Among the Farmyard People | Page 9

so," said the Black Spanish Cock. "You do look alike; the
same white feathers, the same broad breast, the same strong wings, the
same pointed tail, the same long neck, the same sweet expression
around the bill!" That was just like the Black Spanish Cock. He always
said something pleasant about people when he could, and it was much
better than saying unpleasant things. Indeed, he was the most polite
fowl in the poultry-yard, and the Black Spanish Hen thought his
manners quite perfect.
Then the Duckling's five aunts pushed their way through the crowd to
the nest under the edge of the strawstack. "Have you noticed what fine
large feet he has?" said one of them. "That is like his mother's people.
See what a strong web is between the three long toes on each foot! He
will be a good swimmer. The one toe that points backward is small, to

be sure, but he does not need that in swimming. That is only to make
waddling easier."
"Yes, yes," "A fine web," and "Very large feet," cried the fowls around
the nest, but most of them didn't care so much about the size of his feet
as the Ducks did. Large feet are always useful, you know, yet nobody
needs them so badly as Geese and Ducks. The Geese were off
swimming, and so could not see the Duckling when first he came out of
the shell.
"Tap-tap, tap-tap," sounded inside another shell, and they knew that
there would soon be a second damp little Duckling beside the first. The
visitors could not stay to see this one come out, and they went away for
a time. The eldest Duckling had supposed that this was life, to have
people around saying, "How bright he is!" "What fine legs!" or "He has
a beautiful bill!" And now that they all walked away and his mother
was looking after the Duckling who was just breaking her shell, he
didn't like it--he didn't like it at all.
Still, it was much better so. If he had had no brothers and sisters, he
would have been a lonely little fellow; besides, he would have had his
own way nearly all the time, and that is likely to make any Duckling
selfish. Then, too, if all the other fowls had petted him and given him
the best of everything, he would have become vain. Truly, it was a
good thing for him not to be the only child, and he soon learned to
think so.
After there were two Ducklings, a third one came, and a fourth, and a
fifth, and so on until, when the broken shells were cleared away and the
mother had counted bills, she could call to the Drake and her sisters,
"Nine Ducklings hatched, and there were only nine eggs in the nest."
"Then come to the brook," said the Drake, "and let the children have a
bath. I have been swimming a great many times to-day, and they have
not even set foot in water yet. Why, our eldest son was out of his shell
before the Horses were harnessed this morning, and here it is nearly
time for their supper."

"I couldn't help it," said the mother Duck. "I couldn't leave the nest to
take him swimming until the rest were ready to go. I am doing the best
I can."
"I didn't mean to find fault," said the Drake, "and I suppose you
couldn't get away, but we know that Ducklings should be taught to
bathe often, and there is nothing like beginning in time."
"I might have taken some of them to the brook," said one of the aunts.
The mother straightened her neck and held her head very high, while
she answered, "You? You are very kind, but what do you know about
bringing up Ducklings?"
Now the aunt might have said, "I know just as much as you do," for it
was the young mother's first brood, yet she kept still. She thought, "I
may hatch Ducklings of my own some day, and then I suppose I shall
want to care for them myself."
"Wait," said the Drake, as they reached the brook. "Let us wait and see
what the children will do." The words were hardly out of his bill
when--flutter--splash--splash!--there were nine yellow-white Ducklings
floating on the brook and murmuring happily to each other as though
they had never done anything else.
The Dorking Cock stood on the bank. "Who taught them to swim?"
said he.
"Nobody," answered their mother proudly. "They knew without being
told. That is the way a Duck takes to water." And she gave a dainty
lurch and was among her brood.
[Illustration: THEY HAD A GOOD SWIM.]
"Well!" exclaimed the Dorking Cock. "I thought the little Dorkings