The Bat and the Weasels by Aesop for ESL students with a podcast and vocabulary practice in real context
The Bat and the Weasels is now in the public domain available on Gutenberg Project
Podcast of The Bat and the Weasels
The Bat and the Weasels
A bat fell to the ground and was caught by a weasel, and was just going to be killed and eaten when it begged to be let go.
- weasel: a small furry animal that feeds on rats and birds
The weasel said he couldn’t do that because he was an enemy of all birds on principle.
- on principle: because of adhering to a particular belief or principle
“Oh, but,” said the bat, “I’m not a bird at all: I’m a mouse.” “So you are,” said the weasel, “now I come to look at you”; and he let it go.
Some time after this, the bat was caught in just the same way by another weasel, and, as before, begged for its life. “No,” said the weasel, “I never let a mouse go by any chance.”
“But I’m not a mouse,” said the bat; “I’m a bird.” “Why, so you are,” said the weasel; and he too let the bat go.
Look and see which way the wind blows before you commit yourself.
The bat and the weasels by Aesop shows how avoiding honesty and trying to please everyone can lead to losing trust and respect. For example, someone at work always agrees with whoever is in charge, taking credit when things go well and blaming others when there’s a problem. Over time, coworkers see their dishonesty, and they lose respect. So, it’s important to be honest and stay true to who we are, rather than changing our identity to fit every situation.
That’s an insightful interpretation of “The Bat and the Weasels.” I agree—it highlights the dangers of trying to be everything to everyone at the cost of integrity. The example of the workplace scenario is especially relatable. People quickly see through opportunistic behavior, and while it may yield short-term gains, the long-term consequences, like losing respect and trust, are significant.