Section 170
The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
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The Birds were at war with the Beasts, and many battles were fought with varying success on either side. The Bat did not throw in his lot definitely with either party, but when things went well for the Birds he was found fighting in their ranks; when, on the other hand, the Be...
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Public-domain original
The Birds were at war with the Beasts, and many battles were fought
with varying success on either side. The Bat did not throw in his lot
definitely with either party, but when things went well for the Birds
he was found fighting in their ranks; when, on the other hand, the
Beasts got the upper hand, he was to be found among the Beasts. No one
paid any attention to him while the war lasted: but when it was over,
and peace was restored, neither the Birds nor the Beasts would have
anything to do with so double-faced a traitor, and so he remains to
this day a solitary outcast from both.
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
The Birds were at war with the Beasts, and many battles were fought with varying success on either side.
Why this scene matters
This fable matters because it turns a common human habit into a short lesson about judgment and consequences.
Characters in this scene
- The Birds: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- The Beasts: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- The Bat: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
The Birds were at war with the Beasts, and many battles were fought with varying success on either side. The Bat did not throw in his lot definitely with either party, but when things went well for the Birds he was found fighting in their ranks; when, on the other hand, the Beasts got the upper hand, he was to be found among the Beasts.