Little Bear at Work and at Play | Page 2

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