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The Birds the Beasts and the Bat — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

The Birds waged war with the Beasts, and each party were by turns the conquerors. A Bat, fearing the uncertain issues of the fight, always betook himself to that side which was the strongest. When peace was proclaimed, his deceitful conduct was apparent to both the combatants; he was driven forth from the light of day, and henceforth concealed himself in dark hiding-places, flying always alone and at night.
Those who practice deceit must expect to be shunned.

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Learning from "The Birds the Beasts and the Bat"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "The Birds the Beasts and the Bat" uses 2 lines to create a memorable verse — proof that effective poetry doesn't need to be long. Pay attention to the meter: the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables is what makes the rhyme stick in your head.

Songwriters and poets can borrow these patterns. Try writing your own lyrics using the same rhyme scheme and line length as this nursery rhyme. You can also use words from the poem above as starting points — click any word to find rhymes or look up its definition, then build from there.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the words to The Birds the Beasts and the Bat?
The lyrics to The Birds the Beasts and the Bat are: The Birds waged war with the Beasts, and each party were by turns the conquerors. A Bat, fearing the uncertain issues of the fight, always betook himself to that side which was the strongest. When peace was proclaimed, his deceitful conduct was apparent to both the combatants; he was driven forth from the light of day, and henceforth concealed himself in dark hiding-places, flying always alone and at night. / Those who practice deceit must expect to be shunned.
How many lines does The Birds the Beasts and the Bat have?
"The Birds the Beasts and the Bat" has 2 lines of verse.