" He stroked the peacock's coat lovingly as he
praised him.
The dove was silent.
At last they bade the peacock good-by, the blackbird making many
low bows.
As they started home, the blackbird said, "I hope I may never meet
that stupid peacock again. I can not bear him. Did you notice his
feet? I felt like laughing every time I looked at them. His voice
makes me shudder. What can anyone see to praise in that bird?"
"I did not notice his feet nor his voice," said the dove. "He has
a noble form and his dress is very beautiful. The rainbow and the
flowers are not more beautiful."
The blackbird turned away in shame. He wished to hear fault found
with the peacock, but the dove gave only the highest praise.
THE GREEDY DOG
"What a good time I shall have eating this meat when I get home!"
said a dog as it started to cross a stream of water.
He stopped suddenly and looked down into the water. There was his
shadow. "That dog has a larger piece of meat than I," he said. "I
want that piece of meat and I will have it!"
He growled, but the dog in the water did not move nor did he drop
his piece of meat.
He snapped at the dog in the water. He was soon sorry for that,
for the meat slipped from his mouth and sank to the bottom of the
stream, and the dog in the water lost his meat at the same time.
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