THERE was once a great battle between the
Birds and the Beasts. The Bat
kept away
from the combat, and looked on till he thought
the Beasts would win the day.
Then he came among
them. When they
saw him, they said, "But you are a Bird."
"No, indeed," said the
Bat. "Look at my
body covered with hair, and at my mouth with
its sharp teeth."
After a while, as
the fight went on, the
Birds began to have the best of it,
and then
away flew the Bat to heir side. "What
Beast
comes here?" said the Birds.
"I am not a
Beast," said the Bat; "I am a Bird.
Look at
my wings." But the Birds would have nothing
to do with him. So to
this day the Bat is
ashamed to show himself in the daytime, but
hides in lonely places, away from
all other
creatures, and only flits about
in the dark,
when the Birds and Beasts are asleep.
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