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 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."
God hates everyone who is arrogant. Pride
leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall. No one is respected unless he is humble; arrogant people are on
the way to ruin. The Bible teaches that everyone who makes himself great will
be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be made great. The taller the
bamboo grows, the lower it bends.
..............................................................................................................................................................
© 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, Leo. S. John, St. Antony's Public School,
Anakkal, Kanjirappally and Neil John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath,
Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally, Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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