A hen and her children

Once upon a time there was an old hen that had many children. She loved her children very much.
Once the hen sat on the ducks eggs, and when the duckling came out, she was very much
pleased. Only she wondered why they had such large funny bills. The mother hen said to the
ducklings, I dont know who your father is, but I love you all the same .
One day the mother hen took her ducklings out for a walk. When they came to a pond, the
ducklings at once when into the water and swam out. The mother hen was very much frightened.
The mother hen wasnt frightened now. She was very glad to see her children swim over the water.
One day she sat on her own eggs; and when her young chickens came out, she was very much
pleased, too. After a few days, she also took them to the pond. She wanted to see them swim. But
the young ones were afraid of the water and would not go down the pond.
The mother hen was very angry with them.
Why dont you swim, my stupid children? She cried.
You see how beautiful your brothers swim over there.
She took two of them and threw them into the pond. Of course they were drowned, the poor young
things.