Dubai

Dubai 

Dubai (dalam bahasa Arab: دبيّ, Dubaīy) adalah satu dari tujuh emirat dan kota terpadat di Uni Emirat Arab (UEA). Terletak di sepanjang pantai selatan Teluk Persia di Jazirah Arab. Kotamadya Dubai kadang-kadang disebut Kota Dubai untuk membedakannya dari emirat.
Dokumen tertulis menyatakan keberadaan kota ini selama 150 tahun sebelum pembentukan UEA. Dubai berbagi kekuasaan hukum, politik, militer dan ekonomi dengan emirat lain dalam lingkaran federal, meskipun setiap emirat memiliki yurisdiksi terhadap beberapa kekuasaan seperti penegakan hukum sipil dan pemantauan dan pembaharuan fasilitas lokal. Dubai memiliki populasi terbesar dan merupakan emirat terbesar kedua menurut luasnya, setelah Abu Dhabi. Dubai dan Abu Dhabi adalah satu-satunya dua emirat yang memiliki hak veto terhadap masalah kritis kepentingan nasional dalam Dewan Nasional Federal negara itu.Dubai telah dipimpin oleh dinasti Al Maktoum sejak 1833. Pemimpinnnya saat ini, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, juga menjabat sebagai Perdana Menteri dan Wakil Presiden UEA.
Pendapatan emirat berasal dari perdagangan, real estat dan pelayanan keuangan. Pendapatan dari minyak bumi dan gas alam menyumbang kurang dari 6% (2006)^[8] ekonomi Dubai senilai US$37 miliar (2005). Real estat dan konstruksi, menyumbang 22.6% kepada ekonomi tahun 2005, sebelum musim konstruksi berskala besar yang berlangsung hingga sekarang. Dubai telah menarik perhatian dunia melalui proyek real estat yang inovatif dan ajang olahraga. Hal ini meningkatkan perhatian, bersamaan dengan kepentingannya sebagai hub bisnis dunia, telah juga mengangkat masalah hak asasi manusia mengenai terlibatnya banyak tenaga kerja asing.

Etimologi

Tahun 1820-an, Dubai disebut sebagai Al Wasl oleh sejarawan Britania Raya. Tetapi, beberapa catatan yang menyebutkan sejarah budaya UEA atau emiratnya muncul karena tradisi wilayah ini untuk mencatat dan mewariskan cerita rakyat dan mitos. Asal linguistik kata Dubai juga diperdebatkan, beberapa orang percaya berasal dari bahasa Persia, sementara lainnya menganggap bahasa Arab adalah akar bahasa dari kata ini. Menurut Fedel Handhal, peneliti sejarah dan budaya UEA, kata Dubai mungkin berasal dari kata Daba (derivatif dari Yadub), yang berarti menjalar; kata ini bisa saja menjadi rujukan pada aliran Dubai Creek ke daratan.

Geografi

Peta kota Dubai

      Dubai terletak di pantai Teluk Persia di Uni Emirat Arab dan terletak 16 m di atas permukaan laut. Emirat Dubai berbagi perbatasan dengan Abu Dhabi di selatan, Sharjah di timurlaut, dan Kesultanan Oman di tenggara. Hatta, eksklave kecil emirat, dikelilingi di tiga sisi oleh Oman dan oleh emirat Ajman di (barat) dan Ras Al Khaimah (di utara). Teluk Persia berbatasan dengan pantai barat emirat. Dubai terletak di 25,2697°LU 55,3095°BT dan mencakup wilayah seluas 4.114 km² (1.588 mi²).
Dubai terletak langsung di Gurun Arabia. Tetapi, topografi Dubai sedikit berbeda dari bagian selatan UEA di mana sebagian lanskap Dubai dipenuhi pola gurun berpasir, sementara gurun berminyak mendominasi sebagian besar wilayah selatan negara ini.
 
