Introduction
In this story, a crow wanted to be beautiful and have bright, colourful feathers like a peacock. So, the crow started picking up peacock feathers and placed them on its wings, tail, and head. Looking at its reflection, the crow felt proud and thought it looked amazing. But while the crow was happy with its new look, the other crows loved it just the way it was, with its shiny black feathers.
Poem Explanation
Stanza 1:
“There once was a crow.
He was black, as you know.
How to be beautiful,
he wanted to know.
Colourful feathers,
he wanted to grow.”
In this stanza, we learn about a crow who is black in color. However, this crow doesn’t like being black and wants to have colorful feathers like other birds. It feels that having colorful feathers will make it more beautiful.
Stanza 2:
“He found one peacock feather.
He stuck it in his tail.
Then he found another,
He picked up all without fail.”
One day, the crow found a peacock feather on the ground. He thought it looked very beautiful and decided to stick it in his tail. Then he found more feathers and picked up each one happily. He believed that if he added many peacock feathers, he would become as beautiful as a peacock.
Try yourself:
What did the crow do with the peacock feathers it found?
- A.Ate them.
- B.Used them to build a nest.
- C.Stuck them in its tail.
- D.Ignored them.
Stanza 3:
“He stuck them in his wings,
Put one on his head.
I am now beautiful,
He danced and said.”
The crow was very excited. He took all the feathers he had collected and stuck them on his wings and even put one on his head. He was very happy with his new look and thought he had finally become beautiful. He started dancing with joy and told himself, “Now I look amazing!”
Stanza 4:
“The other crows laughed at him.
‘Oh, what a fool you are!
You are beautiful in black.
We love you for what you are.’”
When the other crows saw him, they laughed at him. They thought it was funny that he was trying to change himself. They told him that he did not need colourful feathers to be beautiful. They reminded him that he was special just the way he was. They loved him for who he was, not for how he looked.
Moral of the Poem
- True beauty is being yourself.
- We should love ourselves the way we are.
- We don’t need to change to impress others.
- Everyone is unique and special in their own way.
Try yourself:
What is the moral of the story mentioned in the passage?
- A.True beauty comes from changing oneself to impress others.
- B.True beauty lies in having colourful feathers like a peacock.
- C.True beauty is being yourself and loving yourself the way you are.
- D.True beauty is only found in outward appearances.
New Words and Meanings
- Feathers: The light and soft covering on a bird’s body that helps keep it warm and allows it to fly.
- Peacock: A large bird famous for its bright, colourful feathers and unique tail that spreads out like a fan, often seen as a symbol of beauty.
- Tail: The back part of a bird’s body that extends beyond its main body, important for helping it fly straight and turn.
- Wings: The parts of a bird’s body that help it to fly and also assist in keeping it balanced and regulating its temperature.
- Beautiful: Having qualities that are pleasing to look at, hear, or think about; attractive in appearance.