Once upon a time, a mother duckling sat on her eggs with great impatience. How long would it be before they hatched? Finally, one summer day, the mother duckling watched as the eggs cracked, and her cute, yellow ducklings waddled into the world. She was filled with joy until she noticed that one egg, which was larger than all of the others, remained. After many hours, the egg cracked. A large, gray duckling emerged. The mother duck was horrified at the duckling's appearance. The mother duck's only comfort was that the ugly duckling could swim and dive under the water. As the ugly duckling grew, many animals in the pond criticized him. His feathers were too dark, his neck was too long, and his body was too big. His fellow ducklings refused to recognize that underneath the feathers, the ugly duckling was kind, good, and gentle. The ugly duckling shed many tears because none of the other animals would play with him.

One day, the ugly duckling decided to run far away and find a place where the animals would look past his appearance and be kind and friendly. He came to a pond and sighted three beautiful swans. Their white feathers, long necks, and kind eyes made them look like royalty. The ugly duckling sighed in disappointment. He believed that the swans would never be his friends and looked down into the pond in despair. Then, his eyes opened wide, for he saw his reflection. To his great astonishment, the ugly duckling discovered that he was a beautiful, royal swan! The swans welcomed their new friend, whose lovely appearance was matched only by his kind heart. He now felt like he belonged.

What is the theme of The Ugly Duckling?

Don't give advice without being asked.
Everyone needs a place to belong.
It is better to be smart than beautriful.
Staying active is a healthy life choice. pls help:(