Aesop's Fables: Townsend (1867)
250. The Eagle and the Jackdaw (Perry
2)
AN EAGLE, flying down from his perch on a lofty rock, seized upon a lamb
and carried him aloft in his talons. A Jackdaw, who witnessed the capture
of the lamb, was stirred with envy and determined to emulate the strength
and flight of the Eagle. He flew around with a great whir of his wings
and settled upon a large ram, with the intention of carrying him off,
but his claws became entangled in the ram's fleece and he was not able
to release himself, although he fluttered with his feathers as much as
he could. The shepherd, seeing what had happened, ran up and caught him.
He at once clipped the Jackdaw's wings, and taking him home at night,
gave him to his children. On their saying, 'Father, what kind of bird
is it?' he replied, 'To my certain knowledge he is a Daw; but he would
like you to think an Eagle.'
single quote-- what kind of bird is it?'
George Fyler Townsend's translation of the fables, first published in 1867, is
in the public domain and can be found at many websites, including Project
Gutenberg.
Illustrations come from: Aesop's Fables, by George Fyler Townsend, with
illustrations by Harrison Weir, 1867, at Google
Books. |