Foreword:
This fable represents in-born nature. It is numbered 398 in the Perry Index (as 398. The Crow and the Swan), and illustrates unsuccessful attempts to alter natural traits. This fable is noticed under 'Washing the Ethiopian White', numbered 393 in the Perry Index - which is also applied to the impossibility of changing character. The Raven and the Swan
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A raven lived near a lake, along with his partner.
 
Raven watches white beauty of Swan
And, in the lake, lived a swan.
 
The swan was truly majestic, with his big plumage, long neck, and feathers as white as the purest snow. He was a sight to watch, when he swam across the lake, oblivious of envious eyes.
 
The raven and his partner watched the swan from far above, as they sat on a branch of a tree, and admired his beauty and majestic look.
 
With all the attention and admiration that the swan received, including from his partner, the raven grew jealous of the swan and desired to secure for himself the same beautiful plumage.
 
"If I was as white as the swan, I would look as majestic", thought the raven, "Then, I will have everyone's admiration, and everybody would want to be my friend."
 
Raven opines Swan is white due to washing
He confided his observation to his partner, "The swan is as white as snow, because he is constantly washing himself in the water. Had that not been, he would be as black as us."
 
The partner did not pay heed to such absurd observation.
 
But, the raven was adamant, "We would turn white, too, if we spent everyday washing ourselves in water, and lived on the diet of weed, plants, and fishes of the lake."
 
"Don't be foolish!", his partner tried to dissuade, "If you were meant to have white feathers, you would have been born with them."
 
This angered the raven. Determined to prove himself, he decided to leave their perch on the tree, and flew down to live on the lake and in the marshes.
 
Raven lives in lake, washes day to night
While parting, he said to the partner, "Farewell! The next time you see me, I will have beautiful white feathers."
 
He was confident that his feathers will turn white in no time at all.
 
The raven started washing himself from day to night, and ate whatever little he could get. As days passed by, with no visible progress, the raven started suspecting his own theory.
 
"I can't understand it", he thought to himself, "I have been washing myself everyday for a week, and yet my feathers are as black as they were before."
 
On the other hand, the raven's health started detoriating, too. He was not accustomed to being wet for such long period of time, and started getting fever and cold. Nor did he know how to catch fishes and swim, and got weak due to lack of food.
 
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Raven falls sick, realizes not possible to change
As he inspected himself on the reflection of the lake's water, the raven noticed how thin and frail he looked, and how his feathers remained as black as ever.
 
"I cannot withstand this any longer! I will starve myself to death, if I continue to stay here", he concluded.
 
The raven gave up, and flew back to their perch on the tree, to return to his former course of life and food. Here, he was welcomed with fruits and other food to enjoy in the warmth of their nest.
 
His partner mocked the raven, "I see you are just as black as ever, and have got only weaker. But now you have learnt, that it is foolish to do things only because others are doing it."
 
The raven remained quite, and accepted his defeat. He had indeed realized, that what was best for a swan might not be good for a raven.
 
 
Moral:
A change of habit cannot alter nature.
Or,
What is in-born, cannot be changed.
 
 
Summary:
A raven watched a beautiful swan swimming in the river. He became envious of the white feathers, and concluded that the swan's feathers are so milky white because he is always washing in the water. He desired such fair feathers for himself, and left his secure home to live beside the river. Although, there was no food for him, he spent all his time washing and swimming in the river. Soon, he realized that the feathers were not turning fairer. Instead, he was growing weaker due to absence of adequate food. Lest he dies, he returned to his secure home.
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