Sa isang kakahuyan, naninirahan ang uwak at ang kalapati. Ang uwak ay may itim na balahibo na kuminang sa araw, ngunit hindi niya ito nagustuhan. Palagi niyang tinitingnan ang kalapati, na may malinis at maputing balahibo, at lihim na naiinggit.
“Bakit kaya hindi ako katulad ng kalapati? Napakaganda niya at palaging pinupuri ng iba,” sabi ng uwak sa kanyang sarili.
Isang araw, habang nagpapahinga sa tabi ng ilog, nakakita ang uwak ng mga puting balahibo na nalaglag mula sa kalapati. Agad niya itong pinulot at idinikit sa kanyang sariling balahibo gamit ang putik.
“Ngayon, mukhang maganda na rin ako!” tuwang-tuwang sabi ng uwak.
Lumipad siya patungo sa mga ibon sa kagubatan upang ipakita ang kanyang bagong itsura. Ngunit habang siya’y nagmamalaki, napansin ng mga ibon ang kakaibang itsura niya.
“Anong ginawa mo sa sarili mo, uwak?” tanong ng kalapati.
“Ginawa ko ito upang maging maganda, katulad mo!” sagot ng uwak.
Ngunit biglang bumuhos ang ulan. Ang putik na ginamit ng uwak upang idikit ang mga balahibo ay natunaw, at bumagsak ang mga puting balahibo sa lupa. Ang tunay na anyo ng uwak ay muling lumabas.
Tumawa ang ibang mga ibon, ngunit nilapitan siya ng kalapati at nagsabi, “Hindi mo kailangang magpanggap na iba upang magustuhan. Ang tunay na kagandahan ay nasa loob, hindi sa panlabas.”
Napahiya ang uwak, ngunit natutunan niya ang mahalagang aral. Mula noon, tumigil siya sa pagkainggit at nagsimulang pahalagahan ang sarili niyang anyo.
Aral:
Ang tunay na kagandahan ay hindi nakikita sa panlabas na anyo, kundi sa mabuting puso at pagtanggap sa sariling pagkatao.
English Translation
The Crow and the Dove: A Lesson on True Beauty
In a forest, a crow and a dove lived side by side. The crow had shiny black feathers that glistened in the sunlight, but he was unhappy with them. He often admired the dove’s clean, white feathers and secretly envied her.
“Why can’t I be like the dove? She’s so beautiful and always admired by others,” the crow thought to himself.
One day, while resting by the river, the crow noticed some white feathers that had fallen from the dove. He quickly picked them up and stuck them onto his own feathers using mud.
“Now, I look beautiful too!” the crow exclaimed joyfully.
He flew to the other birds in the forest to show off his new appearance. But as he proudly flaunted his “new look,” the other birds noticed something strange.
“What have you done to yourself, crow?” the dove asked.
“I did this so I could be beautiful, just like you!” replied the crow.
Suddenly, it began to rain. The mud holding the white feathers together washed away, and the feathers fell to the ground. The crow’s true form was revealed once again.
The other birds laughed, but the dove approached him and said, “You don’t need to pretend to be someone else to be appreciated. True beauty is found within, not on the outside.”
The crow felt ashamed but learned an important lesson. From that day on, he stopped feeling envious and began to appreciate his own natural appearance.
Moral of the Story:
True beauty is not seen in outward appearances but in a kind heart and acceptance of oneself.