Why the Bat Flies at Night: A Traditional African Folktale for Kids About Honesty and Friendship
Why the Bat Flies at Night Long, long ago, in the warm jungles of Southern Africa, there lived a small bush rat named Karoo. Karoo was kind, friendly, and hardworking. He had soft brown fur and a very long tail. He was proud of his long tail because it helped him balance when he ran fast. Karoo had a close friend named Emiong, the bat. Emiong had wide wings and sharp little eyes. During the day, he liked to rest in trees. At night, he flew around the jungle. Even though they were different animals, Karoo and Emiong were best friends. Every day, they met near a big old tree to eat together. They loved to share a warm bowl of soup. The soup smelled nice and tasted even better. Karoo always said, “Eating with a friend makes the food taste sweeter.” But there was one small problem. Emiong was a little jealous of Karoo’s long tail. He wished he had something special like that. Instead of being happy for his friend, he felt unhappy inside. Emiong was also known in the jungle as a prankster. ...