The Turkey, Peacock, and Goose
John Gay | England
A proud peacock faces envy and criticism from other birds but teaches them to appreciate beauty instead of focusing on flaws.
Once upon a time, a beautiful pearooster lived on a farm with lots of other animals like chickens, turkeys, and geese. This pearooster was covered in colorful feathers that sparkled in the sunlight. He loved his feathers and felt proud of how beautiful they were.
One day, as the pearooster walked through the farmyard, he spread his feathers wide, showing off all the colors of his lovely tail. But instead of being amazed, the other birds just stared at him with frowns and whispered mean things.
The turkey grumbled, “Look at him showing off! He thinks he’s so much better than us because of those feathers!”
Then the goose squawked, “His legs look so funny! And his voice? It sounds terrible! He’s not as perfect as he thinks he is!”
The pearooster heard their words and felt a little sad. But then he stood up tall and said, “Yes, I know my legs aren’t the prettiest, and my voice might sound a bit harsh. But look at my feathers! They’re bright and beautiful, and that’s something special about me. You might not notice these things if you weren’t feeling envious. Sometimes, when we see something beautiful, we only want to point out the little flaws because we wish we had the same beauty ourselves.”
The other birds were quiet for a moment. Deep down, they knew the pearooster was right. It’s easy to see the faults in something lovely if you’re feeling jealous, but it’s much kinder to notice what makes it special.
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