swooping down on
powerful wings, seized a lamb in
her talons and made off with it to
her nest. A Jackdaw saw the deed,
and his silly head was filled with
the idea that he was big and strong
enough to do as the Eagle had
done. So with much rustling of
feathers and a fierce air, he came
down swiftly on the back of a large
Ram. But when he tried to rise
again he found that he could not
get away, for his claws were
tangled in the wool. And so far
was he from carrying, away the
Ram, that the Ram hardly noticed
he was there.
", "
", "center", "70", "5", "5", "[Illustration]") ?>
The Shepherd saw the fluttering jackdaw and at once guessed
what had happened. Running up,
he caught the bird and clipped
its wings. That evening he gave
the Jackdaw to his children.
"What a funny bird this is!"
they said laughing, "what do you
call it, father?"
"That is a jackdaw, my children. But if you should ask him,
he would say he is an Eagle."
Do not let your vanity make you overestimate your powers.