OVERCONFIDENCE
by Howard Pyle · from Pepper & Salt; or, Seasoning for Young Folk
Adapted Version
A beautiful bird sat on a wall. His tail was blue and green and gold. He was the most beautiful bird. The Peacock sat on a garden wall. Many people came to see him. People from the town came to look. They never saw a bird like him. He was so big and colorful. He was a very special bird. He was truly special.
The people looked at the Peacock. They looked very closely. "Oh!" they said. "Look at his tail! Like a big fan." It had many colors. Blue, green, and gold colors shone. The colors were bright. "So pretty!" a child said. "Wow! Beautiful wings! What a sight! What a wonderful bird!"
A little child looked at the Peacock. She looked at his bright feathers. She asked her mom, "Can he sing?" He heard her. The Peacock heard the child. He felt very happy.
The Peacock felt very proud. He felt very grand. He thought, "I am so beautiful!" He thought, "My tail is so pretty." He thought, "My song must be beautiful too!" He wanted to sing for the people. He wanted to make them happy. He wanted to share his voice.
The Peacock opened his beak. He took a big breath. He puffed out his chest. Then he sang his song. "SQUAWK! SCREECH! WAAAH!" It was a very loud noise. It was a very bad noise. Not pretty at all. It was not a sweet sound. It was a harsh sound.
The people heard the loud song. They put hands over their ears. Their faces looked surprised. "Oh no!" they cried. "Please stop!" A little dog ran away fast. The song was too loud. It was not a happy sound. The people did not like it. They did not like the noise.
The Peacock stopped his song. He looked at the people. He saw their hands on their ears. He saw their surprised faces. The Peacock was the most beautiful bird. His tail was a true gift. It was a wonderful gift. But singing was not his gift. And that is okay! We are all good at different things. We all have special talents. The Peacock sat back on the wall. He was still beautiful. He knew his tail was special. And we all have something special too. Something unique and good.
Original Story
OVERCONFIDENCE
A peacock sat on ye garden wall
(See picture here to ye right),
An ye folk came crowding-great and small
For it chanced that none in ye town at all
Had ever seen such a sight
If you'd have been there perhaps you'd have heard
Ye folk talk thus, as they looked at ye bird:
"O crickety!—Law!—
O jimmeny me!—
I never yet saw!—
Who ever did see
Such a beautiful sight in the world before,
Since ye animals marched from ye old ark door?
O! Look at ye spots
In his tail! And ye lots
Of green and of blue in his beautiful wings!
I'd give a new shilling to know if he sings!"
Ye peacock says, "Surely, they'll greatly rejoice
To hear but a touch of my delicate voice."
(Sings.)
"O dear! O dear!—
O stop it!—O do!—
We never did hear
Such a hullballoo!
'Tis worse than ye noise that ye carpenters make
When they sharpen their saws!—Now, for charity's sake,
Give over this squalling,
And catermawalling!"
Cried all ye good people who chanced to be near;
Each thrusting a finger-tip into each ear.
You see ye poor dunce had attempted to shine
In a way that was out of his natural line.
H. Pyle
Story DNA
Moral
Do not attempt to shine in a way that is outside your natural talents, for overconfidence can lead to embarrassment.
Plot Summary
A beautiful peacock draws a large crowd of admiring townspeople with its magnificent appearance. When someone wonders if it can sing, the peacock, full of overconfidence, decides to demonstrate its vocal abilities. However, its singing is dreadful, causing the crowd to recoil in disgust and beg it to stop. The story concludes by highlighting the peacock's folly in attempting to excel in an area where it had no natural talent.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to humility
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Howard Pyle was an American illustrator and author, often drawing inspiration from European folk tales and medieval themes, but this particular story feels like a classic fable with a universal moral.
Plot Beats (7)
- A peacock sits on a garden wall, attracting a large crowd of townspeople who have never seen such a magnificent bird.
- The townspeople marvel at the peacock's beautiful tail and colorful wings, expressing their awe.
- One person wonders aloud if the peacock can sing.
- The peacock, hearing this, becomes overconfident and decides to sing, believing his voice will delight them.
- The peacock sings a terrible, squalling song.
