Long ago, when the world was young and all creatures lived together in uneasy peace, there came a great quarrel between the animals of the land and the birds of the air. The animals claimed that the land was theirs alone, for they walked upon it and made their homes there. The birds, however, argued that the trees, skies, and rivers belonged to them, and they would not give up their right to rule.
The quarrel grew until it became a war. The animals gathered their strength: the lion, the leopard, the elephant, and many others prepared to fight. The birds sharpened their claws and beaks, led by the proud eagle and the cunning hawk. Each side wanted the bat to join them, for the bat was unlike any other creature. He had wings like the birds, yet he also had teeth and fur like the animals. His choice could tip the balance of the war.
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The animals went to Bat first. “Brother Bat,” said the leopard, “you are one of us. You have teeth and fur, and you live in caves as we do. Come, fight with us and prove your loyalty.” Bat nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, I am an animal, I will fight by your side.” And so, in the first battle, Bat fought fiercely alongside the animals.
But the birds soon noticed his absence. The hawk and the eagle flew down to him. “Brother Bat,” they said, “you are clearly one of us. You fly with wings and soar in the sky. Your place is with us, not with the crawling beasts. Join us, and we will make you a leader.” Bat, always clever and always thinking of his own advantage, agreed. “Yes, yes, I am truly a bird. I will fight with you.”
Thus, when the next battle came, Bat fought with the birds against the animals. The animals were confused and angered. “Did you not promise to fight with us?” they shouted. But Bat only laughed and flew high with the birds.
The war raged on, and Bat continued his game, fighting with whichever side seemed stronger. If the animals had the upper hand, he declared himself one of them. If the birds gained the advantage, he quickly claimed their kinship. He thought himself very clever, switching sides whenever danger appeared.
But the war could not last forever. In time, peace was made between the animals and the birds. They sat together, weary from their battles, and agreed never to fight again. Yet as they made peace, they remembered Bat.
The lion spoke first. “This creature betrayed us. He fought with us and then abandoned us when it suited him.”
The eagle spread his wings. “And he betrayed us as well. He claimed to be our brother, yet he ran back to the animals when he thought they would win.”
Together, the animals and birds declared, “Bat is not to be trusted. He is neither animal nor bird. He has no home among us.”
From that day on, Bat was rejected by both sides. Ashamed and afraid, he dared not fly in the daylight, for every creature would see him and remember his betrayal. Instead, he hid himself in caves and dark corners, waiting for the sun to set. Only at night does Bat dare to fly, slipping silently through the darkness, avoiding the eyes of those he once betrayed.
And so it is to this day that bats fly only at night, reminders of the dangers of disloyalty and the lasting consequences of mistrust.
Moral Lesson
The story of Why the Bat Flies Only at Night teaches that betrayal and double-dealing bring shame and mistrust. One who cannot remain loyal to their friends will be left without allies. Trust is hard to win but easy to lose, and once broken, it may never return.
Knowledge Check
Why did the animals want Bat to fight with them in Why the Bat Flies Only at Night?
Because he had teeth and fur like them, proving he was partly an animal.Why did the birds want Bat to join their side in Why the Bat Flies Only at Night?
Because he had wings and could fly like them, proving he was partly a bird.How did Bat betray both the animals and the birds in Why the Bat Flies Only at Night?
He switched sides depending on which group seemed stronger at the time.What decision did the animals and birds make about Bat at the end of Why the Bat Flies Only at Night?
They both rejected him, declaring he had no place among them.Why does Bat fly only at night according to the folktale Why the Bat Flies Only at Night?
He hides from the other creatures because of his shame and betrayal.What is the main moral lesson of Why the Bat Flies Only at Night?
That betrayal and disloyalty lead to mistrust and isolation.
Source: Krio folktale, Sierra Leone. Recorded by Leo Frobenius in African Myths and Legends (1921).
