a jackdaw, seeing some doves in a cote abundantly provided with food, painted himself white and joined them in order to share their plentiful maintenance. the doves, as long as he was silent, supposed him to be one of themselves and admitted him to their cote. but when one day he forgot himself and began to chatter, they discovered his true character and drove him forth, pecking him with their beaks. failing to obtain food among the doves, he returned to the jackdaws. they too, not recognizing him on account of his color, expelled him from living with them. so desiring two ends, he obtained neither.

一只寒鸦看到住在笼子里的鸽子有充足的食物，于是他就把自己装扮成鸽子的样子去分享他们的食物。【【ABO】学霸又在装奶狗了】只要寒鸦不开口说话，鸽子也分辨不出寒鸦是异类，因此他过了一段非常舒适的日子。

直到有一天，寒鸦忘记自己的身份，开始和鸽子们闲聊。这样，鸽子就发现了他的真实面目，把他赶出了笼子。无处可去的寒鸦只能回到自己的同伴中间。可是，外表已经改变的寒鸦也被同伴拒之门外。结果，寒鸦成了两边都不接受的小可怜。

两边的利益都想得到，最后只能是“竹篮打水一场空”。