Tag Archives: The Jackdaw and the Doves

194.The Jackdaw and the Doves

A JACKDAW, seeing some doves in a cote abundantly provided with food, painted himself white and joined them in order to share their plentiful maintenance. As long as he was silent the doves supposed him to be one of them and admitted him to their cote. But when one day he forgot himself and began to chatter, they discovered his true character and drove him forth, pecking him with their beaks. Failing to get food among the doves, he returned to the jackdaws. They too, not recognizing him on account of his color, expelled him from living with them. So desiring two ends, he got neither.

Not all adaptations are successful; we should stay with the best ones for us as long as we can.