a singing bird was confined in a cage which hung outside a window,and had a way of singing at night when all other birds were asleep.one night a bat came and clung to the bars of the cage, and askedthe bird why she was silent by day and sang only at night. "i have avery good reason for doing so," said the bird. "it was once when i wassinging in the daytime that a fowler was attracted by my voice, andset his nets for me and caught me. since then i have never sung exceptby night." but the bat replied, "it is no use your doing that now whenyou are a prisoner: if only you had done so before you were caught,you might still have been free." "precautions are useless after the crisis."