The Bat and the Weasel
A Bat flew too close to the ground and was caught by a Weasel. "What a nice dinner you will make," said the Weasel. "I love to eat mice!"
"I am not a mouse! Do you not see my wings. Weasels do not like to eat birds!" Bat fought to get away, but the Weasel held him tight. So, he used his head. "Mouse?" screamed the Bat.
"You look like a mouse," said the Weasel. "You are a mouse. I like mice, and I am going to eat you!"
But, the Bat kept telling the Weasel over and over that he was a bird. He also kept saying that Weasels do not like to eat birds. Finally, the Weasel agreed that the Bat was not a mouse and let him go.
A few days later the Bat flew too close to the ground again and was caught by a different Weasel. "Wow! A bird," he said. "I love to eat birds. I am really in the mood to eat a bird today"
Once again the Bat fought to try to get away. Again the Weasel held the Bat tight. So, he used his head. "Bird?" shouted the Bat. "I am not a Bird! Birds have feathers. Do you see any feathers? I am a mouse. If you are in the mood to eat a Bird, you should let me go and go catch a bird."
The Bat talked and talked until the Weasel let him go. This allowed the Bat to escape with his life a second time.
Aesop told this story and added, "Set your sails with the wind," as the moral. For today's world, I find another good moral... "It often pays to use your head and talk your way out of trouble, rather than fight! M. Lockett September, 2009. Note: The illustration at the top is by Chung Yi-Ru, Copyright owned by Dr. Mike Lockett, 2014.
Dr. Mike Lockett is an educator, storyteller and children's author from Normal, IL. Dr. Lockett has given more than 4000 programs across the USA and as far away as eastern Asia. Contact Mike by writing to Mike@mikelockett.com in order to book him for a storytelling program or young authors program or to inquire about purchasing his books and CDs. More stories and information about storytelling can be found at www.mikelockett.com