        Dubai memiliki iklim panas dan, pada beberapa waktu, lembap (kering selama panas yang ekstrem) dengan banyak bulan mencatat temperatur di atas 40 °C. Temperatur tertinggi yang pernah tercatat di Dubai adalah 47.3 °C. Curah hujan sangat sedikit, dengan rata-rata 150mm per tahun; hujan terpusatkan sekitar Januari, Februari dan Maret. Tetapi, hujan lebat tidak umum di Dubai selama bulan musim dingin dan Januari 2008 mencatat rekor 120 mm (atau 5") curah hujan dalam 24 jam, Kelembapan rata-rata di Dubai sekitar 60% dan lebih tinggi selama bulan musim dingin.

 Sumber : https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai

Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa

Bahasa Italia: La Gioconda, Bahasa Perancis: La Joconde
Artis	Leonardo da Vinci
Tahun	kr. 1503–06, diperkirakan dilanjutkan hingga kr. 1517
Tipe	Lukisan minyak
Material	Populus
Subyek	Kemungkinan Lisa Gherardini[1]
Dimensi	77 cm × 53 cm (30 in × 21 in)
			Mona Lisa (bahasa Italia: Monna Lisa [ˈmɔnna ˈliːza] atau La Gioconda [la dʒoˈkonda], bahasa Perancis: La Joconde [la ʒɔkɔ̃d]), adalah lukisan minyak di atas kayu poplar yang dibuat oleh Leonardo da Vinci pada abad ke-16. Lukisan ini sering dianggap sebagai salah satu lukisan paling terkenal di dunia dan hanya sedikit karya seni lain yang menjadi pusat perhatian, studi, mitologi, dan parodi. Lukisan ini dimiliki oleh pemerintah Perancis dan dipamerkan di Musée du Louvre di Paris. Lukisan setengah badan ini menggambarkan lukisan wanita yang tatapannya menuju pengunjung dengan ekspresi yang sering dideskripsikan sebagai enigmatik atau misterius. Penamaan dan subjek Nama atau judul lukisan Mona Lisa berasal dari biografi Giorgio Vasari tentang Leonardo da Vinci, yang terbit 31 tahun setelah ia meninggal dunia. Di dalam buku ini disebutkan bahwa wanita dalam lukisan ini adalah Lisa Gherardini.[4][5] Mona dalam bahasa Italia adalah singkatan untuk ma donna yang artinya adalah "nyonyaku". Sehingga judul lukisan artinya adalah Nyonya Lisa. Dalam bahasa Italia biasanya judul lukisan ditulis sebagai Monna Lisa. Lalu La Gioconda adalah bentuk feminin dari Giocondo. Kata giocondo dalam bahasa Italia artinya adalah "riang" dan la gioconda artinya adalah "wanita riang". Berkat senyum Mona Lisa yang misterius ini, frasa ini memiliki makna ganda. Begitu pula terjemahannya dalam bahasa Perancis; La Joconde. Nama Mona Lisa dan La Gioconda atau La Joconde menjadi judul lukisan ini yang diterima secara luas semenjak abad ke-19. Sebelumnya lukisan ini disebut dengan berbagai nama seperti "Wanita dari Firenze" atau "Seorang wanita bangsawan dengan kerudung tipis". Sumber:https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Lisa

Monas Jakarta

Monas Jakarta history

 

Monument or National Monument is an icon of the city. Located in downtown Jakarta, a tourist and educational center that appeals to residents of Jakarta and surrounding areas. Monument was established in 1959 and inaugurated two years later in 1961.
Monas is always crowded with tourists to see the beauty of the city from the top of the monument, adding insight into the history of Indonesia in the diorama room or enjoy the fresh urban forest area of ​​approximately 80 acres in downtown Jakarta.Setiap holiday, Monas is always visited by many tourists. Here you can enjoy many types of tours and educational materials. You can climb the towering monument to the top of Monas.
You can also exercise with friends and family. You can also enjoy the beautiful garden with many trees are lush and beautiful. Or you can enjoy the exciting entertainment fountain.History MonumentMonument was built in August 1959. The entire building was designed by the architects Monas Indonesia ie Soedarsono, Frederich Silaban and Ir. Rooseno. On August 17, 1961, the monument was inaugurated by President Soekarno. And opened to the public since July 12, 1975.
While the urban forest park area around the monument formerly known as Field Gambir. Then had changed its name several times into the Field Ikada, Merdeka Square, National Monument Square and then into Monument Park.Size and Content Monas132-meter-high monument was built and shaped yoni phallus. The entire building is covered by marble.
Size Monas

      Flame
      At the top there is a cup on which there were flames from bronze height 17 meters and a diameter of 6 meters with a weight of 14.5 tons. Flame is coated gold weighing 45 kg. Flame monument consists of 77 sections joined together.

      Court of the Peak
      Court of the peak breadth of 11x11 m. To reach the court of the peak, visitors can use the elevator with a long trip about 3 minutes. Around the elevator there is an emergency staircase. From the top of Monas courtyard, visitors can see the buildings of skyscrapers in the city. Even if the clear weather, visitors can see Mount Salak in West Java and the Java Sea with the Thousand Islands.
    *

      Under the court of
      Under the court of the extent of 45x45 m. Height of the Monument to the court of the basis under which was 17 meters. In this section visitors can see Monument Park, which is a beautiful urban forest.
    *

      History of National Struggle Museum
      At the bottom of the monument there is a wide room of the National Museum. Height of 8 meters. This museum displays the history of the struggle of the Indonesian nation. Extent of this museum is 80x80 m. On the fourth side of the museum there are 12 dioramas (window display) that displays the history of Indonesia from the time of kingdoms ancestors Nation Indonesia until G30S PKI.
Also planned for display flag heritage and the proclamation of the original manuscript in the building Monas. Here also shown plans of the city.Monument ParkReflexology Massage in MonumentYou also can relieve your boredom by enjoying Monument Park, an urban forest that is designed with a beautiful garden.
In this park you can play along with a herd of deer which accidentally imported from the Bogor Palace to enliven the park. You also can work out in the garden with friends and family.
Monas park also features a dancing fountain. Dancing fountain show is very interesting to watch at night. The fountain will move in accordance with the canting beautiful strains of the song being played. There was also a colorful laser show at this fountain.
For those of you who want to maintain health, besides working out in Monument Park, you can do reflexology for free. In the park is provided by the stones sharp enough for your foot while a massage reflection. In this park also provided some futsal and basketball court that can use anyone.
If you are tired of walking in a park of 80 hectares, you can use a tourist train. The park is free to visit anyone for free and open to the public.Monument TourTo visit the monument, there are many types of transportation that you can use. If you train users, you can use the KRL Handsome types express a stop at Gambir station. You can also use Trans Jakarta Bus transportation facilities. If you use a private vehicle, provided special parking IRTI field, or you can park your vehicle at Gambir Station.
To be able to get into the building monument, you can through the entrance around the statue of Prince Diponegoro. Then you will go through the underground passage to enter the monument. You can through the entrance in the courtyard of the northern part of Monas. Opening hours are 9.00 am Monas up at 16.00 pm.Monument may be one of your choice to travel with family and a place to educate children to know more about the history of Indonesia. You too can enjoy the fresh air from the shade of the trees in Monument. And do not forget to maintain the cleanliness of Monument Park to keep it beautiful to be enjoyed by anyone.

 

Sumber : http://yogacharaka2.blogspot.co.id/2011/08/monas-jakarta-history.html

Big Ben

 

Big Ben

Big Ben adalah nama sebuah menara jam yang terletak di Istana Westminster, London, Britania Raya. Secara resmi menara ini diberi nama Elizabeth Tower, bertepatan dengan pesta 60 tahun Ratu Elizabeth II memimpin Britania Raya dan Wilayah Persemakmuran. Big Ben selesai dibangun pada tahun 1858, dan pada tanggal 31 Mei 2009 menara ini tepat berusia 150 tahun.

