A Jay, puffing himself up with vanity, gathered a bundle of feathers that had fallen from some Peacocks. He stuck them among his own drab plumage and strutted toward a flock of the royal birds, hoping to be mistaken for one of them. The Peacocks, however, instantly detected the cheat. They stripped him of his borrowed finery and pecked him away in derision. When the humbled Jay returned to his own kind, they too refused to associate with him. 'Had you been content with our company,' said one old Jay, 'you would not have suffered the pride of the Peacocks or our present contempt.'
It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds; be content with who you are rather than trying to pass as someone you are not.
Questions about this story
What is the moral of The Jay and the Peacock?
The moral is that true worth comes from within, not from outward appearances or stolen status. It teaches that trying to be someone you aren't often leads to losing respect from everyone.
Why did the peacocks reject the jay?
The peacocks recognized the jay as an impostor immediately despite the beautiful feathers he wore. They were offended by his deception and punished his vanity by stripping the feathers away and driving him out.
Who wrote the fable of the Jay and the Peacock?
The story is attributed to Aesop, the legendary Greek fabulist. It was later popularized in Latin by the Roman poet Phaedrus, who added his own poetic flair to the tale.
What happens to the jay at the end of the story?
After being cast out by the peacocks, the jay tries to return to his own community. However, his fellow jays reject him as well, disgusted by his earlier arrogance and his attempt to abandon his own kind.
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Good night.
