The mute swan is a symbol of beauty and elegance, thanks in no small part to the beloved fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling," about an awkward and unsightly duckling who upon growing up discovers he is actually a swan. The proverbial story is often used as a lesson in transformation and the relative nature of beauty. One glance at this swan, seen here holding a feather in a nature preserve in the Netherlands, and it"s easy to see how the idiom "graceful as a swan" came about.
Mute swan
Today in History
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Squirrel Appreciation Day
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Fall Astronomy Week
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Who created the Easter Bunny?
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Château de Villandry, France
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Tambopata National Reserve, Peru
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Vote!
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Coral Reef Awareness Week
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I see one!
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Happy Boxing Day!
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La Rocque Harbour, Island of Jersey
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Earthrise on Moon Day
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The tale of squirrels like Nutkin
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Vieste, Apulia, Italy
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Travel Sunday: On the Ganges in Varanasi, India
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Marine Day in Japan
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St. Patricks Day in County Waterford, Ireland
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Hang Sơn Đoòng Cave, Vietnam
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Shark Awareness Day
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Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
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International Museum Day
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In celebration of America’s national bird
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Talk like a pirate—or walk the plank
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Happy trails for the 21st century
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Happy Presidents Day
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The Alhambra in Granada, Spain
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A story of wind and ice
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Art and soul
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Infrared Jupiter, erupting Io
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Playa del Amor, Marietas Islands, Mexico
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Virgin Islands National Park established
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