Now the bat only flies at night. And there was a time when she flew during the day. One day she flies at noon, and a proud hawk meets her.
“Ah,” says the hawk, “it’s good that we met.” I've been looking for you for three years.
- Why do you need me? – the bat was surprised.
“I collect tribute from all the birds.” Everyone except you has paid, you alone are in debt.
- I? - says the mouse. - Am I really a bird?
She descended into the grass and ran quickly along the ground.
“Really,” the hawk thinks, “what kind of bird is she? She is not a bird, but an animal."
And he flew in the other direction. And the bat ran to the hills covered with dense pine trees and sat down to catch his breath. And suddenly from behind the pines - a silver fox.
“Well, it’s good that I came across you,” she says to the mouse, “I’ve been looking for you for seven years.”
- Why do you need me? – the bat was surprised.
“All the animals paid me the forest tax a long time ago, only you owe a debt.”
- Am I an animal? - the mouse screamed. - I’m not a beast, but a bird!
She spread her wings and flew. In fact, the fox thinks, she is a bird, not a beast!
And she ran into the forest. But since then, the bat’s legs withered out of fear, and it completely stopped running on the ground. And he flies on his wings only at night: during the day he is afraid of the hawk.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru