Why the Bat Flies by Night

Why the Bat Flies by Night, a Nigerian Folktale

Once upon a time, many, many moons ago, Legotlo the bush rat and Mamanthwane the bat were very close friends. The two of them were always together but Mamanthwane was jealous of Legotlo.

The bush rat had many friends and everyone liked him, and he also had a wife who loved him very much. The bat was very jealous of all these things that his friend the bush rat had.

Being good friends otherwise, Legotlo and Mamanthwane always ate together. When the bat cooked, the food was always very good. "How is it that when you make the soup it is so tasty?," asked Legotlo.

"I always boil myself in the water, and my flesh is sweet," the bat explained. "That's what makes the soup so good." But he was lying!

Mamanthwane offered to show the bush rat how it was done. He got a pot of warm water that was not hot enough to burn anyone, but he told Legotlo that the water was boiling hot.

Then Mamanthwane jumped into the pot and shortly afterwards came out again. When Mamanthwane served the soup it tasted just as strong, rich and good as usual, as the bat had prepared it beforehand.

Legotlo was amazed. "The bat's trick really does work", he thought. After they had eaten, the bush rat went home and told his wife that he was going to make good soup just like his good friend did.

"It's a secret recipe, told to me by my friend Mamanthwane!" said Legotlo, and he asked his wife to boil some water, which she did. Then when his wife wasn't looking, Legotlo jumped into the pot...

Soon he was boiling in the water and before his wife knew what was happening, the foolish bush rat was dead!

When Legotlo's wife looked into the pot and saw the dead body of her husband, she was very angry indeed. "Mamanthwane has betrayed his best friend and deprived me of a good husband," she cried.

She reported the matter to the King and Queen, who ordered that the bat be caught and imprisoned. Everyone in their village turned out but Mamanthwane, who had been expecting trouble, flew away.

All day long the people searched for him but Mamanthwane had found a dark cave far away from the village that no one knew about, and he hid himself there from dawn until dusk.

Royal orders have no time limit, however, so Mamanthwane was forced to change his habits and only came out to feed when it was dark... and that is why you never see a bat in the daytime.

(via World of Tales and Kgosi Kgosi)

(images via Derek Keats and nalibali)