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diff --git a/7764.txt b/7764.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..160c106 --- /dev/null +++ b/7764.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1712 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Little Bear at Work and at Play, by Frances Margaret Fox + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Little Bear at Work and at Play + +Author: Frances Margaret Fox + +Release Date: March, 2005 [EBook #7764] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 14, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Ted Garvin +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + +[Illustration: _Little Bear walked up and shook hands with Grandpa +Tortoise_ ] + +LITTLE BEAR +AT WORK AND AT PLAY + +By + +FRANCES MARGARET FOX + +Author of "Doings of Little Bear," "Adventures of Sonny Bear" +and "The Kinderkins" + +Illustrated by + +WARNER CARR + +Lovingly dedicated to the +FIRST GIRLS + +Who lived in the Martha Cook Dormitory, +Ann Arbor, Michigan, because they loved + +LITTLE BEAR + +CONTENTS + +WHEN LITTLE BEAR BRAGGED + +WHEN MOTHER SKUNK HELPED LITTLE BEAR + +WHEN LITTLE BEAR WOULD NOT WORK + +HOW LITTLE BEAR LEARNED TO SWIM + +LITTLE BEAR AND THE LOST OTTER BABY + +WHEN LITTLE BEAR VISITED SCHOOL + +LITTLE BEAR GETS HIS WISH + +THREE BEARS COME TO BREAKFAST + +LITTLE BEAR'S PROMISE + +LITTLE BEAR'S SURPRISE PARTY + + +ACKNOWLEDGMENTS + +Thanks are extended to the _Youth's Companion_ for +permission to reprint the following stories: "When +Little Bear Bragged," "When Mother Skunk Helped Little +Bear," "When Little Bear Would Not Work," "How Little +Bear Learned to Swim," "Little Bear and the Lost Otter +Baby," "When Little Bear Visited School," "Little Bear +Gets His Wish," and "Little Bear's Surprise Party"; and +to the _Christian Observer_ for permission to reprint +the following stories: "Three Bears Come to Breakfast" +and "Little Bear's Promise." + +[Illustration: _Between times Little Bear asked questions_ ] + +LITTLE BEAR +AT WORK AND AT PLAY + +WHEN LITTLE BEAR BRAGGED + +One rainy day the three bears were sitting by the fire +in their comfortable house in the woods, telling stories. +First Father Bear would tell a story, and then Mother +Bear would tell a story, and then Father Bear would +have a turn again. Between times Little Bear asked +questions. + +The three were happy and merry until Mother Bear +told the old story about the race between the hare and +the tortoise, and how the slow-going tortoise was the +first to reach the goal because the hare took a nap and +did not wake up until after the tortoise had passed him +and had won the race. + +"You see," Mother Bear explained, "the hare was so +sure he could win that he did not even try to reach the +goal quickly. He was so swift-footed that he thought +he could go to sleep if he chose and still come out ahead +of the patient tortoise." + +"Wasn't he silly!" exclaimed Little Bear. "If I were +going to run a race with Grandpa Tortoise, I should go +this way until I reached the goal!" And Little Bear +pranced up and down the room until he made even the +porridge bowls rattle in the cupboard. "I guess I should +know enough to know that Grandpa Tortoise would +keep stepping ahead and stepping ahead and get to +the goal in time! You would not catch me taking any +naps if I started out to run a race with anyone! No, +sir-ree!" + +Mother Bear laughed heartily, but Father Bear looked +very solemn. He did not like to hear Little Bear brag +at all. + +"So you think, Son Bear," said he, "that, if you +should run a race with Grandpa Tortoise, you would be +wiser than our old friend, Peter Hare? Is that what +you mean?" + +"I know I should," bragged Little Bear. "I'd say, +'Good-by, Grandpa Tortoise!' and off I'd start, and I +should beat him before he had time to think. Then, +afterward, if I were sleepy and wanted to, I should take +a nap." + +"Very well," said Father Bear, "I shall see Grandpa +Tortoise, and if he is willing to run a race with a silly +little fellow like you, you shall have your chance, and +Peter Hare shall be the judge." + +So it came about that, when the rain was over, the +friends of the Three Bears and of the hare and the +tortoise met in the woods to see the fun. + +Little Bear noticed that, before the race began, the +hare and the tortoise were laughing about something, +but he did not even wonder what it was. He had nothing +to worry about. + +At last the word was given: "One, two, three, go!" + +[Illustration: He was out of breath before he had passed the first +oak tree] + +Away went the tortoise, slow and easy. Off started +Little Bear, running so fast that he was out of breath +before he had passed the first oak tree, and was glad to +stop a second and have a drink of dew from an acorn cup +that Friend Treetoad offered him. + +"Thank you," remarked Little Bear, as he returned +the cup, "but that was not enough. I shall have to step +over to the spring." + +"Remember how the hare lost the race," Friend +Treetoad warned him. + +"Oh, I shall not go to sleep," answered Little Bear, +"and, really, Grandpa Tortoise walks slower than I +thought he did." + +Beside the spring were a number of Little Bear's +old friends dressed in green satin coats, who were playing +leapfrog. They asked Little Bear to play with them, +and soon he was showing the frogs what long leaps he +could make. And then, in a little while, many baby +rabbits came and joined in the fun. The next that Little +Bear knew, he was chasing baby rabbits over the rocks +and catching nuts that the squirrels threw to him from +the tree tops and having a joyful playtime. + +An hour passed quickly, and then Little Bear suddenly +remembered that he had started out to run a race. +Back he ran to the path and away he flew toward the +goal, while the baby rabbits laughed and danced and +danced and laughed. Father Bear had sent them to +play with Little Bear, but they did not know why he +had sent them until that minute. + +[Illustration: Grandpa Tortoise had reached his goal] + +Stepping along, stepping along, slowly but surely, +Grandpa Tortoise had reached the goal, just as he had in +the long-ago day when he ran the race with the hare. +Little Bear, as he came near the goal, heard the neighbors +shouting, "Hurrah for the champion! Hurrah +for the champion! Hurrah for Grandpa