A jackdaw, as vain and conceited as jackdaw could be, picked up the feathers which some peacocks had shed, stuck them amongst his own, and despising his old companions, introduced himself with the greatest assurance into a flock of those beautiful birds .They, instantly detecting the intruder, stripped him of his borrowed plumes, and falling upon him with their beaks sent him about his business .The unlucky jackdaw, sorely punished and deeply sorrowing, betook himself to his former companions, and would have flocked with them again as if nothing had happened .But they, recollecting what airs he had given himself, drummed him out of their society, while one of those whom he had so lately despised, read him this lecture：“Had you been contented with what nature made you, you would have escaped the chastisement of your betters and also the contempt of your equals.”

　　注释：

　　jackdaw 八哥，寒鸦

　　vain 虚荣的，徒劳的

　　conceited 自以为是的

　　pick up 捡起

　　peacock 孔雀

　　despise 轻视

　　with the greatest assurance 满怀信心地

　　detect 发现、察觉

　　intruder 入侵者

　　strip 剥去

　　fall upon 攻击、进攻、开始行动

　　send him about his business 把他赶出去

　　sorely 强烈地

　　as if 好象

　　drum……out 逐出

　　read him this lecture 教训他

　　contented 满足的

　　chastisement 惩罚

　　译文：

　　一只自负到极点的八哥鸟，捡起了一些孔雀脱落下来的羽毛，插在自己的羽毛中，于是就看不起自己的老伙伴了，满怀信心地走到了那些美丽的鸟群中。他们立刻发觉了这个闯进来的家伙，拔掉了他身上捡来的羽毛，并且用嘴啄他，把他赶了出去，不幸的八哥受到了严重的惩罚，感到非常难过，于是又去投奔自己的老伙伴，满想若无其事地又和他们混在一起，但是他们想起了过去他那副骄傲自大的神气就把他从队伍中轰了出来，不久以前曾受过他轻视的一个伙伴教训他说：“如果你过去满足于你自己的天生模样，你就不会受到比你美的人的惩罚，也不会受到跟你相同的人的鄙视了。”