Struktur

 

Menara ini dibangun sebagai bagian dari rencana pembangunan istana baru oleh Charles Barry, setelah Istana Westminster yang lama telah hancur akibat kebakaran pada malam 22 Oktober 1834. Menara ini tingginya 96.3 meter (316 kaki) dan dibangun dengan gaya Gothik Victoria. 61 meter (200 kaki) di bawah jam terbuat dari bata yang dilapisi oleh batu, sedangkan puncak menara ditopang dengan rangka besi yang dibuat dari besi leleh. Menara ini dibangun di atas tanah berukuran 15 meter kali 15 meter, fondasi terbuat dari beton setebal 3 meter (9 kaki), pada kedalaman 4 meter (13 kaki) di bawah permukaan. Semua sisi jam tingginya 55 meter (180 kaki) dari atas tanah.
Karena berubahnya kondisi tanah sejak pembangunannya, Menara Big Ben sedikit miring ke barat laut kurang lebih 220 milimeter (8.66 inci), menara ini miring setiap tahun sebanyak beberapa milimeter ke arah timur dan barat dikarenakan efek thermal.

Istana Westminster dan Big Ben dari timur laut dari Jembatan Westminster.

Muka jam

Jam ini sangat besar sehingga menara ini pernah dijadikan sebagai menara jam berwajah empat terbesar, namun rekor ini akhirnya dipegang oleh Menara jam Allen-Bradley di Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Namun, sang arsitek tidak memasang bel pada jam tersebut, sehingga Big Ben memegang rekor sebagai Menara jam empat sisi terbesar dengan lonceng.

Salah satu sisi Menara Jam Westminster. Garis pendek (jam) memiliki panjang 2.7 meter (9 kaki) dan garis panjang (menit) memiliki panjang 4.3 meter (14 kaki).

Jam dan lonceng Big Ben didesain oleh Augustus Pugin. Jam ini diletakan pada sebuah kerangka besi berukuran 7 meter (23 kaki), ditopang dengan 312 kepingan kaca opal, sehingga mirip seperti jendela berwarna. Beberapa keping gelas kemungkinan dibuang untuk pemeriksaan. Loncengnya dilapisi seluruhnya dengan emas.
Pada bagian bawah jam, di setiap sisi jam, terdapat tulisan:

"DOMINE SALVAM FAC REGINAM NOSTRAM VICTORIAM PRIMAM'

Tulisan tersebut diterjemahkan dalam bahasa Indonesi yang berarti "Oh Tuhan, lindungi Ratu Victoria yang Pertama".

Mekanisme

Big Ben pada petang, dengan wahana London Eye di belakangnya.

Jam ini terkenal karena ketepatannya. Pendesainnya adalah seorang pengacara dan horologis amatir Edmund Beckett Denison, dan George Airy, seorang Astronom Kerajaan. Jam ini dibuat oleh Edward John Dent, yang menyelesaikannya pada tahun 1854. Namun menara Big Ben belum selesai saat itu sampai tahun 1859.
Pepatah Inggris putting a penny on yang berarti memperlambat laju, muncul dari metode metode-substansi yang berasal dari pendulum jam. Di atas pendulum terdapat setumpuk koin penny, koin ini digunakan untuk mengubah waktu jam. Menambah atau mengurangi koin mengubah pusat gravitasi jam, sehingga waktu bertambah sebanyak 0.4 detik sehari.
Ketika Blitz London, Istana Westminster sempat dibom oleh Jerman, pada 10 Mei 1941, sebuah bom tiba-tiba menghancurkan dua dari empat muka jam dan sebagian dari atap menara dan menghancurkan ruangan dewan rakyat. Arsitek Sir Giles Gilbert Scott merancang lagi ruangan lima-lantai. Dua lantai yang diisi saat ini dengan ruangan lain pertama kali digunakan pada tanggal 26 Oktober 1950, jam ini masih berjalan, walaupun serangkaian serangan bom besar terus terjadi dan berlangsung sampai Blitz berakhir.

