The Owl and the Birds

an owl1, in her wisdom, counseled the birds that when the acorn

first began to sprout2, to pull it all up out of the ground and

not allow it to grow. she said acorns3 would produce mistletoe,

from which an irremediable poison, the bird-

lime, would be extracted and by which they would be captured.

the owl next advised them to pluck up the seed of the flax, which

men had sown, as it was a plant which boded4 no good to them.

and, lastly, the owl, seeing an archer5 approach, predicted that

this man, being on foot, would contrive6 darts7 armed with feathers

which would fly faster than the wings of the birds themselves.

the birds gave no credence8 to these warning words, but considered

the owl to be beside herself and said that she was mad. but

afterwards, finding her words were true, they wondered at her

knowledge and deemed her to be the wisest of birds. hence it is

that when she appears they look to her as knowing all things,

while she no longer gives them advice, but in solitude9 laments

their past folly10.