Dyalogus Creaturarum:

RENAISSANCE WOODCUTS & FABLES

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About the Pheasant and the Peacock: Dialogue 62

he birds decided to elect one of their number to be the first among them: but it produced divided opinions, and both the pheasant and the peacock were elected. The birds said to the Eagle "You be the judge, and confirm if we've made the right choice". The pheasant made much of himself, and said "My delicious meat and delightful smell are the best there are, so I must be the foremost".

But the peacock defended himself as best he could, and said, "That's not right, I'm more beautiful than he is: my tail gives me the highest rank".

But the Eagle saw through everything, and said "Oh, Peacock, you did yourself a bad turn by turning up your tail, because then you showed us how ugly your feet are. So you can't be worthy to rule". Then he said to the pheasant, "But you are whiny and feeble and can't sing. So because of your weak eyes I remove the leadership from you". And they both lost all their power, and understood that

	Eight Stories: About Laurus, the Sea-Eagle About the Pheasant and the Peacock About the Owl who wanted to rule over the Birds About the Countryman and the Bees About the Lion who built a Priory About the Donkey-Centaur who built a Palace About the Monkey who wrote Books About the Wolf and the Donkey
Introduction	Original editions	Johan Snell's printing