Krilof and His Fables/The Starling
The Starling.
A certain Starling learnt, in early life, to sing as like a goldfinch as if it had been born a goldfinch itself. The whole forest was enlivened by its sportive little lay, and the dear Starling was the theme of universal praise.
Any other bird would have been content with such honours. But our Starling heard the nightingale being praised, Our Starling, to its sorrow, became jealous.
"Just wait a little, my friends," it thinks; "I will sing in the nightingale's style too, and every bit as well."
And it really did begin singing, only it was in a style quite different from anything else. It squeaked, it growled, it whimpered like a kid, and, without the least reason for doing so, mewed like a kitten. To be brief, its singing made all the other birds take to flight.
Well, my dear Starling! what have you gained by that? Better sing a goldfinch's song well, than a nightingale's badly.
