A PROUD PEACOCK

                       A proud peacock boasted that he was the most beautiful bird and the best dancer in the whole world. He looked down on the other birds which lacked beauty or skill in dancing. Once a crow tried to make friends with him. He scornfully told the crow, "You are very ugly and small in appearance and offensive in sound and behaviour. You are a scavenger feeding on garbage and decaying flesh. How dare you come near me? Look at my elegant, elaborate, enormous, exquisite and exotic plumage. I am admired for my beauty and grace and excellent skills in dancing. Go away from me."

                       The peacock displayed his long and colourful tail and fanned out his brilliant feathers. He quivered gracefully, boastfully displaying his superb dancing skills. Suddenly a leopard made a surprise attack from its hiding place and caught the peacock before he could make any defensive movement. His fanned out feathers made it impossible to escape from the pouncing predator. But the simple crow could make a swift flight and easily escape from the ambush. Seated on a tall tree the crow watched the tragic fate of the proud peacock. He sobbed in sorrow.

                       A large number of students came to become the disciples of Socrates, the great Greek philosopher. He asked all of them to look into a pond and tell him what they saw in the pond. The senior disciples of Socrates asked him why he made such a test. Socrates replied, "I am ready to accept all those who see the fish swimming around. But those who see only their own image mirrored in the water are in love with their ego. I have no use for them."

                   

                     "The Lord hates everyone who is arrogant; He will never let them escape punishment" {Proverbs 16: 5}. "Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall" {Proverbs 16: 18}. "No one is respected  unless he is humble; arrogant people are on the way to ruin" {Proverbs 18: 12}.

                     "Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised" {Matthew 5: 5}. "For everyone who makes himself great will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be made great" {Luke 14: 11}.

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© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India, Prof. Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St. Dominic's College, Kanjirappally and Leo. S. John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally, Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.

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