 Sisi Selatan Big Ben saat sedang diperbaiki

Sumber : https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ben

Manara Eiffel

Manara Eiffel

     Dinamai sesuai nama perancangnya, Gustave Eiffel , Menara Eiffel adalah bangunan tertinggi di Paris dan salah satu struktur terkenal di dunia. Lebih dari 200.000.000 orang telah mengunjungi menara ini sejak pembangunannya tahun 1889, termasuk 6.719.200 orang tahun 2006, menjadikannya monumen berbayar yang paling banyak dikunjungi di dunia. Termasuk antena setinggi 24 m (79 kaki), struktur ini memiliki tinggi 325 m (1.063 kaki) sejak 2000, yang sama dengan bangunan konvensional bertingkat 81.

Menara Eiffel Oktober 2007

Ketika menara selesai dibangun tahun 1889, struktur ini menjadi yang tertinggi di dunia — gelar yang dipertahankan hingga 1930 ketika Chrysler Building di New York Cit (319 m — 1.047 kaki) selesai.^[6] Menara ini sekarang yang tertingggi kelima di Perancis dan paling tinggi di Paris, dengan struktur tertinggi kedua Tour Montparnasse (210 m — 689 kaki), meskipun akan dikalahkan oleh Tour AXA (225.11 m — 738.36 kaki).

Menara Eiffel dari wilayah sekitarnya.

Struktur besi Menara Eiffel berbobot 7.300 ton sementara keseluruhan struktur termasuk komponen non-besi berbobot 10.000 ton. Tergantung temperatur, puncak menara dapat menjauhi matahari 18 cm (7 inci) karena pemuaian besi pada bagian yang menghadap matahari. Menara ini juga berayun 6–7 cm (2-3 inci) dalam suasana berangin.^[3] Sebagai demonstrasi terhadap ekonomisnya bangunan, bila 7300 ton struktur besi dicairkan, maka akan memenuhi 125 meter persegi dengan kedalaman 6 cm (2.36 inci), yang berarti kepadatan besi 7.8 ton per meter kubik. Menara ini memiliki massa yang kurang dari massa udara di dalam silinder dengan dimensi yang sama,^[7] setinggi 324 meter dan 88.3 jari-jarinya. Berat menara 10.100 ton bila dibandingkan dengan 10.265 ton udara.

Tingkat pertama dan kedua dapat diakses dengan tangga dan lift. Sebuah loket tiket di menara selatan menjual tiket ke anak tangga yang dimulai di tempat itu. Di platform pertama tangga menaik dari menara timur dan pertemuan tingkat ketika hanya dapat diakses dengan lift. Dari platform pertama atau kedua tangga dibuka bagi semua orang yang naik dan turun tergantung apabila mereka telah membeli tiket lift atau tiket tangga. Jumlah anak tangga 9 ke loket tiket di dasar, 328 ke tingkat pertama, 340 ke tingkat kedua dan 18 ke platform lift di tingkat kedua. Ketika keluar lift di tingkat ketiga terdapat 15 anak tangga naik menuju platform pengamatan atas. Jumlah anak tangga dituliskan secara bertahap di sisi tangga untuk memberikan tanda tangga naik. Kebanyakan tangga naik memberikan pemandangan langsung ke bawah atau sekitar menara meskipun beebrapa anak tangga pendek tertutup.

Perawatan menara terdiri dari pengadaan 50 hingga 60 ton cat setiap tujuh tahun untuk menjaganya dari karatan. Untuk menjaga penampilannya terhadap pengunjung di bawah, tiga warna berbeda digunakan pada menara ini, dengan warna gelap di bawah dan warna terang di atas. Warna cat diubah; menara ini dicat coklat-kelabu.^[8] Di tingkat pertama terdapat konsol interaktif yang memberitahukan warna pada pengecatan selanjutnya. Arsitek Menara Eiffel adalah Emile Nouguier, Maurice Koechlin dan Stephen Sauvestre.

