Long ago, in the earliest days of the world, Bat and Flying Fox were nearly identical beings. They were the same size, covered in soft gray brown fur, and both flew beneath the bright daytime sun. They were close friends who spent their days gathering food together and resting in the tall eucalyptus trees, sharing stories and laughter. Yet beneath their similar appearance, their characters were different. Flying Fox was proud of its powerful wings and physical strength, while Bat was quieter, more thoughtful, and clever, preferring care and patience over speed.
One day, a great Spirit announced a test to choose the guardian of the forest’s fruit trees. The challenge was simple but revealing. Each contender had to fly to a distant island, collect the finest berries, and return with them untouched. Flying Fox, confident in its strength, reached the island first and gathered the richest fruit. However, greed overcame discipline, and on the journey back it ate most of what it had collected, saving only a few small berries. Bat flew more slowly, but worked carefully and honestly, selecting good fruit and protecting it all the way home.
When they stood before the Spirit, Flying Fox tried to escape blame. Through lies and clever words, it accused Bat of being lazy and slow. But the Spirit had seen everything. Wanting to teach a lasting lesson, the Spirit chose not only to judge their actions, but to reshape their destinies forever.
Flying Fox was transformed first. Its body grew larger and its face took on the shape of a fox, a permanent reminder of pride and excess. The Spirit decreed that it would live on fruit and nectar alone and must hang upside down from high branches, learning humility through an inverted life. Bat was then changed as well. Its body was made smaller, allowing it to slip into caves and dark places. To protect it from daytime predators, the Spirit gifted Bat the power to see with sound, enabling it to hunt insects in the night using echolocation.
From that moment on, the paths of the two friends separated. Flying Fox became a daytime roosting fruit eater, gathering in large colonies among the treetops. Bat became a creature of the night, dwelling in caves and shadows, thriving through intelligence and adaptation rather than strength. The story explains these natural differences while offering a deeper message.
This Dreamtime legend teaches that greed and dishonesty lead to loss, while patience and effort create new opportunities. Even when Bat seemed weaker, hard work and adaptability allowed it to survive and flourish in a world that had changed. For Aboriginal cultures, the tale reminds listeners that every creature has a place, and that character, not appearance or power, ultimately shapes destiny.