FAVOURITE FABLES. 43

FABLE XXXIII.
THE PEACOCK’S COMPLAINT.

Tue Peacock presented a memorial to Juno, importing
how hardly he thought he was used, in not having so good a
voice as the Nightingale; how that bird was agreeable to
every ear that heard it, while he was laughed at for his ugly,
screaming noise, if he did but open his mouth.

The goddess, concerned at the uneasiness of her favourite
bird, answered him very kindly to this purpose :—‘‘If the
Nightingale is blest with a fine voice, you have the advan-
tage in point of beauty and size.” “Ah!” says he, ‘but
what avails my silent, unmeaning beauty, when I am so far
excelled in voice ?”’

The goddess dismissed him, bidding him consider that
the properties of every creature were appointed by the decree
of Fate; to him beauty, to the Eagle strength, to the Night-
ingale a voice of melody, to the Parrot the faculty of speech,
and to the Dove innocence ; that each of these was contented
with his own peculiar quality; and, unless he wished to be
miserable, he must also learn to be equally satisfied.