Long ago, the birds and the beasts clashed in a fierce war. The conflict was brutal, and the cunning bats would align with the birds when they seemed to prevail, only to switch allegiance to the beasts once that side gained the upper hand. Eventually the fighting ceased; both sides negotiated a peaceful accord, and a grand celebration of friendship followed. The festivities were marked by music and dancing, uniting the two groups in joyous harmony. Yet when the bats were called upon to perform in the ceremony, their duplicitous tactics were revealed, and all others rejected them. They had once been praised for wisdom, but the betrayal shattered that reputation. Since then the bats have been too mortified to appear in daylight, emerging only at night to glide silently.
