потворний птах); it was a swan itself! (воно було саме лебедем!)

Now it felt happy (Тепер відчувало воно себе щасливим) despite (незважаючи на) all the hardship and misery (всі труднощі і нещастя), it had overcome (які воно пережило).

Now it understood (Тепер воно зрозуміло) how to truly appreciate (по-справжньому цінувати) its happiness and its life (свою удачу і своє життя).

It saw its own image below it: but it was no longer a clumsy, gray, ugly bird; it was a swan itself!

Now it felt happy despite all the hardship and misery it had overcome. Now it understood how to truly appreciate its happiness and its life.

And the great swans (А великі лебеді) swam around the duckling (плавали навколо каченяти) and stroked it with their beaks (і гладили його своїми дзьобиками).

Now some small children came (Незабаром декілька маленьких дітей прийшло) into the garden (в сад). They threw grain (Вони кидали зерно) into the water (у воду), and the youngest called out (і наймолодше (дитя) викрикнуло): „There is a new one! (Це новий (лебідь!))“

They clapped their hands (Вони плескали в долоні), danced around (танцювали навколо) and brought their father and mother (і привели тата і маму).

And the great swans swam around the duckling and stroked it with their beaks.

Now some small children came into the garden. They threw grain into the water, and the youngest called out: "There is a new one!"

They clapped their hands, danced around and brought their father and mother.

Grain was thrown into the water (Зерно кидали у воду), and they all said (і всі казали):

„The new one (Новий) is the most beautiful (найгарніший), so young (такий молодий) and so majestic! (і величний!)“

The young swan (Молодий лебідь) thought of how (думав про те) he had been persecuted (як його переслідували) and mocked (і знущалися), and that now (і що тепер) everyone said (всі казали) he was the most beautiful (що він найкрасивіший) of all the beautiful birds (з усіх прекрасних птахів).

Grain was thrown into the water, and they all said:

"The new one is the most beautiful, so young and majestic!"

The young swan thought of how he had been persecuted and mocked, and that now everyone said he was the most beautiful of all the beautiful birds.

The lilac bushes (Кущі бузку) bent their branches down (схилили свої гілки вниз) to him in the water (до нього у воду), and the sun shone warm and glorious (і сонце світило тепло й чудово).

Then he ruffled his feathers (Тоді він скуйовдив пір’я), raised his slender neck (підняв свою тонку шию) and rejoiced from the bottom of his heart (і зрадів від повного серця):

"I would not have dreamed (Я не міг би навіть мріяти) of so much happiness (про стільки щастя), when I was still the ugly duckling! (коли я ще був гидким каченям!)“

The lilac bushes bent their branches down to him in the water, and the sun shone warm and glorious.

Then he ruffled his feathers, raised his slender neck and rejoiced from the bottom of his heart:

"I would not have dreamed of so much happiness when I was still the ugly duckling!"