Long ago, in the heart of a dry forest, a peacock with feathers bright like jewels danced every morning, showing off to the other animals.

One year, a long drought came. The rivers dried, trees lost their leaves, and the sky stayed hot and gray. All the animals were thirsty and weak.

But the peacock still danced proudly, saying,
“Even without rain, I will keep my beauty shining!”

The old tortoise sighed,
“Beauty fades without kindness. Instead of dancing, pray for the rain.”

The peacock laughed, but soon even he grew tired — his feathers dull, his throat dry. Finally, he walked to the tortoise and said,
“You are right. What should I do?”

The tortoise smiled,
“Use your voice. Call to the sky not for yourself, but for all of us.”

So the peacock spread his dull feathers and cried out to the heavens. His sorrowful call echoed through the forest. Clouds gathered, thunder rumbled, and soon, heavy rain poured down!

The forest came alive again. The animals cheered, and the peacock’s feathers glowed brighter than ever — this time, with true pride in his heart.

👉 Moral of the story: True beauty comes from kindness and caring for others, not from showing off.