a wren had built its nest on the side of a road. when the eggs were hatched, a camel passed that way. the little wrens saw it and said to their father when he returned from the fields:

"o papa, a gigantic animal passed by."

the wren stretched out his foot. "as big as this, my children?"

"o papa, much bigger."

he stretched out his foot and his wing. "as big as this?"

"o papa, much bigger."

finally he stretched out fully his feet and legs.

"as big as this then?"

"much bigger."

"that is a lie; there is no animal bigger than i am."

"well, wait," said the little ones, "and you will see."

the camel came back while browsing the grass of the roadside.

the wren stretched himself out near the nest. the camel seized the bird, which passed through its teeth safe and sound.

"truly," he said to them, "the camel is a gigantic animal, but i am not ashamed of myself."

on the earth it generally happens that the vain are as if they did not exist; but sooner or later a rock falls and crushes them.