The Peacock and the Crane

A proud peacock lived near a quiet lake at the edge of a forest.

His neck shone with brilliant blue and green colors, and his long tail was covered with beautiful eye-shaped feathers.

Every morning, the peacock walked beside the lake and admired his reflection in the water.

He often spread his tail into a magnificent fan.

Whenever other birds passed, the peacock made sure they noticed him.

— No bird in the forest is as beautiful as I am, — he often said.

One morning, a tall crane landed near the lake.

The crane had long legs, broad wings, and plain gray-and-white feathers.

She had flown a great distance and stopped beside the water to rest.

The peacock looked at the crane and then proudly opened his tail.

The sunlight made his colorful feathers shine.

— Look at my magnificent feathers, — said the peacock. — Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?

The crane looked politely at his tail.

— Your feathers are certainly colorful, — she replied.

The peacock stepped closer.

— Colorful? They are extraordinary! Every feather looks like a precious jewel.

He slowly turned around so the crane could admire him from every direction.

Then the peacock looked at the crane's simple feathers.

— Your feathers are very dull, — he said. — They have almost no color at all.

The crane remained calm.

— My feathers may be plain, but they protect me from the wind and cold.

The peacock laughed.

— Feathers should do more than keep a bird warm. They should make everyone stop and stare.

He spread his tail even wider.

Several small birds gathered in the nearby trees.

The peacock enjoyed their attention.

— When I walk through the forest, every animal notices me, — he continued. — You could walk past without anyone looking twice.

The crane looked toward the open sky.

— That may be true, — she said. — But feathers can also help a bird travel.

The peacock tilted his head.

— What do you mean?

The crane opened her broad wings.

— These plain wings have carried me over forests, rivers, mountains, and fields.

She pointed with her beak toward the distant hills.

— I have seen places far beyond this lake. When winter comes, I can fly to warmer lands.

The peacock looked at his heavy tail.

He could fly onto low branches and across short distances, but his beautiful feathers made long, high flights difficult.

The crane continued:

— Your tail may be more beautiful than my wings, but my wings can lift me high into the sky.

The peacock did not answer.

The crane ran several steps across the ground.

Then she spread her wings and rose gracefully into the air.

She circled above the lake.

The small birds watched as she flew higher and higher.

The crane passed over the treetops and headed toward the distant hills.

The peacock stood beside the water.

For once, no one was looking at his tail.

They were all watching the crane fly.

The peacock looked at his reflection again.

His feathers were still beautiful, but he now understood that beauty was not the only quality worth admiring.

The crane's simple wings gave her freedom, strength, and the ability to explore the world.

The peacock slowly closed his tail.

From that day forward, he remained proud of his appearance, but he no longer mocked birds whose feathers were less colorful.

He had learned that something plain and useful may be more valuable than something beautiful that serves only to attract attention.