Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Peacock feathers lay strewn about the yard, Fine long feathers, in a colourful mess.
Along came a Jay -- a silly young jay, Rather vain, so he was -- and eager to impress.
Saw the feathers lying on the ground, Thought to himself: 'What a treasure I have
found! Yes, what a grand new set of clothes I have
found!
Oh how fine these feathers are! And what a fine bird I'd be
Wearing feathers such as these! What's to stop me putting them on?
Whatever is to stop me dressing as I please?' And he put those feathers on his tail, so
he did; Yes, he put those feathers on his tail.
'Oh how fine these feathers are! Look at me, look at me, I'm the Prince of
the Yard! Quite the handsome bird about the farm -
Adorned with such feathers for my noon promenade!'
The peacocks gathered and they watched the silly Jay
As he strutted through the yard, quite a dandy, so he thought.
But the peacocks were not at all impressed, no they weren't
He may sport their feathers but he wasn't their sort!
Pecked at the feathers sticking from the Jay, Stripped him of the feathers and tossed them
all away Pulled the feathers out, they did, and tossed
them all away.
'Oh how mean you peacocks are, robbing me, robbing me of some harmless livery!
Quite the selfish birds you be!' But the peacocks replied with a stern homily:
'Don't try to be what you're not, little bird-- you're a jay, and it's right that you stay
that way! Don't try to be what you're not little bird!'
said the peacocks and strutted away.
The Jay, he was quite distraught, so he was, And he pattered back over to the other jays
and daws; But they too were reproachful, they too were
unimpressed And they didn't have much sympathy, they didn't
back his cause.
Instead they scoffed at his short-lived display, And joined as one in upbraiding the Jay -
All together crossly they upbraided the poor Jay:
'Don't try to be what you're not, little bird -- you're a jay, and it's right that you stay
that way! Don't try to be what you're not little bird!'
And with that they left the poor Jay.