<h2><SPAN name="THE_QUACKY_DUCK" id="THE_QUACKY_DUCK">THE QUACKY DUCK</SPAN></h2>
<p><span class="upper">The</span> Quacky Duck
stood on the bank of
the stream. And the
frogs came and sat on
stones and insulted him.
Now the words which
the frogs used were
these,—</p>
<div class="centered"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0a">“Ya! ha! he hasn’t any hind-legs!<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Ya! ha! he hasn’t any fore-legs!<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Oh! what horrid luck<br/></span>
<span class="i0">To be a Quacky Duck!”<br/></span></div>
</div></div>
<p>These were not pleasant words. And
when the Quacky Duck heard them, he
considered within himself whether it would
not be best for him to eat the frogs.</p>
<p>“Two good things would come of it,”
he said. “I should have a savoury meal,<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</SPAN></span>
and their remarks would no longer be
audible.”</p>
<p>So he fell upon the frogs, and they fled
before him. And one jumped into the
water, and one jumped on the land, and
another jumped into the reeds; for such
is their manner. But one of them, being
in fear, saw not clearly the way he should
go, and jumped even upon the back of the
Quacky Duck. Now, this displeased the
Quacky Duck, and he said, “If you will
remove yourself from my person, we will
speak further of this.”</p>
<p>So the frog, being also willing, strove
to remove himself, and the result was that
they two, being on the edge of the bank,
fell into the water. Then the frog departed
swiftly, saying, “Solitude is best for
meditation.”</p>
<p>But the Quacky Duck, having hit his
head against a stone, sank to the bottom
of the pond, where he found himself in
the frogs’ kitchen. And there he spied
a fish, which the frogs had caught for
their dinner, intending to share it in a
brotherly manner, for it was a savoury
fish. When the Quacky Duck saw it, he<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</SPAN></span>
was glad; and he said, “Fish is better
than frog” (for he was an English duck)!
And, taking the fish, he swam with speed
to the shore.</p>
<p>Now the frogs lamented when they saw
him go, for they said, “He has our savoury
fish!” And they wept, and reviled the
Quacky Duck.</p>
<p>But he said, “Be comforted! for if I
had not found the fish, I should assuredly
have eaten you. Therefore, say now,
which is the better for you?” And he
ate the fish, and departed joyful.</p>
<hr class="l1" />
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</SPAN></span></p>
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