The Vain Jackdaw And His Borrowed Feathers

by Aesop

　　A Jackdaw chanced to fly over the garden of the King's palace.There he saw with much wonder and envy a flock of royal Peacocksin all the glory of their splendid plumage.

　　Now the black Jackdaw was not a very handsome bird, nor veryrefined in manner. Yet he imagined that all he needed to makehimself fit for the society of the Peacocks was a dress liketheirs. So he picked up some castoff feathers of the Peacocks andstuck them among his own black plumes.

　　Dressed in his borrowed finery he strutted loftily among thebirds of his own kind. Then he flew down into the garden amongthe Peacocks. But they soon saw who he was. Angry at the cheat,they flew at him, plucking away the borrowed feathers and alsosome of his own.

　　The poor Jackdaw returned sadly to his former companions. Thereanother unpleasant surprise awaited him. They had not forgottenhis superior airs toward them, and, to punish him, they drove himaway with a rain of pecks and jeers.

　　Borrowed feathers do not make fine birds.