THE JACKDAW AND THE PIGEONS

A Jackdaw, watching some Pigeons in a farmyard, was filled with envy when he saw how well they were fed, and determined to disguise himself as one of them, in order to secure a share of the good things they enjoyed. So he painted himself white from head to foot and joined the flock; and, so long as he was silent, they never suspected that he was not a pigeon like themselves. But one day he was unwise enough to start chattering, when they at once saw through his disguise and pecked him so unmercifully that he was glad to escape and join his own kind again. But the other jackdaws did not recognise him in his white dress, and would not let him feed with them, but drove him away: and so he became a homeless wanderer for his pains.

寒鸦和鸽子

有一只寒鸦看到一户农家宅院中的鸽子被喂养得很好，嫉妒不已，决定自己也假装成鸽子混进去分一杯羹。于是他把自己从头到脚都染成了白色，混入了鸽群。但有一天，他疏忽了，叫出了声，立刻被识破了伪装，鸽子们毫不留情地啄他。最后他逃脱了，很开心，回到了自己的同类中。但是他浑身还是白色，其他的寒鸦没有认出他来，不让他和他们一起吃东西，要把他赶走。他枉费了诸多力气，最后却成了一个无家可归的流浪者。