 

 

Bentuk menara

Melihat ke atas Menara Eiffel

Ketika menara dibangun banyak orang dikejutkan dengan bentuknya yang menantang. Eiffel dikritik untuk desain ini dan dipaksa mencoba merancang sesuatu yang berseni, atau tak berseni dari sisi pandang, tanpa keinginan membangun. Eiffel dan insinyurnya, dikenal sebagai pembangun jembatan, mengerti kepentingan kekuatan angin dan tahu bahwa mereka akan membangun struktur tertinggi di dunia mereka harus mencocokannya dengan tiupan angin. Dalam wawancara yang dilaporkan surat kabar Le Temps, Eiffel mengatakan:

“	Sekarang untuk apa saya memberikan alasan utama perancangannya? Menara ini tahan angin. Baiklah! Saya menyatakan bahwa lengkungan empat sisi luar menara, sebagaimana perhitungan matematika (...) akan memberikan pemandangan bagus terhadap kekuatan dan keindahan, dan memberikan kesan kepada siapapun yang melihatnya kecanggihan desain secara keseluruhan.	”

Bentuk menara sebelumnya telah dinyatakan dengan perhitungan matematika yang tahan angin. Beberapa teori perhitungan ini telah direncanakan bertahun-tahun, yang terbaru adalah persamaan berbeda integral nonlinear didasarkan pada pengimbangan tekanan angin dari sisi apapun pada menara dengan ketegangan antara elemen konstruksi pada waktu itu. Bentuknya eksponensial. Plot berbahaya pada lengkungan menara, menampilkan dua eksponen yang berbeda, bagian bawah memiliki pertahanan kuat melawan angin.

 

Sumber :  https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menara_Eiffel

The Ugly Duckling part 3

The Ugly Duckling part 3

 

