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
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Wyoming celebrates its statehood
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Christmas comes to New York City
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National Fossil Day
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Whoopin it up!
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Maya site of Copán
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World Jellyfish Day
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Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park shines
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The largest American bison around
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The mountaintop of toppled gods
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Tafilalet oasis in Morocco
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Indigenous Peoples Day
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A tale of almonds and bees
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Bohemian Switzerland
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An aviation celebration
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A monster view in Scotland
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Fog above the forest
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Happy Welsh New Year!
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Fall for birding
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Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
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Ölüdeniz, Turkey
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Tulips at Emirgan Park in Istanbul, Türkiye
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Happy Astronomy Day!
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San Gimignano, Siena Tuscany, Italy
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Yungang Grottoes, Shanxi, China
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Limpets at low tide on the coast of Praia da Ursa, Portugal
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Happy Mother s Day!
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On the rebirth of the Olympic Games
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Wallabies at sunrise, Australia
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The Cordillera de la Sal in the Cordillera Domeyko Range of Chile
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Indian Independence Day
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