The Bat and the Weasels

A bat once made the mistake of falling to the ground, where he was immediately pounced upon by a hungry weasel. Terrified and knowing that his life hung in the balance, the bat pleaded for his life. 'Please,' he squeaked, 'do not eat me! I am not a bird; I am a mouse, a creature of the earth just like you.' The weasel, who had a particular distaste for birds, considered this and let the bat go, feeling satisfied that he had spared a fellow land-dweller.

Only a few days later, the foolish bat fell to the ground once more. This time, he was captured by another weasel, one who had an even fiercer appetite for mice. As the weasel prepared to make a meal of him, the bat cried out, 'Wait! You must not eat me. I am no mouse; I am a bird, free to soar through the heavens.' The second weasel, who happened to hate mice with a passion, paused. He looked at the bat, laughed at his frantic attempts to change his identity, and replied, 'I have eaten many birds in my time, and I shall certainly enjoy eating you.' With that, he made a quick end of the unfortunate creature.

This bat had survived the first encounter by pretending to be what he was not, but his deceitful nature ultimately led to his downfall. Had he remained true to his nature or kept a safer distance from the ground, he might have lived a long and peaceful life. Instead, by shifting his allegiance to suit his immediate comfort, he found himself caught in his own web of lies. He learned too late that a person who changes their values to appease every passing danger will eventually find that no one trusts them, and their own inconsistency becomes the very trap that seals their fate.