fliould give him fome of his feathers. The best feathered gave themoft, fo that he was foon ena-hled to fly. The other birds took much pleafure in feeing Jiim. When this bird faw himfelf thu? in feather, and that all the birds paid him great honour, he grew proud, and jjot only held thofe cheap who had made him fo, bpt pecked and drove them from him. The Jbirds held an af-fembly to confider how.they fhoujd act, in con-fequence of the treatment they received from this bird whom they had clothed, and who now de-fpifed them. The peacock faid, ' He is too finely dreffed in my featfiers : I will take them from him.' c In God's name,' faid the falcon, ' fo will I mine.' The other birds faid, they would do the fame, and immediately began to unfea-ther him. f The bird, on feeing this, humbled himfelf greatly, and acknowledged the honours an$ wealth he had received ; and that his fine feathery were not his own, for he had come into the world naked and featherless ; and thofe who had feathered him might, if they chofe, retake them. He cried out for mercy, an*d promifed, hencefor-ward, never to rifle, by pride or prefumptiorj, the lofs of his feathers. The gajlant birds who had plucked him, feeing him thus humbled in his deportment, restored his feathers : but faid, on giving them back,—6 We will gladly fee thee fly among us, as long as thou fhalt bear thyfelf meekly, for fo it becometh thee ; but if ever thou {halt act arrogantly, we will pluck thee bare, and leave thee in the naked ftate we found 1 • • ' • ' ^ '•• thee.* 354