A thirsty Pigeon saw a glass of water on a sign. She flew toward it and slammed it and broke her wing and consequently was caught by one of the bystanders.
Act in haste and repent at leisure.
A thirsty Pigeon saw a glass of water painted on a sign. Not thinking, she flew rapidly toward it and slammed into the sign. In the fall she broke her wing and consequently was caught by one of the bystanders.
Townsend version
A pigeon, oppressed by excessive thirst, saw a goblet of water painted on a signboard. Not supposing it to be only a picture, she flew towards it with a loud whir and unwittingly dashed against the signboard, jarring herself terribly. Having broken her wings by the blow, she fell to the ground, and was caught by one of the bystanders.
Moral
Zeal should not outrun discretion.
L’Estrange version (A Pigeon and A Picture)
A pigeon saw the picture of a glass with water in’t, and taking it to be water indeed, flew rashly and eagerly up to’t, for a soup to quench her thirst. She broke her feathers against the frame of the picture, and falling to the ground upon’t, was taken up by the by-standers.
Moral
Rash men do many things in hast that they repent of at leisure.
Gherardo Image from 1480
Perry: 201