A Fable

One day, a proud peacock sat admiring his vibrant feathers; emerald, sapphire, and amber all came together in a striking stalk of fluff. He gazed in his superior, luxurious mirror, gawking at his attractive reflection. All remained well in his superb mansion. Until suddenly, his friends ran to his house, and advised him repetitively to pack up his home and flee from the approaching flood. He continued to untangle his plumage, and retorted,

“You approach me, as mere commoners? My home is made from the finest materials; each sturdy column fashioned from flawless marble, every tile crafted from the purest of gold.”

“We understand this, sir,” they responded timidly, “But the oncoming deluge will sweep all this away, leaving nothing but dust in its place.”

The peacock screeched, “Depart from me! You have no place here!”

They went to their homes, to collect their items rapidly, before the looming disaster.

The peacock, somewhat traumatized, tried to preen himself peacefully, which worked, until he felt water at his feet. He quickly scampered and grabbed as many of his belongings as possible. He quickly jumped the stairs, and scuttled to his roof. However, since it was made from pearls, he easily slipped off.

“Help!” he shouted, “Someone please help!” When he finally swam to a nearby boat, all of his feathers had been ripped off by the current. “No!” he howled with dismay, “This can’t be! My perfectly preened plumage ruined by these harsh rapids!” From that day to this, a peacock loses its feathers once a year.

Seize the day; don’t waste time on things that don’t matter.