Author: Jean de La Fontaine

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[1]

     A blundering bat once stuck her head
     Into a wakeful weasel's bed;
     Whereat the mistress of the house,
     A deadly foe of rats and mice,
     Was making ready in a trice
     To eat the stranger as a mouse.
     'What! do you dare,' she said, 'to creep in
     The very bed I sometimes sleep in,
     Now, after all the provocation
     I've suffer'd from your thievish nation?
     Are you not really a mouse,
     That gnawing pest of every house,
     Your special aim to do the cheese ill?
     Ay, that you are, or I'm no weasel.'
     'I beg your pardon,' said the bat;
     'My kind is very far from that.
     What! I a mouse! Who told you such a lie?
     Why, ma'am, I am a bird;
     And, if you doubt my word,
     Just see the wings with which I fly.
     Long live the mice that cleave the sky!'
     These reasons had so fair a show,
     The weasel let the creature go.

     By some strange fancy led,
     The same wise blunderhead,
     But two or three days later,
     Had chosen for her rest
     Another weasel's nest,
     This last, of birds a special hater.
     New peril brought this step absurd;
     Without a moment's thought or puzzle,
     Dame weasel oped her peaked muzzle
     To eat th' intruder as a bird.
     'Hold! do not wrong me,' cried the bat;
     'I'm truly no such thing as that.
     Your eyesight strange conclusions gathers.
     What makes a bird, I pray? Its feathers.
     I'm cousin of the mice and rats.
     Great Jupiter confound the cats!'
     The bat, by such adroit replying,
     Twice saved herself from dying.

     And many a human stranger
     Thus turns his coat in danger;
     And sings, as suits, where'er he goes,
     'God save the king!' - or 'save his foes!'[2]

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Type of Poem: Fable

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem is a lively and thoughtful exploration of themes like adaptability, survival, and identity. It utilizes a fable-like structure, featuring animal characters in the roles of protagonist and antagonist. The blundering bat's encounters with the weasels serve as allegorical vignettes, highlighting the idea of changing one's identity or allegiance depending on the situation for survival, a theme that resonates deeply in human society.

The poet's use of rhymed couplets and a consistent meter adds a lively rhythm to the narrative, enhancing its storytelling aspect. The tone is witty, with a touch of irony, particularly in the bat's quick-witted responses that help it escape danger. The bat's changing identity, from a mouse to a bird and back to a mouse, is a clever device used by the poet to highlight the theme of adaptability and survival. It also underscores the poem’s underlying commentary about those who opportunistically shift their loyalties and identities based on their circumstances. The final stanza extends this theme to humans, implying a universal relevance. The poet's adept use of dialogue and vivid description further enrich the narrative, making it an engaging and thought-provoking read.