The other ducks liked much better to swim about in the river than to climb the slippery
banks, and sit under a burdock leaf, to have a gossip with her. At length one shell
cracked and then another, and from each egg came a living creature that lifted its
head and cried "Peep, peep." "Quack, quack," said the mother, and then they all quacked
as well as they could, and looked about them on every side at the large green leaves.
Their mother allowed them to look as much as they liked, because green is good for the
eyes. "How large the world is," said the young ducks, when they found how much more room
they now had than while they were inside the egg-shell.
"Do you imagine this is the whole world?" asked the mother;
"Wait till you have seen the garden; it stretches far beyond that to the parson's
field,but I have never ventured to such a distance. Are you all out?" she continued
rising; "No, I declare, the largest egg lies there still. I wonder how long this is to
last I am quite tired of it;" and she seated herself again on the nest.