The Ugly Duckling
1843 
Denmark Lyrics
There once was an ugly duckling,
With feathers all stubby and brown.
And the other birds in so many words said,
"Quack, get out of town!"
Quack! Get out! Quack, quack, quack!
Get out! Get out! Get out!
And he went with a quack and a waddle and a quack
In a flurry of eiderdown.
But a day in the autumn,
When the leaves were turning brown,
There in the old farmyard
The ducks all gathered round.
And they heard the swan a-singing,
And they raised their heads to see.
And they saw before their eyes
This lovely swan was he!
With feathers all stubby and brown.
And the other birds in so many words said,
"Quack, get out of town!"
Quack! Get out! Quack, quack, quack!
Get out! Get out! Get out!
And he went with a quack and a waddle and a quack
In a flurry of eiderdown.
But a day in the autumn,
When the leaves were turning brown,
There in the old farmyard
The ducks all gathered round.
And they heard the swan a-singing,
And they raised their heads to see.
And they saw before their eyes
This lovely swan was he!
History and Meaning
Hans Christian Andersen first published "The Ugly Duckling" in 1843. The story quickly inspired sung versions for children; the most famous song adaptation appeared in the 1952 film Hans Christian Andersen, written by Frank Loesser.
While often treated as a nursery song today, its core message about belonging and transformation continues to resonate in classrooms and bedtime reading alike.