The Ugly Duckling
The story of a young duckling who is bullied for being ugly but then transforms into a beautiful swan is famous around the world. Or at least a sanitized version of it is. The original version, written by Hans Christian Andersen and published in 1844, can make for uncomfortable reading. In this version, the duckling is not just laughed at but subjected to some pretty horrendous abuse, though this serves to make the happy ending even more satisfying.
For instance, in the original tale, it’s not just his fellow ducklings who laugh at the small bird, the whole of the barnyard joins in the abuse too. At times, the taunts mocking his supposed ugliness even turn into violence. Then, in a twist that’s often left out of modern versions, the animals tormenters are almost all slaughtered. The eponymous Ugly Duckling manages to find refuge with a kindly old lady, but her cat is also a bully and forces him out of her home.
Much of the original tale, then, sees the Ugly Duckling struggling to survive alone through the winter. However, the ending is pretty much as the modern reader would expect: when spring comes, the Ugly Duckling returns to the farmyard, filled with fear and trepidation. When he sees a group of swans, he expects to be shunned and mocked. Instead, he is welcomed. When he looks in the water at his reflection, the reason is clear: he has become a beautiful swan himself.