on him, and pull him by the hair, and defile him so, that, to use the author's expressive words,
"The bard smaddit lyke a smaik smorit in a smedy."
After which, the two fools, to the great amusement of the company, fall by the ears, and abuse each other.—At length the council proceed to business, and the request contained in the Owl's petition is readily granted. They offer prayers to Dame Nature, who descends, and, willingly acceding to their united desires, bids each of the birds lend the Owl one of its feathers, which she engages to join together before her departure. This being done, the fortunate petitioner is suddenly changed from his despised shape, and becomes the fairest bird in all Scotland; the transition, however, having the effect also of changing his behaviour to extreme haughtiness and arrogance, which at length become so intolerable, that the birds apply again to Nature for redress. She grants it, with the same condescension as formerly; and the Owl, thus despoiled of all his borrowed plumage, and reduced to his original despised and deformed condition, gives vent to his feelings in several excellent moral reflections on the dangerous effects of pride. The author concludes with mentioning the cause of his writing
