The Gull, the Bat & the Biddy-bid

A Bat was hiding away, high in a dark corner of a rood, reflecting on his life. He recalled how he and the Gull, and the Biddy-bid has teamed up to form a trading partnership. He, the Bat was able to borrow certain sums of money to fund the venture, the Gull brought along a supply of No.9 fencing wire, and the Biddy-bid acquired a bolt of woollen cloth for them to offer for sale. They loaded up a small boat and set sail, hoping to find suitable tracking partners, but a violent storm at sea capsized their boat and the cargo sank out of sight.

The escaped with their lives, but ever since that terrible time, the Gull spends his days searching the sea shore, up and down, to see if any of his fencing wire might have washed up: the Biddy-bid sends out its barbed seeds to clutch at the clothes of passers by in the vain hope of reclaiming his lost material and the bat, fearing his creditors, dares not show his face in the light of day.