The Peacock and the Jay
Long ago, cheerful birds lived beside an old forest with cool waters. In that beautiful forest there were colourful and lovely birds of every kind. Every morning the birds sang together and flew about happily. One day the old owl of the forest wanted to choose a new king. All the birds gathered under a big green tree. The great peacock, with colourful feathers and a long tail, stepped forward.
All the birds looked at his splendid feathers with wonder. Most of the birds thought that he was the right king. The peacock opened his wings proudly and showed his beauty. Just then a small and clever jay stood up. The jay asked the peacock a question in a loud voice. "Your beauty is wonderful, but how will you help us in danger?" he said.
"If a big eagle attacks, how will you protect us?" he asked. The peacock did not know what to say, and he stayed silent. The other birds understood at once that the jay was right. They saw that beauty alone is not enough for a good leader. The birds looked not only at beauty, but also at courage and mind. After that day they made wiser decisions in the forest. Real strength is not in the feathers, but in the mind and the courage. Beauty passes away, but wisdom stays.