Once upon a time there was a peacock which lived in a small valley. Everyday she took her morning walk, listening to all the birds' amazing songs. She thought to herself, "I wish I could sing like that." In a flash, inspiration came to her, "I'm a bird so maybe I can sing too." She went back to her nest and practiced singing the rest of the day.
The next day she went into the town and started singing. The animals walking down the street turned and looked at her and ran away screaming, "There's a mad peacock screeching at everyone." Still she kept singing until suddenly several windows broke. She garbled to herself, "cheap windows" and continued singing. More windows started breaking until several shopkeepers pleaded with her to stop singing saying that she was breaking their windows and scaring away customers. To which she replied, "I haven't touched your windows. It's your own your own fault that you bought cheap, bad ones. The animals must be crazy. I didn't do anything to them." Nevertheless the shopkeepers insisted that she rest her voice and go home. She went home reluctantly grumbling that no one would be able to listen to her voice.
When she got home she started thinking about what happened at town. She vaguely thought that what had happened might have something to do with her. But no it couldn't be. She had never caused trouble in her life (this is what she thought). But she resolved to go to her very wise friend the crow to find out. She put on her best feather suit and waddled to her friend's home.
When she got to her friends nest she called up to her friend's nest and the crow flew down to her. After exchanging pleasantries she got down to business. She explained to her friend the crow what had happened and asked the crow if it had anything to do with herself. The crow shook her head astutely and said, "You've been infected with a common disease known as (Here she paused for a dramatically suspenseful effect) badyishvoiceemalladees.
The peacock gasped in shock. "No" she said, "not the dreaded badyishvoiceemalladees."
The crow nodded her head sadly and said, "Yes the cursed disease that affects some animal's voices." The peacock wailed and asked what she was to do.
The crow said, "There there don't fret. I have a plan. Its going to take a lot of courage but if you want a beautiful voice that's what it will take." The peacock calmed down a little and asked what she had to do. The crow told her that she had to travel to the end of the earth to find the exotic goddess Juno (sometimes the crow used big words that didn't make sense but the peacock did not know what exotic meant and was very impressed with the word). The peacock said yes without a second thought and started walking in a random direction. The crow sighed happily thinking she had just done a very great thing. She flew back in her nest because she needed to rest 'extensive' brain cells for another opportunity.
The peacock wandered for many days not knowing where she was going. She had forgotten food in the spur of the moment and often had to beg for food and a place to sleep. Now many gods and goddesses roamed the world although no one could see them. They saw the peacock and reported her to the goddesses Juno.
Now Juno was a goddess that could grant gifts. But she had three weaknesses. She was very curious, extremely impatient and liked to play tricks. As soon as she heard about the peacock she wanted to find out what the peacock was doing. She went immediately to the peacock. She was disguised as an eagle. The peacock was astonished by the goddess/eagle flying to her, and she started to run away. The goddess called out to stop and the power of the goddess was such that the peacock stopped even though she didn't want to. The goddess informed the peacock that she was the goddess Juno. She asked the peacock why she had been wondering the Earth.
The peacock said, "I've been looking everywhere for you. I have something very important to ask of you." The Goddess impatiently said, "What is it, Tell me quick!" I have very important things to get to." The peacock spilled out her story as fast as her beak would allow. She said, "Everyone hates me because I have a horrible voice. My friend said I should see you so that you could fix it." She smiled sweetly and waited expectantly.
The goddess smirked inside and said, "Your wish is granted. When you go back home your voice will be the envy of everyone and many will come from the ends of the earth to hear you sing." The peacock could not thank the goddess enough and kept badgering the goddess until the goddess told the peacock to get lost before she changed her mind.
The peacock hurriedly left smiling widely at her wonderful fortune of having her wish granted. She journeyed back home as fast as her little legs could carry her. She went straight to town to test out her new voice. The shopkeepers grimaced, saying to themselves that she would break their new windows that they had just put in.
When she started singing they were so surprised they nearly fainted. Her voice was the most beautiful thing they had ever heard. Everyone in town stopped what they were doing and came to listen to the peacock's singing. While the peacock was singing her feathers subtly changed from blue and purple to an ugly shade of brown and gray. She grew so much around her middle that she could barely stand. She looked in a window and screamed. She ran to her nest crying and cursing Juno.
She hid herself in her nest for the rest of her life. The tree that she lived in died and drooped down to the ground giving it a spooky look. She often sang sad, bitter songs shedding many tears. Animals passing by would cry at the intensity and sadness of her songs.
The moral of the story is not to crave for something that you don't have. Be content with what you have and your life will be much happier. Don't live like the peacock.