The Crow’s Revelation
A Timeless Fable on Finding Contentment in What You Already Have
The Crow’s Revelation
Once upon a time, in a lush green forest, there lived a crow. He was an ordinary black crow, living a simple life, flying freely in the sky, and feeding on whatever nature provided. He had never questioned his existence or appearance until one day, he saw a swan gracefully gliding over a clear lake.
The crow was mesmerized by the swan's beauty. Its white feathers shone under the sunlight, making it look elegant and pure. The crow looked at his own black feathers and sighed. He thought, * How unfortunate I am! My feathers are dull and black, while the swan is so white and beautiful. Surely, the swan must be the happiest bird in the world.
With curiosity in his heart, the crow approached the swan and expressed his thoughts.
*Oh, dear swan! You are the most beautiful bird I have ever seen. You must be the happiest bird in the world.
### **The swan’s Realization**
The swan smiled gently and replied, I used to think the same way about myself. But one day, I saw a parrot. The parrot has two bright colors, green and red, while I am just plain white. So, I thought that perhaps the parrot is happier than I.
The crow listened carefully and felt a sense of hope. Maybe the parrot had a better perspective on happiness. So, the crow set off in search of the parrot.
### **The Perrots’s Realization**
When crow reached the parrot and crow asked to the parrot, "Your wings are very beautiful, it is a great favor from God," the parrot's eyes burst into tears and a full aah, "What do the peacock's wings look like?" Then a curiosity crow has flown away from there to see the best wing of the peacock."
That’s when I started thinking that the peacock must be the happiest bird in the world.
Hearing this, the crow grew even more curious. So happiness is not in having two colors either? Maybe I should meet the peacock,"* he thought.
### **The Peacock’s Realization**
Determined to find the happiest bird, the crow flew to a nearby zoo, where he had heard peacocks lived. When he reached there, he saw hundreds of people gathered around a peacock’s enclosure, admiring its beauty. The peacock spread its glorious feathers, dazzling the spectators.
The crow watched as the peacock moved gracefully, but he also noticed something strange. The peacock was confined in a cage. Unlike the crow, the peacock couldn’t fly freely in the sky.
As soon as the visitors left, the crow flew closer and said, Dear Peacock, you are the most beautiful bird I have ever seen. Thousands of people come to admire you every day. You must be the happiest bird in the world.
The peacock sighed and replied, "Thank you for your kind words, dear crow. But let me tell you something. I used to think I was the happiest bird because of my beauty. However, because of my colorful feathers, I am kept inside this zoo. I have lost my freedom. I can no longer fly in the open sky like you do. For the past few days, I have been thinking that if I were a crow, I would be free to go wherever I wanted.
The crow was taken aback by the peacock’s words. He had spent so much time envying others that he had never realized the value of his own freedom.
### **The Lesson for Humans**
As the crow flew back to the forest, he reflected on everything he had learned. The swan thought the parrot was happier. The parrot believed the peacock was the happiest. And the peacock, despite its beauty, longed for the simple freedom that the crow had.
This realization struck the crow deeply. He finally understood that happiness is not found in comparing ourselves to others. Every creature has its own blessings and struggles. The moment we start comparing, we forget to appreciate what we have.
Is not this the same mistake we humans make?
We often look at others and assume they are happier than we. A poor man envies a rich man for his wealth, but the rich man may long for the simple and peaceful life of the poor. A student envies a working professional, thinking he has financial stability, while the professional wishes to go back to his carefree student days.
The truth is, happiness lies in appreciating what we already have. Comparison is the theft of joy. It creates a cycle of dissatisfaction and makes us blind to our own blessings.
About the Creator
Muhammad Iqbal
Experienced writer creating research-based articles on medicine, pharmacy, and motivation. I simplify complex topics to educate readers on health, pharmaceuticals, and positive life change.
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From the earliest memories I can recall, life presented me with two roads. One was smooth, inviting, and well-trodden—a path that promised comfort, approval, and ease. The other was rough, rocky, and uncertain—a path of struggle, obstacles, and lessons that demanded effort, patience, and resilience. I never chose the smooth road. I never took shortcuts. Not because I was fearless, but because something deep inside refused to let me live a life that wasn’t earned. The easy path whispered promises of fleeting satisfaction, fleeting success, and fleeting recognition. It was tempting. Many around me chose it, and I often wondered if I was foolish for ignoring it. But I learned early that true growth is rarely convenient. The easiest choice often leads to emptiness, to regret, to a quiet knowing that you could have been more than you allowed yourself to be. Hardship became my teacher long before success ever noticed me. The lessons it offered were harsh, uncompromising, and often lonely. There were days when choosing the hard path felt like choosing isolation. While others were celebrated for small accomplishments, supported by friends and family, I walked in silence, with doubt as my companion. Progress was invisible to the world. Failures were frequent and relentless. Many nights, I returned home tired, my heart heavy, my mind questioning why I even bothered. Yet even in that silence, I was being shaped. I was learning the value of persistence, of dedication, and of refusing to give up on myself. The hard path forced honesty. It refused to allow excuses. It stripped away illusions and pretenses. I was left face-to-face with my limits, my fears, and my own humanity. On this path, I discovered strengths I never knew I had: patience I had never cultivated, resilience I had doubted, and self-respect that grew every time I stood up instead of walking away. These were not lessons that could be taught in comfort. 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It grows quietly, in the moments no one sees—the early mornings, the long nights, the repeated failures, the times you push forward when giving up would be understandable. Resilience is not simply surviving; it is deliberately choosing to continue, to stand again, to pursue the path that tests you the most. It is knowing that walking away is easier but will never lead to the person you are capable of becoming. I have walked many hard roads in life. Each one was different, yet the lessons were the same: comfort cannot teach endurance, shortcuts cannot teach discipline, and fleeting success cannot teach respect. Every struggle, no matter how small, adds to your character. Every failure is a mirror that shows you who you really are. And every choice to face hardship instead of fleeing builds a foundation that lasts long after temporary victories fade. There were times when I felt truly alone. People around me often misunderstood my choices. 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I measure it by how I faced challenges I could not ignore, how I embraced struggles that seemed unbearable, and how I refused to take shortcuts at the cost of my own becoming. I never chose the easy path. I chose the one that made me resilient. I chose the one that taught me self-respect. I chose the one that allowed me to become the person I am today. And if I had the choice again, I would choose the hard path every single time. Because the road of struggle is not only a journey—it is the making of a human being.writing...
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Comments (1)
Well written 👏