Aesop
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Greece

The Bats, Birds, and The Beasts

A war between birds and beasts led to bats' clever neutrality, but their changing allegiances resulted in banishment to darkness.
Betrayal
Identity
Choice
Aesop's Fables - The Bats, Birds, and The Beasts
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, a great war broke out between the birds and the beasts. They could not agree and so they fought, each using their own strength. The foxes were always after the geese and the eagles never left the hares alone. Even the owls, who seemed wise, would eat mice every day.

This war was a dreadful thing to behold. Many hares and mice were lost. Chickens and geese were taken down in large numbers. After every fight, the winner would feast.

In this time of trouble, the bat family was careful. They did not choose a side to support. They were clever and waited to see who would win. When the birds were winning, the bats said, "We are birds too!" But when the beasts started to win, they quickly changed and said, "Actually, we are beasts!"

After the battle was over, the birds and the beasts talked about what the bats had done. They felt that the bats had been dishonest by changing sides. Both the birds and the beasts decided to chase the bats away.

So, the bats had to hide. They found dark towers and empty old buildings to live in. They only came out at night when everyone else was asleep. They had been clever, but their cleverness made everyone else angry. Now, they had to live in the dark.

Once upon a super-fun time, the birds and the beasts were having a big, noisy fight. It was like a playground battle but way, way bigger! The foxes would look at the geese and say, "Yum, snack time!" And the eagles? They'd dive down and grab the hares, saying, "You're it! Oh, and also, you're dinner!"

You'd think the owls would be reading books or something, right? Nope! They were eating mice like they were little cheese puffs. "Mmm, tastes like...mouse!"

Now, let's talk about the bat family. Nope, not Batman, just regular bats who couldn't make up their minds. When the birds were winning, the bats would put on fake feathers and say, "We're birds, too! Tweet, tweet!" But as soon as the beasts started winning, the bats would take off the feathers and say, "Just kidding! We're totally beasts! Growl!"

When the big fight was finally over, all the birds and beasts had a meeting. Not a fun meeting with snacks, but a serious one.

"Those bats are so confusing!" said the eagle. "Are they birds? Are they beasts? Make up your minds!"

"Yeah!" said the fox. "One minute, they're flapping around with us. The next, they're pretending to growl like a lion!"

So, they all said, "Bye-bye, bats!"

The bats had to find new homes in old, dark towers and empty buildings. Kind of like treehouses, but way less cool. And they could only come out at night when everyone was asleep, like they were playing a never-ending game of hide-and-seek.

So, that's it. The bats were pretty clever, but sometimes being too tricky makes everyone mad. It's like trying to play on both teams in a soccer game. You might get to kick the ball more, but no one wants you on their team anymore!

War raged between birds and beasts, oh what a scene!
Foxes chased geese, and eagles weren't keen
To leave hares alone; owls had their feast,
On tiny little mice, to say the least.

Hares vanished away, and geese met their end,
Chickens were taken, it was a sad trend.
Winners would dine on the losers they beat,
In a world gone wild, survival's no treat.

But wait, let's talk about the bat clan's scheme,
Neither bird nor beast, or so it would seem.
When birds took the lead, bats would quickly say,
"We're feathered like you, hooray, hooray!"

But when beasts roared loud and seemed to win,
Bats flipped their script in less than a spin.
"Actually, we're beasts!" they'd quickly retort,
Changing their stance like it was a sport.

When war came to end, both sides took a chat,
"What do we think of those flip-floppy bats?"
"Dishonest!" they cried, "they've played a sly game,
Chase them away, give them lasting shame!"

Now bats hide in towers, and old empty halls,
They only come out when the night softly calls.
Clever they were, but now they're alone,
In dark hidden places, their whereabouts unknown.

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Understanding Questions

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the Bats kept changing sides between the Birds and the Beasts?
  2. How did the other animals feel about the Bats' actions during the war?
  3. Can you think of a time when you or someone else tried to please everyone but ended up making everyone upset?
  4. What does this story teach us about the importance of honesty and choosing a side in a conflict?
  5. How can we use the lesson from this story in our daily lives to make better choices and stand by them?

Fable Quotes

Those who betray trust will find themselves alone in the darkness.
Know your true self, don't change colors to win others' favor.
Choose your side wisely, for shifting loyalties can lead to isolation.
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