Tortoise!" +Even Father Bear was shouting. + +Little Bear remembered his manners and, as his +father had told him what to do if he lost the race, straightway +walked up and shook hands with Grandpa Tortoise. +And the hare, although he must have been laughing in +his sleeve, remembered his manners, too, and did not +let anyone see him laugh. + +After that the old friends and neighbors went home +with the Three Bears to eat blackberries and honey and +to tell stories round the fire. Grandpa Tortoise went +too. He had traveled so slowly that he was not even +tired. Little Bear asked a few questions, as usual, +that afternoon when the stories were told, but he did +not brag. And when Peter Hare winked at him once +or twice he laughed. + + +WHEN MOTHER SKUNK HELPED +LITTLE BEAR + +Once upon a time Little Bear went for a long walk +along the river path. He was alone, and so did not +know that he had gone far from home until Father Kingfisher +saw him and called: + +"It is time for you to turn round and go back, Little +Bear! You must remember that it will soon be dark +in the woods, and you might get lost, for you have no +wings with which to fly home quickly." + +Little Bear looked for the sun. Sure enough, it was +sinking behind the trees and leaving a long, shining +trail on the river. It was time to go home. + +"Thank you, Father Kingfisher," answered Little +Bear. "I was having such a good time that I forgot +I was far from our little house, but I shall run back +fast now. So good night!" + +And away he ran. But before he had passed more +than three bends of the river he saw a man fishing, +and in the woods near by was a tent, with a bright +camp fire burning, and beside the camp fire, a man +cleaning a gun. + +Little Bear was so frightened that he sat down and + +[Illustration: Father Kingfisher saw him] + +cried. Mother Skunk heard him, for she and her six +children were out hunting beetles for supper. + +"What is the trouble?" she asked. "What is the +matter, Little Bear?" + +Little Bear told her about the two men, one on either +side of his path. "And I am afraid to go by them!" +he wailed. + +"Come, come, child, dry your eyes," said Mother +Skunk. "You have always been kind to my children, and +now I will take care of you. Stop crying and follow me." + +"But won't the men catch you?" asked Little Bear. + +"Oh, no," answered Mother Skunk, "They will not +touch us. You follow me. Come, children." + +On walked Mother Skunk, slowly and comfortably, +with Little Bear and her six pretty children following +one behind another, as she had told them to do. + +When the man who was fishing saw Mother Skunk walking by +with her children and Little Bear, he sat still as a +mouse. All he did was wink. The man by the fire stopped +cleaning his gun when he saw Mother Skunk walking by +with her children and Little Bear, and he, too, sat +still as a mouse. + +All he did was wink. "Now, Little Bear," said Mother +Skunk, when they had gone a few steps more, "The +children and I will [Illustration: On walked Mother +Skunk] stay here a while and catch beetles, but you must +run along home. The men will not trouble you while we +are in their path, never fear!" "I thank you, Mother +Skunk!" Little Bear called over his shoulder, as he pit- +patted for home as fast as he could travel. And when he +reached home, he told what had happened to him and +walked up and down in front of the fireplace to show +Father Bear and Mother Bear how Mother Skunk had walked +past the two big men, as if she were not afraid of +anyone in the woods. And how the Three Bears laughed! + +But when Mother Bear tucked Little Bear into bed +that night, she kissed him and said: + +"Let us always be thankful for good, kind friends!" + +One morning when Little Bear wanted to play, his +mother sent him out to pull weeds in the blackberry +patch. When his mother went out to see how he was +getting on, she found him lying on the ground and +looking at the sky. + +"Little Bear," said his mother, "Have you finished your +weeding?" + +"No, Mother Bear," was the answer, "It is too hard +work. I shall pull no more weeds." + +Never before had Mother Bear heard Little Bear +speak like that. So she took him by the hand and +led him into the house, where Father Bear sat in his +big chair. + +"Father Bear," she said, "Little Bear will not work." +Then behind Little Bear's back she made motions that +meant, "But please do not spank him!" + +"Ah-hum! Ah-hum!" began Father Bear, gazing +hard at Little Bear. "Do I understand that you will +not pull weeds, Son Bear?" + +"It is too hard work," explained Little Bear. "I +am not big enough to pull weeds in the blackberry +patch." + +[Illustration: She found him lying on the ground ] + +"Ah-hum! Ah-hum!" repeated Father Bear, who was really +too surprised at first for words. Then he said, "Son +Bear, I ought to spank you and send you out to work, and +that is what I will do if your mother is willing. But--" +Father Bear said "But" in such a loud, loud voice that +Little Bear jumped at the tone. "But little bears who +will not pull weeds in the blackberry patch shall not +eat blackberries." So upstairs went Little Bear, +followed by his mother, who carried a plate of bread and +a brown pitcher full of water from the spring. Mother +Bear said nothing when she left Little Bear upstairs +with the bread and the water, but he did not mind that, +because at first he thought it was all a joke. At dinner +time, when he smelled fish frying he felt hungry. But +his mother did not bring him any fish, and his father +said nothing. So Little Bear ate bread and drank water. + +The afternoon lasted a long, long time. Little Bear +was asleep when his mother brought him more bread +and water. + +When he awoke, he again smelled fish frying. He +felt hungry, but still his mother did not bring him any +fish, and his father said nothing. Then he called his +mother and his father. + +"What is the trouble with Son Bear?" inquired +Father Bear, when Mother Bear led the little fellow +downstairs. + +"I am hungry!" wailed Little Bear. + +"Have you no bread?" asked Father Bear. + +"I cannot eat just bread," answered Little Bear, +"not when I smell fish. Besides, I am lonesome. I +will weed the blackberry patch and the whole garden, +and I'll hoe the corn, and I'll work like Sally Beaver, +if you'll just let me have fish for my supper, and +blackberries, and