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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Breckenridge, Colorado
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Bathing in the light of Pride
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Marine Day, Japan
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Giving Tuesday
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It’s showtime for a precious crop
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Surf s up—Down Under
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When Death Valley blew its top
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Sparkling ice diamonds on a black sandy beach
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Gem State views
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Old Town in Prague, Czech Republic
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Bodie State Historic Park, California
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Happy Fourth of July!
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In orbit for Yuri s Night
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A star is borne by seaweed
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Serra de Tramuntana, Majorca, Spain
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Polar Bear Week
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A growing business
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Yosemite National Park turns 132
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National Park Week: Wind Cave National Park
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World Population Day
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Wooden path to Kennedy Lake, Vancouver Island, Canada
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Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico
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Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
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National Fossil Day
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Bright and colorful peacock feathers
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It’s Art Deco Weekend in Miami
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Chapel on the rock
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Carnival of Venice
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Lavender field, Hertfordshire, England
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Solar Impulse 2 in Honolulu
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