“I believe I must go out into the world again,” said the duckling.
“Yes, do,” said the hen. So the duckling left the cottage, and soon found water on which it could swim and dive, but was avoided by all other animals, because of its ugly appearance. Autumn came, and the leaves in the forest turned to orange and gold. then, as winter approached, the wind caught them as they fell and whirled them in the cold air. The clouds, heavy with hail and snow-flakes, hung low in the sky, and the raven stood on the ferns crying, “Croak, croak.” It made one shiver with cold to look at him. All this was very sad for the poor little duckling. One evening, just as the sun set amid radiant clouds, there came a large flock of beautiful birds out of the bushes. The duckling had never seen any like them before. They were swans, and they curved their graceful necks, while their soft plumage shown with dazzling whiteness. They uttered a singular cry, as they spread their glorious wings and flew away from those cold regions to warmer countries across the sea. As they mounted higher and higher in the air, the ugly little duckling felt quite a strange sensation as he watched them. He whirled himself in the water like a wheel, stretched out his neck towards them, and uttered a cry so strange that it frightened himself. Could he ever forget those beautiful, happy birds; and when at last they were out of his sight, he dived under the water, and rose again almost beside himself with excitement. He knew not the names of these birds, nor where they had flown, but he felt towards them as he had never felt for any other bird in the world. He was not envious of these beautiful creatures, but wished to be as lovely as they. Poor ugly creature, how gladly he would have lived even with the ducks had they only given him encouragement. The winter grew colder and colder; he was obliged to swim about on the water to keep it from freezing, but every night the space on which he swam became smaller and smaller. At length it froze so hard that the ice in the water crackled as he moved, and the duckling had to paddle with his legs as well as he could, to keep the space from closing up. He became exhausted at last, and lay still and helpless, frozen fast in the ice.
Early in the morning, a peasant, who was passing by, saw what had happened. He broke the ice in pieces with his wooden shoe, and carried the duckling home to his wife. The warmth revived the poor little creature; but when the children wanted to play with him, the duckling thought they would do him some harm; so he started up in terror, fluttered into the milk-pan, and splashed the milk about the room. Then the woman clapped her hands, which frightened him still more. He flew first into the butter-cask, then into the meal-tub, and out again. What a condition he was in! The woman screamed, and struck at him with the tongs; the children laughed and screamed, and tumbled over each other, in their efforts to catch him; but luckily he escaped. The door stood open; the poor creature could just manage to slip out among the bushes, and lie down quite exhausted in the newly fallen snow.
It would be very sad, were I to relate all the misery and privations which the poor little duckling endured during the hard winter; but when it had passed, he found himself lying one morning in a moor, amongst the rushes. He felt the warm sun shining, and heard the lark singing, and saw that all around was beautiful spring. Then the young bird felt that his wings were strong, as he flapped them against his sides, and rose high into the air. They bore him onwards, until he found himself in a large garden, before he well knew how it had happened. The apple-trees were in full blossom, and the fragrant elders bent their long green branches down to the stream which wound round a smooth lawn. Everything looked beautiful, in the freshness of early spring. From a thicket close by came three beautiful white swans, rustling their feathers, and swimming lightly over the smooth water. The duckling remembered the lovely birds, and felt more strangely unhappy than ever.
“I will fly to those royal birds,” he exclaimed, “and they will kill me, because I am so ugly, and dare to approach them; but it does not matter: better be killed by them than pecked by the ducks, beaten by the hens, pushed about by the maiden who feeds the poultry, or starved with hunger in the winter.”
Then he flew to the water, and swam towards the beautiful swans. The moment they espied the stranger, they rushed to meet him with outstretched wings.
“Kill me,” said the poor bird; and he bent his head down to the surface of the water, and awaited death.
But what did he see in the clear stream below? His own image; no longer a dark, gray bird, ugly and disagreeable to look at, but a graceful and beautiful swan. To be born in a duck’s nest, in a farmyard, is of no consequence to a bird, if it is hatched from a swan’s egg. He now felt glad at having suffered sorrow and trouble, because it enabled him to enjoy so much better all the pleasure and happiness around him; for the great swans swam round the new-comer, and stroked his neck with their beaks, as a welcome.
Into the garden presently came some little children, and threw bread and cake into the water.
“See,” cried the youngest, “there is a new one;” and the rest were delighted, and ran to their father and mother, dancing and clapping their hands, and shouting joyously, “There is another swan come; a new one has arrived.”
Then they threw more bread and cake into the water, and said, “The new one is the most beautiful of all; he is so young and pretty.” And the old swans bowed their heads before him.
Then he felt quite ashamed, and hid his head under his wing; for he did not know what to do, he was so happy, and yet not at all proud. He had been persecuted and despised for his ugliness, and now he heard them say he was the most beautiful of all the birds. Even the elder-tree bent down its bows into the water before him, and the sun shone warm and bright. Then he rustled his feathers, curved his slender neck, and cried joyfully, from the depths of his heart, “I never dreamed of such happiness as this, while I was an ugly duckling.” 

