The Eagle, the Jackdaw and the Shepherd
A Jackdaw, envious of an Eagle's hunting prowess, unsuccessfully attempts to mimic it and is captured by a Shepherd.
One day, an Eagle was flying over some fields when it saw a lamb eating grass. The Eagle quickly flew down, grabbed the lamb with its strong claws, and carried it away.
A Jackdaw was watching and was amazed by the Eagle's power. The Jackdaw thought, "I can do that too!" So it flew up into the air and dived down onto the back of a big ram.
But when the Jackdaw landed, its claws got stuck in the ram's thick wool, and it couldn't fly away. The Jackdaw flapped its wings wildly, but it was trapped.
Just then, a Shepherd saw the Jackdaw struggling on the ram’s back. He came over, untangled the Jackdaw's claws, and took it home.
That evening, the Shepherd gave the Jackdaw to his children, who were curious about the strange bird. They laughed and said, "What a funny bird! What is it called, Father?"
The Shepherd smiled and replied, "This is a Jackdaw, but if you were to ask him, he might tell you he’s an Eagle."
In the end, the Jackdaw learned an important lesson: It’s better to be happy with who you are than to try to be something you're not.
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One day, an Eagle was flying over some fields when it saw a lamb eating grass.
The Eagle quickly flew down, grabbed the lamb with its strong claws, and carried it away.
A Jackdaw was watching and was amazed by the Eagle's power.
The Jackdaw thought, "I can do that too!"
So it flew up into the air and dived down onto the back of a big ram.
But when the Jackdaw landed, its claws got stuck in the ram's thick wool, and it couldn't fly away.
The Jackdaw flapped its wings wildly, but it was trapped.
Just then, a Shepherd saw the Jackdaw struggling on the ram’s back.
He came over, untangled the Jackdaw's claws, and took it home.
That evening, the Shepherd gave the Jackdaw to his children, who were curious about the strange bird.
They laughed and said, "What a funny bird!
What is it called, Father?"
The Shepherd smiled and replied, "This is a Jackdaw, but if you were to ask him, he might tell you he’s an Eagle."
In the end, the Jackdaw learned an important lesson: It’s better to be happy with who you are than to try to be something you're not.
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Word Finder
Eagle
Large bird with sharp claws, strong wings.Amazed
Feeling surprised or very impressed by something.Power
Ability to do something in a strong way.Dived
Moved quickly downwards through the air.Thick
Something large and not easy to move through.Wool
Soft hair that covers the body of a sheep.Untangled
Removed knots or twists from something stuck.Curious
Wanting to know or learn about something.Strange
Unusual or different from what is normal.Important
Something that has great meaning or value.
Understanding Questions
- What did the Eagle do when it saw the lamb in the field?
- Why was the Jackdaw amazed by the Eagle?
- What happened when the Jackdaw tried to grab the ram like the Eagle did with the lamb?
- How did the Shepherd help the Jackdaw when it got stuck on the ram's back?
- What did the Shepherd’s children say when they saw the Jackdaw?
Reflection Questions
- Why do you think the Jackdaw wanted to do what the Eagle did?
- How do you think the Jackdaw felt when it was stuck on the ram's back?
- Can you remember a time when you tried to do something that someone else could do, but it was too hard or it didn't work out?
- What does this story teach us about the importance of understanding our own abilities and limitations?
- How can we apply the lesson from this story in our daily lives? For example, is it important to always be ourselves and not try to be someone else?
Fable Quotes
Envy blinds us to our unique strengths and gifts.
Identity is the compass that guides us to our unique potential.
In the quest to mimic others, we risk losing our true selves.
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The Carpenter and the Oak Tree
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- Humility
- Respect
The Travelers and The Plane-Tree
Two tired travelers rest under a plane tree, one calls it useless, but the tree reminds them of its shade's value.