honey, and milk." + +"Very well, Son Bear," agreed Father Bear. "You +shall sit down to supper, and weed the blackberry +patch before dark." + +Little Bear passed his plate, and Father Bear filled +it with trout, and mashed potatoes, and currant jelly. +Mother Bear passed him the johnnycake, and gave +him a big dish of blackberries and a brown mug full +of milk. + +Little Bear was so hungry that he ate two whole +speckled trout, and five pieces of johnnycake, and three +heaping dishes of blackberries, and drank two mugfuls + +[Illustration:"I am hungry!" wailed Little Bear] + +of milk before he went out and weeded the blackberry +patch. He was tired when he went to bed that night, +and on many other nights afterward, but he said +nothing about it, nor did he ever stop his work in the +garden until he had done it all as well as he could. For +he soon found out that when he had worked hard, even +bread and water tasted good, but that when he had not +worked, there was no taste in fish, or honey, or milk, +or in a heaping dish of blackberries. + +Last summer Little Bear went on a long journey +with his father and mother. The Three Bears had a +beautiful time traveling through the big forest until +they reached the banks of a deep, swift river. Then +there was trouble, for Little Bear could not swim, nor +did he wish to learn how to swim. He said he was +afraid of the water. + +"Father Bear can easily carry me over the river," he +suggested. + +"Nonsense!" replied big Father Bear in gruff tones. +"Nonsense, my son! You are old enough and strong +enough to learn to swim. I will not carry you across +the stream. Neither shall your mother." + +Just then there came Father Otter, swimming like +a seal, and twisting and turning in the water like a +fish. + +"Perhaps the good otter will teach Little Bear to +swim," Mother Bear said, and then called to him. + +"It is the easiest thing in the world to teach a little +bear how to swim," answered Father Otter. "Just +throw him in!" And away he went, laughing over his +shoulder. + +[Illustration: "Just throw him in!" said Father Otter. ] + +"He must be joking," observed Mother Bear quickly, +because she was afraid that Father Bear would toss +Little Bear into the river, and she did not like the idea. + +At that moment Mother Otter came swimming +down the river with her children. One of them climbed +upon her shoulders and stared solemnly at Little Bear +on the river bank. + +"Good morning!" said Mother Bear. + +"Good morning!" answered Mother Otter. + +"Your children are fine swimmers," added Mother +Bear. + +"Certainly," answered Mother Otter. "Every one of +them knows that our people have all been famous +swimmers for centuries." + +"I suppose, then," ventured Mother Bear, "that +your children were born swimmers. You probably had +trouble in keeping them out of the water when they were +babies." + +Mother Otter laughed. "The trouble was to get +them into the water," she said, "because the silly little +things were afraid. All young otters are afraid of the +water and have to be put into it by force." + +"You do not mean it!" exclaimed Mother Bear, with +great amazement in her tones. + +"Indeed I do," replied Mother Otter. "We had to +push every one of our children into the water. Does +Little Bear know how to swim?" + +"No," answered Mother Bear, shaking her head, "he +is afraid to try." + +"Duck him," advised Mother Otter, "duck him. +There is no other way to teach a little bear to swim." + +And away she went, down the stream, intending to +overtake Father Otter. + +The little Otters kept looking back, hoping to see +Father Bear toss Little Bear into the river. But Mother +Bear begged him not to teach Little Bear to swim that +day, and so the little Otters missed the fun. + +That night the Three Bears camped beside the deep, +swift river. After Little Bear was cuddled down in his +bed of leaves and springy boughs, Mother Bear made +Father Bear promise not to toss Little Bear into the river +unless Little Bear said he wanted him to. + +The next morning Father Bear was sorry that he had +made the promise, because an honest-looking polecat +who came across the stream and went into the woods +told Father Bear and Mother Bear that the largest, +sweetest blackberries in the forest were ripe on the other +shore. + +"And now," whispered Mother Bear to Father Bear, +"aren't you sorry that you told him that we wouldn't +carry him over?" + +"Sure enough, I am," agreed Father Bear. And then +he laughed at the joke on himself. + +"Well," suggested Mother Bear at last, "I shall coax +Little Bear to let you toss him gently into the river, and +I shall catch him if he finds he cannot swim." + +"Nonsense!" grumbled Father Bear, and stopped +laughing. "While you coax," he said, "I shall go for a +walk." + +Coaxing did not do any good. When Little Bear saw +his father wander away, he told his mother that he +did not feel like going into the water that morning. He +hoped she would please excuse him. And so she excused +him. + +Soon Father Bear came back, smiling and happy. "I +have found a bridge," said he. "An old log has fallen +across the river a little way upstream, where, on the other +side, blackberries are almost as big as ducks' eggs. +Little Bear can walk across on the log." + +"All right, I'll do it," promised Little Bear, and gladly +followed his father until the Three Bears reached the +bridge. + +[Illustration: In a little while he bobbed up] + +But while Little Bear was skipping joyfully over the +log, trying to reach the opposite bank before his father +and mother could swim across, the log turned over and +sent Little Bear head first into the river. Fortunately, +he knew enough to keep his mouth shut, and in a little +while he bobbed up, shaking his head to get the water +out of his eyes and his ears and paddling like a duck. +That was all there was to it, because, ever after, Little +Bear could swim. + +Mother Bear believes to this day that Father Bear +knew that the log would roll over. She believes it +because, whenever anyone asks him, he says nothing, +but just laughs. + +One morning, while Little Bear was out camping with +his father and mother, he went into the woods to pick +daisies and bluebells with which to decorate the entrance +to their cave. His hands were full of flowers, and he was +ready to go back with them to his mother, when he +heard a baby crying. Little Bear stood still and listened. +Then he knew that the child who was crying was an Otter +baby. He had heard Otter babies cry before. + +"What is the matter, baby one?" called Little Bear. +"What are you crying about and where are you? Did +you bump your nose?" + +"I am lost! Come and find me!" answered Baby Otter. + +"You are hiding behind the oak stump!" exclaimed +Little Bear, as he scrambled through the thicket and +fairly pounced upon Baby Otter. "I spy!" he shouted. + +"It isn't a game!" wailed the Otter baby. "I tell +you I am lost! I don't know where my mother went +and I can't find my father! I want to go home. Oh, +boo-hoo-hoo!" + +"There, there, don't cry!" said Little Bear. "Tell +me where your camp is, and I will take you home just as +fast as we can go." + +"But we do not live here!" complained the lost baby. +"Our home is Brookside, a long way off across country, +and we are only camping out, and I do not know where +our camp is! Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" + +"Come, come, cheer up!" said Little Bear, using the +very words his father often used when speaking to him. +"I tell you I will take you home, and if it is too far away +I'll ask my father to go. We are camping out, ourselves, +down the river a little way. Now tell me how you +happened to get lost." + +So the Otter baby told him that the Otter family had +gone out together after breakfast that morning, and that +while they were laughing and chatting Baby Otter had +strayed away from the path to pick flowers. The next +thing that he knew he had been alone, and, not knowing +what else to do, he had sat down and cried. + +"Well, wipe your eyes now, and give me your paw!" +said Little Bear in big, grown-up tones. "My father +showed me your camp only yesterday, and, if you are +one of the campers, you live only a little way from here +and I can take you home." + +Of course Baby Otter wiped his eyes and walked +happily behind Little Bear. He wished to travel in +single file, Otter fashion. + +[Illustration: Baby Otter walked happily behind Little Bear] + +It happened that Father Bear had been teaching Little +Bear how to follow the woods trails, and Little Bear knew +the Otters' path, because they always went round stumps +and under logs; besides, their legs were short and their +bodies so heavy they left well-worn trails behind them. + +At last Little Bear reached the end of the crooked +path, and Baby Otter, without so much as saying "Thank +you!" to Little Bear, ran to the cave by the river bank +where his family was camping out. + +"Some people always forget their manners," said Little +Bear to himself, as he ran home to tell his father and +mother what he had done. + +"I am glad you were good to the baby," said Little +Bear's mother, as she took the bluebells and daisies that +he had brought and put them into a hollow stump beside +the cave door. She had filled the stump with water from +the spring while Little Bear was gone. + +"The flowers are lovely!" said Mother Bear. "Now +please run into the woods for some green leaves and vines +to put with them, Little Bear." + +Before he could do as she told him, Uncle John Kingfisher +came flying to invite the Three Bears to a party. +"The Otters," said he, "request your presence at a fish +dinner. Come now." + +"We thank you, Uncle John Kingfisher," said Father +Bear. "We will start at once. Come, Little Bear, wash +your hands and face and get ready." + +That is how it came about that the Three Bears dined +with the Otters that day, on trout, salmon, and eels, and +were served with only one bite from each fish, and that +bite taken from the meat just behind the head. Mother +Bear thought that the Otters chose only one dainty morsel +from each fish just because they had invited company +for dinner. But Father Bear told her afterward that she +was mistaken; Otters always serve fish in that way when +fish are plentiful. + +After dinner the Otters and their guests rested for a +while, and then Father Otter urged the children to come +out and play with him and with Mother Otter. Much +surprised, the Three Bears followed the Otters to their +playground. And the next Father Bear and Mother +Bear knew, Little Bear was sliding down the Otters' +toboggan slide and shouting with glee. All the Otters +went down that slide, one behind the other, and landed +splashety-splash! in the river below. + +It was a wonderful sight to see the Otters swimming +about in the stream, because they are beautiful swimmers. +But what Father and Mother Bear liked best +was the picture of Little Bear running up the roundabout +path to the top of the bank and going down the slide +three times as fast as the Otter children and their +parents. The Otters were more at home in the water than +Little Bear was, but they could not run on land as he +could. + +Their next game they played with sticks. One Otter +took the end of a stick in his mouth and another Otter +took the other end, and then they pulled and pulled to + +[Illustration: Little Bear was sliding down the Otter' +toboggan slide.] + +see which was the stronger. Little Bear did not like +that game so well as he did the toboggan slide. + +"We have had a delightful time at your party," said +Mother Bear to Mother Otter, at last, "and we thank +you for inviting us over. If you ever wander into our +home woods, come to our little house and have porridge +with us." + +"We shall be glad to do so," said Mother Otter, "and +we shall always think kindly of Little Bear because he +brought our baby home when he was lost. If we do go +to visit you, you must let us make Little Bear a toboggan +slide." + +"Ask them to come as soon as we get home!" urged +Little Bear in a whisper to his mother so loud that the +Otter children heard it, and laughed. + +And that night Little Bear dreamed of taking home a +baby otter and of being invited to slide down that baby +otter's toboggan slide all the afternoon. + +Once in midsummer when wild roses were blooming +along the river bank behind the Three Bears' house in +the forest and wild birds were singing from every thicket, +Father Bear built a raft and took his family floating +downstream. The raft was made of logs firmly fastened +together. It was big and strong, and had three rustic +chairs on it--a big, big chair for the big Father Bear, +a middle-sized chair for middle-sized Mother Bear, and +a wee, wee chair for wee Little Bear. There were also +poles to keep the raft from bumping against the river +bank: a rather heavy pole made just for huge Father +Bear, a middle-sized pole for middle-sized Mother Bear, +and a long, light pole for Little Bear. + +Soon they were far from home, but it was afternoon +before anything special happened. There was a bend in +the river, and when the raft came swishing and tumbling +round that bend the Three Bears saw a little log house +on a hillside and many children playing outside the +door. + +At that very moment, bump! went the raft into +the bank, and there it stuck among the willows! + +"Oh, please do not push the raft into the stream + +[Illustration: Father Bear took his family floating +downstream.] + +for a few minutes!" whispered Little Bear. "Let us +watch the children!" + +"Yes, let us watch the children," added Mother Bear. + +So Father Bear, being willing to please his family, +seated himself in his huge chair, and Mother Bear +seated herself in her middle-sized chair. But Little +Bear stood on his tippytoes in his little chair, so that +he could see better. + +"Oh, I wish those children would let me play with +them!" cried Little Bear, as the youngsters joined +hands and danced round and round in a circle. + +Plainly, the log building was a schoolhouse, for a +moment later out stepped the schoolmaster and began +to ring a bell. + +The children straightway formed in line, boys first, +girls behind. Then they all marched into the schoolroom, +saying, "Left foot, right foot, left foot, right +foot," and their feet made a merry stamping. + +After the children were all in the schoolhouse and +the door was closed, a song came floating through the +open windows. + +When the singing was over, and the only sounds +that the bears heard were the song of birds, the lapping +of the water, and the humming of bees, Little Bear +said to his father and mother, "I see a little path leading +from the river to the schoolhouse, and I see bushes +beside one of the windows. If I will go softly, softly, +and climb softly, softly into the bushes, may I go and +peep into the schoolhouse and see the children?" + +"Oh, I do not know about that!" began Mother Bear. + +But Father Bear said, "Oh, let him go! Only, Son +Bear," he added, "if one of the children should happen +to see you, and should say 'Bear,' you run straight +down to the raft, and we shall be ready to push into +the stream and get away!" + +[Illustration: Little Bear crept softly up the path] + +So Little Bear crept softly up the path on the hillside, +climbed softly into the bushes, and peeped into the +schoolroom. All the children were in their seats with +their heads bent over books and slates. Then the +teacher said sternly, "Primer class! Come forward!" + +Two little girls and one little boy, with blue-covered +books in their hands, went to a spot in front of the +teacher's desk and stood with their toes on a crack in +the floor. The little girls edged away from the boy +as far as they could while the master looked at them. +Little Bear was so much interested that he climbed +closer to the window. + +"Open your books," said the schoolmaster. + +The three opened their blue-covered books. + +"Joan, you may read the lesson first, if you please." + +So Joan read, "I--see--a-cat." + +"Good!" said the master. "Mary, you may read." + +"I-see-a-cat," read Mary. She knew every word +of that lesson. + +"Now, Simon," spoke the master to the boy, "let +us hear you read." + +Little Bear was sure that Simon did not know his +lesson. He was sure of it because Simon acted so +foolish and looked so unhappy. He stood on one foot + +[Illustration: Little Bear leaned forward until his paws +rested on the window sill] + +and then on the other and twisted and squirmed until +the girls giggled. + +"Come, Simon," urged the master, "we are waiting." +It happened that Little Bear felt so sorry for Simon +that he forgot all about himself, and leaned forward +until his paws rested on the window sill. No one noticed +him then, because bushes clustered close round that +window and he had made no sound. + +"Simon," the master commanded at last, "read the +lesson!" + +"I-see," began Simon, "I-see-a-" Then he +looked up, but instead of saying "cat," as the primer +said, Simon, with eyes as large and round as saucers, +dropped his book and cried, "Bear! I see a bear!" + +Sure enough, he did. So did all the children. So +did the master, because Little Bear was right up in +the window, trying to tell Simon the word "cat"! + +Down the hill ran Little Bear as fast as he could go, +and scrambled on board the raft. Father Bear and +Mother Bear used their poles and quickly pushed the +raft into the middle of the stream, and away went +all three of them, laughing. But Little Bear did not +wish to visit school again that day-or that summer. + +One morning, when the Three Bears were floating +downstream on their raft, they saw a farmhouse in the +distance. + +"Perhaps we shall never be so near a farmhouse +again," said Mother Bear to Father Bear, "so I think +we should buy some eggs of the farmer's wife." + +"Do be sensible!" exclaimed Father Bear. "Remember +that we have no money and that farmers do not +love bears." + +"That does not matter," said Mother Bear gently. +"To-night, when we build our camp fire for the evening, +we must have hens' eggs to roast for supper, and how can +we have hens' eggs unless we buy them at the farmhouse?" + +Father Bear made no answer, but pushed the raft +against the bank and tied it to the willows with a rope +of wild grapevine. He knew that Mother Bear would +have her way, so he wasted no time trying to argue +about the matter. "Now, then!" was all Father Bear +said after that, as he sat in his huge chair and folded +his arms to watch the fun. + +'"Now, then,' is what I say, too," added Mother +Bear, laughing. "Honey Cub," she said to Little +Bear, who was wondering what would happen next, +"jump off the raft and bring me many long, slim leaves +of the cat-tails growing over there, and I will weave +two baskets, one for the money, one for the eggs." + +Little Bear hastened to obey. But when he returned +with his arms full of cat-tail leaves, he said, "Mother +Bear, I have made a wish. Please let us have the eggs +for dinner, and let us have them scrambled. Father +Bear and I like scrambled eggs better," and Little +Bear winked at Father Bear and Father Bear winked +back. + +"We shall not make camp at noon so near a farmhouse," +answered Mother Bear, "and the eggs shall +be roasted. Now run along after some long grasses, +Honey Cub, for me to weave into the baskets with +the cat-tails." + +Little Bear obeyed his mother, but he neither danced +nor sang as he gathered the grasses. "Noon is the +time for dinner," he told a big green frog, "and I wish +for scrambled eggs at noon." + +"Ker-plunk!" said the frog. + +Quickly Mother Bear made two pretty green baskets. +"One is for wild strawberries," she explained. "We +will fill it to the brim and leave it for the farmer's wife, + +[Illustration: "Mother Bear, I have made a wisk"] + +instead of money. She will find it in a nest when she +goes to gather the eggs." + +"I'll gladly pick the berries," said Little Bear, "and +I 'll go with you to find a hen's nest that has eggs in it +to scramble." + +"You will stay with your father while I go for the +eggs," answered his mother. + +So after Little Bear had filled one green basket with +delicious wild strawberries, he stayed with his father +while Mother Bear went for the eggs. + +"Noon is the time for dinner," Little Bear said in +grumbling tones, "and roasted eggs are not so good +as scrambled." + +"Son Bear," answered Father Bear sternly, "Mother +Bear is always right!" + +Soon back came Mother Bear, walking fast. And +when Little Bear saw the eggs in her green basket, +he was so much pleased that he forgot to be cross, +although he did not forget his wish. While Father +Bear untied the grapevine rope, Little Bear helped +Mother Bear to cover the eggs with big green leaves, +to keep them cool. He danced and sang as he worked. + +"And now we are off for a morning's good fishing!" +exclaimed Father Bear, as he pushed the raft into the +middle of the stream and passed a wee fish pole to +Little Bear, a middle-sized fish pole to Mother Bear, +and straightway began fishing himself with his own +huge pole and line. + +The Three Bears fished all the morning and caught +nothing. At noon, without warning, there was a great +splashing in the river, and Father Bear exclaimed, +"I have a bite!" + +Well, he pulled, and pulled, and pulled, and could +not land his fish. There was great excitement on + +[Illustration: Father Bear answered sternly, "Mother Bear is always +right"] + +[Illustration: Back fell Father Bear] + +the raft, until suddenly Father Bear almost caught the +fish. Up came the line, up bobbed the fish-a +huge fish, almost the biggest fish Father Bear had +ever caught. But back fell Father Bear, and bumped +into Mother Bear, and she bumped into Little Bear, +and he sat down in the basket of eggs, because the three +were standing one behind another. Then the fish +flopped back, splash! into the water--and the Three +Bears were hungry! + +"Something has happened to the eggs!" exclaimed +Little Bear. "I am afraid they are all squashed." + +Sure enough! When Mother Bear took the leaves +off the basket of eggs, what a sight she beheld! Every +shell was broken. Then said Father Bear, laughing: +"Roasted eggs are not so good as scrambled, and noon +is the time for dinner! Mother Bear, let us go ashore +and make camp. We have come a long way from +the farmhouse." + +"Father Bear is always right," said Mother Bear, +as she emptied the broken eggs into the frying pan +and began picking out pieces of the shells and tossing +them into the water. + +That is how it came about that the Three Bears +built a camp fire at noon and dined on scrambled eggs. +They had a jolly time eating dinner in the woods and +talking about what a huge fish it was that Father Bear +had almost pulled out of the stream in the morning. + +But after dinner Little Bear laughed and sang: + + "I had my wish! + Because Daddy lost his fish! + Ta-de-dum, + Ta-de-dum, + Ta-de-dum-dum-dum!" + +until at last the three bears joined hands and danced +round the camp fire singing together: + + "Little Bear had his wish + When Father Bear lost his fish! + Ta-de-dum, + Ta-de-dum, + Ta-de-dum-dum-dum!" + + +Three Bears Come to Breakfast + +From the day when the Three Bears discovered the +Enchanted Land where bears may walk without fear of +harm, and may safely poke their noses into any man's +tent if they choose, from that day, Little Bear teased to +go back. + +"Then let us be off," exclaimed Father Bear at last. +"Let us be off on a holiday journey, Mother Bear. +Come, son, close the door of our little house and away +we go!" + +And away they went. Little Bear was so happy when +the three jolly companions finally reached the Enchanted +Land that he went to bed at sunset so that he might +be up early in the morning to explore a country where +rocks were painted in all colors of the rainbow, where +springs of hot water bubbled through the earth, and +where crystal-clear waterfalls filled his little heart with +wonder. + +Sure enough, Little Bear awoke in the early dawn, gave +his father a friendly poke in the side, gave his mother's +nose a friendly tweak, and thus merrily the day began. + +"Let us take a walk before breakfast," suggested +Little Bear. + +[Illustration: He lifted the cover and peeped in] + +"Very well," agreed Father Bear, "and let us catch +fish for breakfast in a mountain stream!" + +"And we shall cook the fish in the first hot spring along +the way," added Mother Bear. + +On through the glorious dawn went the Three Bears, +crooning an old song and joyfully sniffing the air, when +suddenly they came upon a sleeping camp, where the +tents of the campers formed a big circle. In the center +of the circle were the ashes of a campfire, and not far +away was a cookstove standing near a covered wagon. + +On that stove was a kettle. Over to that kettle +pranced Little Bear. He lifted the cover and peeped in. + +The kettle was full of something Little Bear had never +seen before. Over walked Father Bear, over walked +Mother Bear. They peeped in the kettle and shook their +heads. + +"It is something the cook forgot to put away!" +remarked Father Bear in pompous tones. + +"You may taste of it if you wish, Son Bear," said his +mother. + +Into the kettle went Little Bear's paw, and out it +came filled with soft, brown, juicy fruit. He ate it, and +it was good-so good he ate more and more. Father +Bear ate the fruit, Mother Bear ate the fruit. + +"What is it?" they said one to another. But although +they could not answer the question, they liked that fruit +so well they ate and ate until they ate it all up. They +even forgot their manners and smacked their lips. + +Suddenly there was a noise in one of the tents, and out +popped the cook's wife, calling, "Oh, the bears are eating +our prunes! Oh, the bears are eating our prunes! Shoo! +Shoo! Shoo! They were eating our prunes!" + +"So we were eating prunes!" exclaimed Mother Bear, +as away went the Three Bears, laughing. + +"And prunes are good!" piped up Little Bear, in his +shrill, shrill voice. + +But Daddy Bear pranced through the forest singing: + + "Oh, let us sing some new, new tunes! + All about her prunes, prunes, prunes!" + +And "Prunes, prunes, prunes," the Three Bears sang +all that merry day. "Prunes, prunes, prunes, prunes +we had for breakfast!" + +Little Bear had never heard of the Pied Piper of +Hamelin who rid the town of rats, and then, when he +went back for his promised pay, was only laughed at, +so that he piped away all the children of Hamelin town +and never piped them back again. Mother Bear had +never told Little Bear that story. However, she had +taught her child to keep his promises, which was very +fortunate, because one day the Pied Piper appeared +when Little Bear was alone in the sunbright clearing +which was his favorite playground. + +It happened that day that Little Bear found his playground +full of caterpillars, and he did not like caterpillars. +They were everywhere--on the ground, on the +grass, on flowers, on the trees, humping along and +humping along, eating green leaves. + +"Oh, you old humpty-humps," exclaimed Little Bear, +"I wish you would go away!" + +But the caterpillars would not go away. They even +began crawling over Little Bear. He shook them off +and was about to run away when along came that man, +tall and thin, with a sharp chin and a mouth where the +smiles went out and in, and two blue eyes each like a pin. + +And he was dressed half in red and half in yellow, and +as we have often been told, he really was the strangest +fellow. Around his neck he wore a red and yellow ribbon, +and on it was hung something like a flute, and his fingers +went straying up and down it as if he wished to be +playing. + +"I understand that you do not like caterpillars," +said this queer fellow to Little Bear. "Men call me the +Pied Piper," he went on when he saw that Little Bear was +too surprised to speak. "And I know a way to draw +after me everything that walks or flies or swims! What +will you give me if I rid your playground of caterpillars?" + +"I shall give you my porridge bowl," answered Little +Bear, "if you can take away these caterpillars." + +Little Bear afterward told his father and mother that +he did not believe that the Pied Piper could do it. + +Straightway the Pied Piper put the long pipe to his +lips and began to play a tune--a strange, high little tune. +And before the pipe had uttered three shrill notes the +caterpillars humped after the Piper--thin ones, plump +ones, skinny ones, woolly ones, striped ones, plain ones, +great caterpillars, small caterpillars, lean ones, brawny +ones, brown caterpillars, black caterpillars, gray ones, +tawny ones, they all followed the Piper for their lives +until they came to the edge of the river. Then the +Piper suddenly stepped aside and down they tumbled +and--were--drowned! + +Only one too-plump caterpillar came humping slowly +back to the playground, making great lamentation. + +"What is the matter with you?" asked Little Bear, +who had laughed until he was obliged to wipe away tears +with the back of his paw at the sight of so many caterpillars +following the Pied Piper. + +"Oh me, oh my!" wailed the mournful caterpillar. +"He said we should sleep in cradles of silk and wake up +with wings of purple! It has been the dream of my life +to be a butterfly with wings of gold and purple!" + +"Cheer up," comforted Little Bear, "you just spin +yourself a cocoon caterpillar fashion and go to sleep, +and you will surely find yourself turned into a butterfly +when you wake up! Mother said so! Now there! Why +didn't I remember that caterpillars turn into butterflies, +before I promised to give away my porridge bowl! I +should like to have my playground full of butterflies! I +wish I had thought of that! Now those poor old caterpillars +are gone and I promised to give away my bowl! +Maybe the Pied Piper will not come back!" + +But he did. "I should like my bowl!" said he. + +[Illustration: "Oh, you old humpty-humps"] + +"I know that a promise is a promise," agreed Little +Bear promptly and sorrowfully. "You wait here until +I run home after it and I shall give you my little bowl!" + +And he did. As the Piper took the bowl and turned +away, Father and Mother Bear came into the clearing. + +"What are you doing with Little Bear's bowl?" they +demanded, and would have followed the Pied Piper, but +he put the pipe to his lips and began to play a little tune +-a soft little tune, sweet and strange. And the music +made Father Bear and Mother Bear stand still as if their +feet had been tied to the ground. + +"Oh, Little Bear!" they cried in terror. "It is the +Pied Piper! Oh, Little Bear, do not follow him!" + +"Indeed I could not if I wished to do so," answered +Little Bear, "because my feet will not go! The music +has made me stand still too, and I hear voices singing, +'Stay home with your father! Stay home with your +mother! Stay home, Little Bear!'" + +As the music grew faint in the distance, the Three +Bears were once more able to walk about, and then Little +Bear explained that he had promised to give his bowl to +the Pied Piper if he would take away the caterpillars, +and that he had kept the promise, sad as he felt about +losing his treasure. + +"Come," said Mother Bear, "I believe we better go +home now before we meet any more strangers!" + +When the Three Bears reached home, there was +Little Bear's bowl on the doorstep, and the Pied Piper's +pipe was heard playing softly far away. + +After Father Bear told Little Bear the story of Hamelin +town he was more glad than ever that he had kept his +promise. So was his mother. So was his father. + +[Illustration: There was Little Bear's bowl on the doorstep] + +Little Bear did not like to hear any talk about Sleepy +Cave, which was the name of the Three Bears' winter +home, the year Jack Frost came late. There were three +beds in Sleepy Cave, ready and waiting for the Three +Bears-a big, big bed of boughs and moss for huge +Father Bear, a middle-sized bed of fir boughs and moss +for middle-sized Mother Bear, and a deep, deep bed +of feathery moss for Little Bear. + +There were also feathery moss blankets taken from +fallen logs in the forest--one for huge Father Bear, one +for Mother Bear, and the softest, warmest moss blanket +of all for Little Bear. + +Sleepy Cave was big and warm and dry. There was +no chance for snow to drift in the doorway because it +was sheltered by a broad overhanging rock, and its back +was toward the wind. There was blackberry jam put +away in that cave, and combs of honey and other good +things to eat in case the family should wake up and feel +hungry before spring. + +But Little Bear did not like to hear a word about Sleepy +Cave. It was the same old story with him, beginning, +"I don't want to sleep all winter! Mrs. Maria Wildcat, +she said, "Young cub, you won't be anything but a Baby +Bear, eating porridge out of a little bowl, and sitting in a +wee, wee chair, and sleeping in a wee, wee bed, for another +hundred years if you lie around and sleep all winter! +You'll never grow up!' She always says that! And +Mr. Bob Wildcat, he said--" + +"There, there," Mother Bear interrupted, "don't let +me hear another word about Maria Wildcat or any of +the Wildcat family! I think I said this to you once +before!" + +"But I don't want to sleep all winter," wailed Little +Bear. "I want to stay in our own little house in the +woods and see the snow in the evergreens. I'd love to +play in the snow and go sliding on the ice. I want to +stay here and eat porridge out of my little bowl and sit +in my little chair and sleep in my little bed! Father +Deer's children do not sleep all winter. They make +tracks in the snow, and they lie down to rest in the evergreens +and watch for their enemies in the middle of the +day! Father Deer told me about it all over again! I +want to stay here and play all winter like other folks! +Sally Beaver's mother, she said--" + +"Hush," advised Mother Bear, "you have said +enough!" + +Mother Bear spoke severely, but a moment later when +the little fellow went out and sat on the doorstep to think, +she said to Father Bear, "Suppose we have a surprise +party for Little Bear?" + +[Illustration: "I don't want to sleep all winter"] + +"A good idea!" agreed Father Bear. "But there is +snow in the air, and if there is to be a party it had better +be this afternoon. Whom do you wish to invite?" + +Mother Bear smiled as she answered, "Let us invite +the children of our hibernating friends. I think that will +be pleasanter. We'll invite Auntie Cinnamon's children, +and Uncle Brown Bear's family, and the Porcupine +twins, and the Field Mice children, and the young Musk-rats. +If you will do the inviting, I will make blackberry +jam and honey cakes and get the house in order!" + +Little Bear didn't even ask a question as Father Bear +started out, looking rather proud of his new fur overcoat. + +In the afternoon, as Father Bear and Mother Bear +were happily waiting for Little Bear's company, there +came a knock at the door, followed by the entrance of +Auntie Cinnamon. + +"I came to say," said she, "that my children cannot +come to the party because they have gone to sleep for +the winter. No, I cannot stay, I thank you, but I am +glad to stop in a minute to say good night until spring." + +"Sleepy heads!" exclaimed Little Bear when Auntie +Cinnamon had gone on her way. + +Next came Uncle Brown Bear. He was so plump he +was out of breath from walking fast and had to rest a +minute before he could say, "Our children are all asleep +and cannot come to the party, but Auntie Brown sent +me over to say we thank you, and good night until +spring!" And away he went. + +[Illustration: "I came to say that my children cannot +come to the party," said Aunty Cinnamon] + +"The sleepy heads!" exclaimed Little Bear again, +and how he laughed. "But where is the party, Mother +Bear, and am I invited?" + +Just then came another knock at the door, and Mother +Porcupine walked in to say that the twins were tucked +away in bed for the winter and so could not come to +Little Bear's surprise party. + +Little Bear was so delighted when he learned he was +to have a surprise party that he wasn't disappointed +when the laughing Blue Jay came with a message from +the Field Mouse mother saying that the Field Mice +children just couldn't keep their eyes open, they were +so sleepy, and so of course they could not come to the +party. + +"I'll sit by the window and see who does come," +said Little Bear, happy as he could be thinking of the +party. + +Now it happened that no one else had been invited +to the party, so Mother Bear took Little Bear to the +cupboard to show him the blackberry sandwiches and +honey cakes, while Father Bear stepped out to ask the +Blue Jay to please fly quickly away and invite the wildcat +children and the young squirrels and chipmunks and +foxes to come immediately to the party. + +[Illustration: They found Little Bear sound asleep] + +The Blue Jay flew to do this joyful errand, and soon +came dozens of chattering, noisy wildwood children to +the party. + +But when they reached the house they found Little +Bear sound asleep with a contented smile on his face, +dreaming of the party! The merry children could not +awaken him, although they tried their best because they +wished to share with him the blackberry jam and honey +cakes. + +Late that afternoon when the party was over and the +frolicking children had gone, Father Bear took Little +Bear in his arms, and Mother Bear closed the house. +Then away went the Three Bears to Sleepy Cave. + +When Little Bear was snugly tucked in his feathery +moss bed, Mother Bear kissed him and said, "I am so +glad the little fellow was happy when he went to sleep!" + +And that very night it snowed, and snowed--and +snowed! + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Bear at Work and at Play +by Frances Margaret Fox + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY *** + +This file should be named 7764.txt or 7764.zip + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Ted Garvin +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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