Fable

The Jay and the Peacock

A Jay venturing into a yard where Peococks used to walk, found there a number of feathers which had fallen from the peococks when they were moulting. He tied them all to his tail and strutted down towards the peococks. When he came near them they soon discovered the cheat, and striding up to him pecked at him and plucked away his borrowed plumes. So the Jay could do no better than go back to the other Jays, who had watched his behaviour from a distance; but they were equally annoyed with him, and told him, 'It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds.