A caged Dove boasted to a Crow about all the young. The Crow pointed out to the Dove that having many young is good but it’s better for them to be free.
Many children are a great blessing; but a few good ones are a greater.
Townsend version
A dove shut up in a cage was boasting of the large number of young ones which she had hatched. A Crow hearing her, said: “My good friend, cease from this unseasonable boasting. The larger the number of your family, the greater your cause of sorrow, in seeing them shut up in this prison-house.”
L’Estrange version
A pigeon that was brought up in a dove-house, was bragging to a crow how fruitful she was. Never value your self says the crow upon that vanity; for the more children, the more sorrow.
Moral
Many children are a great blessing; but a few good ones are a greater; all hazzards consider’d.
Gherardo Image from 1480
Columba et Cornix
Columba domestica, singulis mensibus pullos aut ova excludens, de fecunditate sua insolenter gloriabatur, audiente ac vidente de proximo cornicula. Quae non inscite ad eam “Desine, soror,” ait, “gloriari; quanto enim fecundior es, tanto mihi videris infortunatior, aliis pariens, non tibi.”
Perry #202
