The Ugly Duckling (character)

The Ugly Duckling is the titular protagonist of Disney's 75th and final Silly Symphonies short film. Actually a cygnet (a baby swan), his egg somehow found its way into the nest of a duck family who mistook him for one of their own and hatched him only to immediately reject him because of how different he was from the other ducklings.

Appearance
Unlike his nest mates who were short and pudgy with downy yellow feathers; the Ugly Duckling is twice as big with a body covered in white fuzz and a long neck topped by a bulbous head that gives him an awkward and clumsey appearance. His beak is also considerably larger than the ducklings from which he made a lound honk that greatly irritated the mother and father duck.

Personality
Initially silly and carefree, the Ugly Duckling is at first completely oblivious to how unlike the rest of his family he is in addition to the subsequent revulsion they feel towards him. Following his exhile from the ducks, he becomes increasingly depressed and self-concious about his appearance as his attempts to find a new family all meet with failure. It's only after meeting the swans and learning his true itentity that he learns to accept and take pride in himself once again.

Biography
Shortly after being hatched, the Ugly Ducking unknowingly causes an argument between the mother and father duck who can't understand how such an abnormal baby could be born to them; especially since their other young were all perfect little ducklings. When the duck parents go their seperate ways, the Ugly Duckling (oblivious to how she intentionally left him behind) decides to follow his mother and siblings to the pond and swims after them. As the ducklings all climb up onto her back, he jumps up to join them and is immediately thrown off by the Mother Duck when she realizes his presence. Mistaking her actions as part of the game, he honks for them to wait up and continues to chase them until the Mother Duck suddenly snaps at him to go away and never come near her again; which the other ducklings cruelly reiterate before they all leave him behind.

Confused as to why his mother doesn't like him, he looks at his reflection and (following his initial fright) is shocked to see how unlike the other ducklings he actually is; especially when he sees how happy they and his mother are without him around. Heartbroken and in tears, he wanders away and eventually comes across a nest of songbird chicks in an overhead branch. Deciding that they would become his new family, the Ugly Duckling climbs into the nest but is violently chased off by the mother songbird when he eats a worm intended for her own babies. While fleeing the mother songbird's attack, he retreats back into the pond where he comes across a wooden duck decoy. When the decoy doesn't scold him or try to drive him off, he interprets its silence as acceptance and adopts the decoy as his new mother. Unfortunately, while playing on and around his new "parent," the Ugly Duckling causes it to tip over and knock him on the head with its bill.

Shocked by the sudden and unprovoked attack, the Ugly Duckling escapes to the safety of the bank where he watches the decoy turn its back on him just like his mother did. Deciding that he was just too ugly for anyone to love; the Ugly Duckling gives up hope of ever finding a family to accept him and breaks down in tears. As his sobs become louder and more despondant, the Ugly Duckling is approached by a group of cygnets who to his surprise not only look like him but actually seem happy to see him. Encouraged by their own honks, he stops crying and dives in to play with them until the cygnets' beautiful mother calls them to her side. Expecting her to reject him for his ugliness like all the rest, the Ugly Duckling decides to paddle away when the Mother Swan suddenly swims up and reaches for him. Certain that she was going to attack him, he briefly shies away from her until she pulls him in and embraces him as one of her own; assuring him that she not only considers him beautiful but that he is more than welcome to join their family. Secure in the knowledge of who he is and where he belongs, the little swan sets off with his true mother and siblings for home as the duck family bids him farewell from the shore.