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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It s Coffee Day
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A learning garden
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Poppies in bloom
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International Jazz Day
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International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples
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Design for Each and All
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Memorial Day
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Day of the Dead
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Put your flippers in the air…
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Albion Falls, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Pacific Park, Santa Monica State Beach, California
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World Octopus Day
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A garden of prickly delights
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La Rocque Harbour, Island of Jersey
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Gardens by the Bay nature park, Singapore
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Saguaro cacti, Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona
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National Gardening Week
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Edinburgh Festival Fringe
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An island in the Highlands
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It’s National Walk to Work Day
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Happy Valentines Day!
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Perseid meteor shower over Oregon
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Through an artist s eyes
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Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe
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Great horned owl near Lake Tohopekaliga, Florida
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Hot and Spicy Food Day
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Illuminating Annecy
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Spotted Lake emerges
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Aerial view of Venice, Italy
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Coral Reef Awareness Week
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