The lonely bear and the farmer's daughter - short story extract
A bear lived in a clearing of a forest in a far northern country. He was big and brown, but he was lonely.
He had no mates and no cubs. So he sat in the middle of the clearing and cried.
A farmer came by with an axe in his hand.
He said, “Why are you crying, big bear?”
“I am lonely,” said the bear, a big round tear running down his cheek, “I have no mates and no cubs.”
“I know what,” said the farmer. “You can play with my daughter Louise. She is lonely too. She lost her mother and she has no brothers or sisters.
The bear nodded and rolled on his back. He gave a jolly growl that shook up the trees.
Bruno enjoyed Louise’s visits. He was big but gentle. He let Louise do lots of things he wouldn’t let anyone else do.
Louise climbed on his big furry knee. She stroked his face, and brushed his hair. She tickled his toes and played with his tail but Bruno didn’t mind because he liked her.
In time, all the animals of the forest came to watch this marvellous sight.
First, came Harry the woodpecker. He pecked at the tree trunk nearby till Bruno got fed up and growled.
Louise was amazed at Bruno’s angry growl. She said, “Bruno, don’t growl. Harry has to peck. He is a woodpecker. Let him be our friend. Bruno who liked Louise a lot, growled softly in agreement.
He just got used to the sound of wood-pecking and grew to like Harry.
Then came David the tortoise shuffling in the leaves. The leaves rustled and rustled till Bruno got fed up. He growled angrily again.
And again Louise said, “Bruno, David has to shuffle. He can’t move any other way. Let’s have him as a friend. So again Bruno agreed because he liked Louise a lot. In time he got used to the rustling leaves and got to like David.
Then came Rory the Lion. He paced around in the clearing. Round and round and up and down he paced impatiently, looking for a prey.
Louise climbed onto Bruno’s lap and snuggled up there. She was frightened. She didn’t know what to do.
She wanted to befriend the Lion too but he was too fierce and scary.
Rory the lion roared loud and fierce when he saw Louise on Bruno’s lap. He didn’t want to pick a fight with Bruno, but he wanted to have Louise for dinner.
He sat down and thought, and thought. Whilst he was thinking, David the tortoise shuffled near him and tickled his feet. The Lion burst into a robust laughter. He laughed and laughed until he dropped down in exhaustion and fell asleep.
Meantime Harry the woodpecker flew over to the farmer’s house and pecked on his door. He told the farmer about the lion. The farmer took his gun and left for the forest.
He had no mates and no cubs. So he sat in the middle of the clearing and cried.
A farmer came by with an axe in his hand.
He said, “Why are you crying, big bear?”
“I am lonely,” said the bear, a big round tear running down his cheek, “I have no mates and no cubs.”
“I know what,” said the farmer. “You can play with my daughter Louise. She is lonely too. She lost her mother and she has no brothers or sisters.
The bear nodded and rolled on his back. He gave a jolly growl that shook up the trees.
Bruno enjoyed Louise’s visits. He was big but gentle. He let Louise do lots of things he wouldn’t let anyone else do.
Louise climbed on his big furry knee. She stroked his face, and brushed his hair. She tickled his toes and played with his tail but Bruno didn’t mind because he liked her.
In time, all the animals of the forest came to watch this marvellous sight.
First, came Harry the woodpecker. He pecked at the tree trunk nearby till Bruno got fed up and growled.
Louise was amazed at Bruno’s angry growl. She said, “Bruno, don’t growl. Harry has to peck. He is a woodpecker. Let him be our friend. Bruno who liked Louise a lot, growled softly in agreement.
He just got used to the sound of wood-pecking and grew to like Harry.
Then came David the tortoise shuffling in the leaves. The leaves rustled and rustled till Bruno got fed up. He growled angrily again.
And again Louise said, “Bruno, David has to shuffle. He can’t move any other way. Let’s have him as a friend. So again Bruno agreed because he liked Louise a lot. In time he got used to the rustling leaves and got to like David.
Then came Rory the Lion. He paced around in the clearing. Round and round and up and down he paced impatiently, looking for a prey.
Louise climbed onto Bruno’s lap and snuggled up there. She was frightened. She didn’t know what to do.
She wanted to befriend the Lion too but he was too fierce and scary.
Rory the lion roared loud and fierce when he saw Louise on Bruno’s lap. He didn’t want to pick a fight with Bruno, but he wanted to have Louise for dinner.
He sat down and thought, and thought. Whilst he was thinking, David the tortoise shuffled near him and tickled his feet. The Lion burst into a robust laughter. He laughed and laughed until he dropped down in exhaustion and fell asleep.
Meantime Harry the woodpecker flew over to the farmer’s house and pecked on his door. He told the farmer about the lion. The farmer took his gun and left for the forest.