Sadness. Sadness is reminiscent of the crow. When it sees its newborn children are white, it goes away in distress and with great regret abandons them, and does not feed them until it sees that they have some black feathers.
Gratitude. They say that the virtue of gratitude is seen best in those birds which are called magpies. Aware of the benefits of life and nourishment which they have received from their mothers and fathers, when they see them grown old they make nests for them and nurse them and feed them and with their beaks pull out their old and ugly feathers, and with certain herbs restore their appearance and well-being.
Truth. Although partridges steal eggs from each other, the children born from those egg always return to their true mothers.
Chastity. The turtle-dove is never false to its mate, and if one of them dies, the other observes perpetual chastity, and never rests upon a green bough and never drinks pure water.
The stork. This creature drives evil away from itself by drinking salt water. If it finds its mate is unfaithful it forsakes it. And when it is old, its young nurse it and feed it until it dies.
Foresight. The cock does not crow until it has flapped its wings three times. The parrot, when it goes from bough to bough, never places its foot where it has not first placed its beak.
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