BAT 2 Why Bat Has No Friends Many years ago there was a great warbetween the birds and the animals.No-one knows why. It just happened. The creatures with wings flew to the battlesite and made their camp. Those who had legs, walked there. Bat joined the birds. "Hey, I've gotwings. So I must be a bird. And there are more of us, so we should win!"Thefirst battle was long and hard, but gradually slashing claws and tearing teethbegan to win over beaks and wings. Bat could see that the birds were losing sohe hid behind a bush.When the battle was over the animals walked back towardstheir camp. "Man, did we kick those birds' butts or what?" said Buffalo, spitting out afew feathers."Yeah! We kicked their butts" cried Bat in his highpitched voice The animals stopped. "What are youdoing with us?" shouted Beaver, slapping the ground hard with his big,flat tail. "You've got wings. You're with the other side.""Yeah, that's right" growled Bear. "And I'm going to eat you!" "Guys! Guys! Get Real!" said Bat,pointing into his mouth. "When have you ever seen a bird with teeth? Ofcourse I'm one of you!""I suppose so," grumbled Bear.
The next day there was to be another battle and Bat walked to the site with theanimals. "Let's rip their beaks off!" he yelled. This time the birds flew as an army withthe sun behind them, its bright light blinding the animals. Tearing talons andflapping wings tore into furry bodies. The birds were winning. Again Bat hidbehind a bush. When it was all over and the birds startedto fly back to their camp, Bat silently joined them. "That was a goodvictory today", said Eagle. "Yeah! We kicked their butts"shouted Bat. "Hold on" said Crow. "You were with the other side." "Guys! Guys! Get Real" said Bat."When have you ever seen an animal with wings like mine? Of course I'm oneof you." He flapped his wings vigorously. "I suppose so", said Eagle.Andthat's how it was in each battle. When Bat saw that the side he was on wasgoing to lose, he pretended he was on the other side. Eventually the birds and animals got tiredof fighting each other. They all came together while their Chiefs held acouncil of truce to decide how things would be settled. It was very difficult for Bat to pretendthat he belonged to both sides. The Chiefs knew what he had done. "Friends should always help each otherand not pretend to be one thing when they are another" they said. "Bat has wings, but he is not a bird.He has teeth, but he is not an animal. From now on, Bat will only fly at nightwhen other birds are asleep and the animals are hunting." All the creatures nodded in agreement."Youwill always be alone, Bat. You will never have a friend among the creatures thatfly or from those that walk!" And that's why Bat always flies at nightand doesn't have any friends.
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