一隻寒鴉看到住在籠子裏的鴿子有充足的食物，於是他就把自己裝扮成鴿子的樣子去分享他們的食物。隻要寒鴉不開口說話，鴿子也分辨不出寒鴉是異類，因此他過了一段非常舒適的日子。
直到有一天，寒鴉忘記自己的身份，開始和鴿子們閑聊。這樣，鴿子就發現了他的真實麵目，把他趕出了籠子。無處可去的寒鴉隻能回到自己的同伴中間。可是，外表已經改變的寒鴉也被同伴拒之門外。結果，寒鴉成了兩邊都不接受的小可憐。
兩邊的利益都想得到，最後隻能是“竹籃打水一場空”。
A Jackdaw，seeing some Doves ily provided with food，paie ahem io share their plentiful maihe Doves，as long as he was sileo be ohemselves ao their cote.
But when o himself ao chatter，they discovered his true charad drove him forth，peg him with their beaks. Failing to obtain food among the Doves，he returhe Jackdaws. They tnizing him on at of his color. expelled him from living with them. S two eaiher.
He that trims betwees，loses himself with both， but is true to her.