The Vain Jackdaw And His Borrowed Feathers
自负的寒鸦和借来的羽毛
by Aesop
出自《伊索寓言》
A Jackdaw chanced to fly over the garden of the King's palace. There he saw with much wonder and envy a flock of royal Peacocks in all the glory of their splendid plumage.
一只寒鸦碰巧飞过国王宫殿的花园。在那里，他看到了一群羽毛华丽的孔雀，令他非常惊奇和羡慕。
Now the black Jackdaw was not a very handsome bird, nor very refined in manner. Yet he imagined that all he needed to make himself fit for the society of the Peacocks was a dress like theirs. So he picked up some castoff feathers of the Peacocks and stuck them among his own black plumes.
由于这只黑色的寒鸦既不漂亮，也不文雅。然而，他想象自己只要穿一件和孔雀们一样的衣服，就能融入孔雀们的社会。于是他捡起一些孔雀的羽毛，把它们夹在自己的黑色羽毛中。
Dressed in his borrowed finery he strutted loftily among the birds of his own kind. Then he flew down into the garden among the Peacocks. But they soon saw who he was. Angry at the cheat, they flew at him, plucking away the borrowed feathers and also some of his own.
他穿着借来的华丽衣服，趾高气扬地在自己的同类鸟儿中昂首阔步。然后他飞到花园的孔雀中间。但他们很快就认出了他是谁。他们对这个骗子很生气，朝他扑过去，把借来的羽毛和他自己的一些羽毛都拔了下来。
The poor Jackdaw returned sadly to his former companions. There another unpleasant surprise awaited him. They had not forgotten his superior airs toward them, and, to punish him, they drove him away with a rain of pecks and jeers.
可怜的寒鸦伤心地回到从前的伙伴们身边。又有一件不愉快的意外在等着他。他们没有忘记他对他们的高傲态度，为了惩罚他，他们用一边啄他，一边嘲笑着把他赶走了。
Borrowed feathers do not make fine birds.
寓意：用借来的羽毛打造不出美丽的鸟。