proverb · Words worth keeping
The crow thinks her own bird fairest.
The crow thinks her own bird fairest.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Affection or personal attachment can make someone see what is theirs as especially admirable. The saying points to partial judgement without making a loved person or cherished work objectively inferior.
Example
A parent is proud of their child’s drawing but leaves a competition judge to compare all the entries under the same stated criteria.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The crow’s preference for her own young gives partiality a compact image. Someone closely connected to a person, possession or creation may value it more highly than an observer would. That preference can express affection rather than a mistake that needs correcting. Difficulty arises when a personal judgement is presented as an impartial comparison. The proverb does not establish that the crow’s bird lacks beauty or that attachment always prevents fair assessment. The useful distinction is between naming what is especially dear to someone and offering reasons that other people can examine for a shared decision or evaluation.
When to use it
Use it when personal affection is being presented as an impartial comparison.
Keep in mind
Attachment does not prove an assessment wrong; affection and shared evaluation can serve different purposes.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English