Once there was a peacock who was extremely proud and vain. He boasted to everyone about his beautiful feathers, saying ‘ Look at my colourful feathers, look at how beautiful look, when I open them… I must be the most beautiful bird in the world!’
The other birds began to get very annoyed with the peacocks constant boasting. ‘He needs to be taught a lesson !’ They all crowed. ‘I have an idea’ said a crane. ‘Leave it to me…’ The next morning the crane walked past the peacock, who was busy preening and showing off her feathers. ‘Look at you.’ she squawked to the crane, ‘You are so plain and dull, you must so wish to be beautiful like me!’
The crane was ready with her reply and smiled, ‘I may be plain and dull, but I can lift myself up into the air and fly and swoop gracefully amongst the clouds. You, on the other hand, may have beautiful feathers, but they are of no use to you. They are not strong enough to lift you up into the sky like me!’
The peacock dropped her feathers and looked very embarrassed, she realised that if someone lacks one thing, they are always given another gift to compensate for what they do not have.
