The Canary and the Bat

A canary in a cage hung at a window used to sing during the night. A bat heard her voice from afar and, coming near, asked why she kept silent by day and sang by night. "It is not without reason," she said, "that I do so; for it was by day that I was singing when I was caught, and ever since I have grown careful." The bat replied, "But it's no use putting yourself on guard now, when it serves no purpose: you should have done it before you were caught."