Sumber :  http://hca.gilead.org.il/ugly_duc.html

The Ugly Duckling part 2

The Ugly Duckling Part 2

Poor thing! he had no thoughts of marriage; all he wanted was permission to lie among the rushes, and drink some of the water on the moor. After he had been on the moor two days, there came two wild geese, or rather goslings, for they had not been out of the egg long, and were very saucy. “Listen, friend,” said one of them to the duckling, “you are so ugly, that we like you very well. Will you go with us, and become a bird of passage? Not far from here is another moor, in which there are some pretty wild geese, all unmarried. It is a chance for you to get a wife; you may be lucky, ugly as you are.”
“Pop, pop,” sounded in the air, and the two wild geese fell dead among the rushes, and the water was tinged with blood. “Pop, pop,” echoed far and wide in the distance, and whole flocks of wild geese rose up from the rushes. The sound continued from every direction, for the sportsmen surrounded the moor, and some were even seated on branches of trees, overlooking the rushes. The blue smoke from the guns rose like clouds over the dark trees, and as it floated away across the water, a number of sporting dogs bounded in among the rushes, which bent beneath them wherever they went. How they terrified the poor duckling! He turned away his head to hide it under his wing, and at the same moment a large terrible dog passed quite near him. His jaws were open, his tongue hung from his mouth, and his eyes glared fearfully. He thrust his nose close to the duckling, showing his sharp teeth, and then, “splash, splash,” he went into the water without touching him, “Oh,” sighed the duckling, “how thankful I am for being so ugly; even a dog will not bite me.” And so he lay quite still, while the shot rattled through the rushes, and gun after gun was fired over him. It was late in the day before all became quiet, but even then the poor young thing did not dare to move. He waited quietly for several hours, and then, after looking carefully around him, hastened away from the moor as fast as he could. He ran over field and meadow till a storm arose, and he could hardly struggle against it. Towards evening, he reached a poor little cottage that seemed ready to fall, and only remained standing because it could not decide on which side to fall first. The storm continued so violent, that the duckling could go no farther; he sat down by the cottage, and then he noticed that the door was not quite closed in consequence of one of the hinges having given way. There was therefore a narrow opening near the bottom large enough for him to slip through, which he did very quietly, and got a shelter for the night. A woman, a tom cat, and a hen lived in this cottage. The tom cat, whom the mistress called, “My little son,” was a great favorite; he could raise his back, and purr, and could even throw out sparks from his fur if it were stroked the wrong way. The hen had very short legs, so she was called “Chickie short legs.” She laid good eggs, and her mistress loved her as if she had been her own child. In the morning, the strange visitor was discovered, and the tom cat began to purr, and the hen to cluck.
“What is that noise about?” said the old woman, looking round the room, but her sight was not very good; therefore, when she saw the duckling she thought it must be a fat duck, that had strayed from home. “Oh what a prize!” she exclaimed, “I hope it is not a drake, for then I shall have some duck’s eggs. I must wait and see.” So the duckling was allowed to remain on trial for three weeks, but there were no eggs. Now the tom cat was the master of the house, and the hen was mistress, and they always said, “We and the world,” for they believed themselves to be half the world, and the better half too. The duckling thought that others might hold a different opinion on the subject, but the hen would not listen to such doubts. “Can you lay eggs?” she asked. “No.” “Then have the goodness to hold your tongue.” “Can you raise your back, or purr, or throw out sparks?” said the tom cat. “No.” “Then you have no right to express an opinion when sensible people are speaking.” So the duckling sat in a corner, feeling very low spirited, till the sunshine and the fresh air came into the room through the open door, and then he began to feel such a great longing for a swim on the water, that he could not help telling the hen.
“What an absurd idea,” said the hen. “You have nothing else to do, therefore you have foolish fancies. If you could purr or lay eggs, they would pass away.”
“But it is so delightful to swim about on the water,” said the duckling, “and so refreshing to feel it close over your head, while you dive down to the bottom.”
“Delightful, indeed!” said the hen, “why you must be crazy! Ask the cat, he is the cleverest animal I know, ask him how he would like to swim about on the water, or to dive under it, for I will not speak of my own opinion; ask our mistress, the old woman—there is no one in the world more clever than she is. Do you think she would like to swim, or to let the water close over her head?”
“You don’t understand me,” said the duckling.
“We don’t understand you? Who can understand you, I wonder? Do you consider yourself more clever than the cat, or the old woman? I will say nothing of myself. Don’t imagine such nonsense, child, and thank your good fortune that you have been received here. Are you not in a warm room, and in society from which you may learn something. But you are a chatterer, and your company is not very agreeable. Believe me, I speak only for your own good. I may tell you unpleasant truths, but that is a proof of my friendship. I advise you, therefore, to lay eggs, and learn to purr as quickly as possible.” 

Sumber :  http://hca.gilead.org.il/ugly_duc.html