552. Acanthis et Pica. Sola loquacitas sua picam futilem domino fecerat iucundam amabilemque. Illa, clangoribus procacibus perstrepens, modo omnem familiam obiurgabat, modo potum aut cibum sibi darent postulabat, et statim, quidquid vellet, habebat affatim. Acanthis, quae in domo eadem latebat, sonos canoros tantum fundere didicerat; solitudinem suam cantu mulcens durabat, omni querimonia se abstinens, nec dignabatur quidpiam postulare. Interdum familia et dominus ipse, ad eius lene et argutum melos attenti, aurium operam dicabant et magnis laudibus delicias musicas ultro remunerabant, sed alia munera raro impertiebant. Ergo, avis misella victibus quibus spiritum etiam sustineret saepe caruit, et elanguit ac denique periit fame.
M0552 (not in Perry). Source: Desbillons 8.17 (adapted into prose). This fable is not in Perry’s catalog; Desbillons cites Richer as his source. For another fable about the chattering magpie, see #496. For another fable about a neglected pet bird, see #551.
