English Original
If you attempt what is beyond your power, your trouble will be wasted and you court not only misfortune but ridicule.
One day a Jackdaw saw an Eagle swoop down on a lamb and carry it off in its talons. "My word," said the Jackdaw, "I'll do that myself." So it flew high up into the air, and then came shooting down with a great whirring of wings onto the back of a big ram. It had no sooner alighted than its claws got caught fast in the wool, and nothing it could do was of any use: there it stuck, flapping away, and only making things worse instead of better.
By and by up came the Shepherd. "Oho," he said, "so that's what you'd be doing, is it?" And he took the Jackdaw, clipped its wings, and carried it home to his children. It looked so odd that they didn't know what to make of it. "What sort of bird is it, father?" they asked. "It's a Jackdaw," he replied, "and nothing but a Jackdaw: but it wants to be taken for an Eagle."
中文翻译
如果你试图去做超出自己能力范围的事，你的努力将会白费，而且你不仅会招致不幸，还会引来嘲笑。
一天，一只寒鸦看见一只鹰俯冲下来，用利爪抓住一只羊羔并带走了它。"天哪，"寒鸦说，"我也要这么做。"于是它高高飞入空中，然后伴随着翅膀的巨大呼啸声，猛地冲向一只大公羊的背上。它刚一落下，爪子就被羊毛紧紧缠住，无论它做什么都无济于事：它被困在那里，徒劳地拍打着翅膀，只会让情况变得更糟，而不是更好。
不久，牧羊人走了过来。"哦嗬，"他说，"原来你想干这个，是吧？"他抓住寒鸦，剪掉它的翅膀，把它带回家给他的孩子们。它看起来非常奇怪，孩子们都不知道这是什么。"这是什么鸟，爸爸？"他们问道。"这是一只寒鸦，"他回答，"而且只是一只寒鸦：但它却想被当成一只鹰。"