- The townspeople immediately react with dismay, covering their ears and pleading for him to stop, comparing his voice to sharpening saws.
- The narrator explains that the peacock's failure was due to attempting to shine in a way that was not his natural talent.
Characters
The Peacock ★ protagonist
A large, stately bird with a magnificent, iridescent tail. Its body is robust and regal, designed for display rather than agility. It carries itself with an air of self-importance.
Attire: Its 'wardrobe' is its natural plumage: a body of deep, metallic blue and green feathers, and a spectacular train of elongated upper tail coverts, each feather tipped with a large, iridescent 'eyespot' in shades of blue, green, gold, and bronze. These feathers are fanned out for display.
Wants: To be admired and praised by all for its beauty and, misguidedly, for its voice.
Flaw: Overconfidence in its singing ability, leading to embarrassment and ridicule. Its vanity blinds it to its true talents and limitations.
Begins as an admired, beautiful creature, but through its overconfidence in its singing, it becomes a source of dismay and ridicule, learning (or at least experiencing) that its talents are not universal.
Vain, overconfident, proud, oblivious to its own shortcomings, eager for admiration.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large, adult male peacock standing on a stone garden wall, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. Its body is covered in deep metallic blue and green feathers. Its magnificent tail is fully fanned out behind it, displaying numerous iridescent 'eyespot' patterns in shades of blue, green, gold, and bronze. It has a small head with a delicate fan-like crest and dark, observant eyes. Its posture is upright and regal, exuding an air of self-importance. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Ye Folk (Townspeople) ◆ supporting
A diverse group of people, 'great and small', implying a mix of heights and builds typical of a small town population. They are likely dressed in simple, practical attire suitable for common folk.
Attire: Simple, functional clothing of the late 19th century. Men might wear trousers, shirts, and vests, possibly with caps. Women would wear long skirts, blouses, and aprons, perhaps with bonnets or shawls. Fabrics would be sturdy, like linen, wool, and cotton, in muted colors such as browns, grays, and blues.
Wants: To witness and admire something extraordinary and beautiful.
Flaw: Susceptible to being overwhelmed by unpleasant sounds.
They shift from being awe-struck admirers to a disapproving audience, highlighting the Peacock's folly.
Curious, easily impressed by beauty, honest in their reactions, easily annoyed by unpleasant noise.
Image Prompt & Upload
A group of diverse townspeople, men and women of various ages, standing together, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. They wear simple, practical 19th-century European clothing in muted colors: women in long skirts, blouses, and aprons; men in trousers, shirts, and vests. Each person has their hands pressed firmly over their ears, their faces contorted in expressions of discomfort and annoyance. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Garden Wall
A sturdy, weathered stone garden wall, likely made of local fieldstone or brick, forming a boundary within a bustling town garden. It is high enough for a peacock to perch prominently and be easily seen by a crowd.
Mood: Initially admiring and curious, quickly turning to shock and dismay.
The peacock's grand display and subsequent disastrous attempt at singing, leading to the crowd's horrified reaction.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sturdy, sun-drenched garden wall made of rough-hewn, moss-covered grey fieldstones, forming a low boundary. On top, a magnificent peacock with iridescent blue-green plumage is perched, its long tail feathers fanned slightly. Below the wall, a small crowd of 19th-century English townspeople in simple attire look up, some with expressions of awe, others beginning to cover their ears. The background shows glimpses of a quaint English cottage garden with blooming roses and climbing ivy. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Town Square/Street near Garden
A bustling public area in a small, perhaps medieval or early modern, European town. It's a place where people gather and pass by, close enough to the garden wall for a crowd to form easily and hear the peacock's song.
Mood: Lively and curious, then abruptly chaotic and disgusted.
The initial gathering of the townspeople to admire the peacock, and their collective, horrified reaction to its singing.
Image Prompt & Upload
A bustling 19th-century English town street, paved with uneven cobblestones, leading towards a low stone garden wall partially visible in the distance. A diverse crowd of townspeople, dressed in practical, homespun clothing, are gathered, some pointing towards the wall, others with hands over their ears in exaggerated disgust. Timber-framed cottages with thatched roofs line the street, their windows open to the mild afternoon air. The sky is a clear, soft blue. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
