508. Cuculus et Cantus Eius. Ad sturnum, qui ex urbe aufugerat, volavit cuculus; scire enim volebat quid homines de cantu suo iudicarent. “Quomodo,” interrogavit, “homines de luscinia loquuntur?” Ille respondet, “Lusciniae cantum maximopere laudant.” “Quomodo de alauda?” “Multi quidem huius cantum laudant.” “Quomodo de coturnice?” “Nonnulli etiam coturnicis cantu delectantur.” “Quid vero de me iudicant?” “Hoc,” inquit sturnus, “dicere tibi non possum; nusquam enim tui fit mentio.” Id non exspectaverat cuculus. “Si ita est,” inquit iratus, “in posterum semper de me ipse loquar.”
M0508 (not in Perry). Source: Gildersleeve 8. This fable is not in Perry’s catalog. The story is an aetiological account of why the cuckoo sings “koo-koo,” that is, why it sings about itself, as reflected in the English name “cuckoo” and the Latin cuculus. For another fable about the cuckoo’s song, see #509.
