The Jackdaw and the Doves

A Jackdaw seeing how well the Doves were cared for in their dove-cote, whitened himself, so that he might have a share of their good fortune. As long as he kept quiet they let him be amongst them, thinking he was a Dove, but when he forgot himself and opened his mouth, they discovered what he really was and flew upon him and drove him out. He, poor fellow, losing that chance, went back to the Jackdaws, but they did not know him on account of his white coat, and would not let him join them, and so for wanting to get into two companies he missed both.

The fable teaches us that we ought to be content with our own, arguing that covetousness is not only of no avail but often rids us of what we already have.