Originally, as you know, bear had a long and beautiful tail and was quite proud of it. Bear is adequet at most things, being a good hunter and fisherman, but of course, he isn't terribly bright.
Bear was out fishing through the ice one day, and had caught several nice trout, when Fox came by. Now Fox is not particularly good at hunting or catching fish, but he is very cunning.
Fox cut a hole in the ice near bear and stuck his tail into the water. Now Bear became curious as to just what Fox was doing, and went over to ask him.
"I'm fishing," said Fox.
"Well, that's no way to fish." said Bear.
"Not if you just want to catch those little fish," said Fox, glancing contemptuously at the fish Bear had pulled out, "I'm fishing for really large fish." said Fox, "But it must be done just so. One large fish will get me more meat than all those little fish you've caught"
Fox turned back to his fishing, and ignored Bear.
Bear returned to his hole, but the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like he was wasting his time catching small fish. Eventually he returned to Fox's hole.
"Could you teach me how to catch large fish?" he asked Fox.
Fox, with a great show of annoyance, turned to Bear. "If I show you, I will have to move away, as there are only a few large fish in any one part of the lake. None the less, I will show you how to catch large fish, but you must do exactly as I say."
"You can use my hole," Fox said, "as it is in just the right spot. You must put your tail down into the water, and keep absolutely still unitl you feel the fish grab hold of your tail. When you feel a hard tug on your tail, you can pull the fish out. It will probably take a very long time, but you must remain absolutely still, no matter what, even if it takes a very long time. I will return and check on how things are going later"
Bear agreed to this, and placed his tail in Fox's hole. Fox, murmering under his breath, walked off to the far end of the lake.
Much time passed. Bear felt no tug. He was tempted to pull his tail out, to see if it should be in further or out further, but he remembered Fox's admonition, and kept still.
The stars came out. The night was cold. Still bear remembered to remain still, though by this time, he couldn't even feel his tail.
When the morning light appeared, Fox came sauntering up, and asked him how the fishing was going.
Poor Bear! He was so cold and miserable, he could hardly have moved if he wanted to. "I haven't felt any tugs!" He said.
"You haven't sat here all night?" asked Fox.
"Oh, yes" said Bear.
"Well, why don't you pull out your tail and I'll see if you have it placed in the hole correctly."
Bear tried to pull out his tail, but it was frozen into the ice. He tried and tried to get it out, but it would not come.
Fox, cunning creature that he was, had hoped for this result. He commiserated with Bear, but in the end, nothing had changed. Bear was still attached to the ice by his tail.
Fox said, "Well, as long as you are going to stay here, someone should do something about all these small fish left on the ice" and he walked off with them.
Bear eventually pulled hard enough to break off his frozen tail, and wandered away wimpering for the loss of his beautiful tail - and his fish.
This is why Bear will eat Fox, if he can, and never trusts him to this day.
PG
Bear was out fishing through the ice one day, and had caught several nice trout, when Fox came by. Now Fox is not particularly good at hunting or catching fish, but he is very cunning.
Fox cut a hole in the ice near bear and stuck his tail into the water. Now Bear became curious as to just what Fox was doing, and went over to ask him.
"I'm fishing," said Fox.
"Well, that's no way to fish." said Bear.
"Not if you just want to catch those little fish," said Fox, glancing contemptuously at the fish Bear had pulled out, "I'm fishing for really large fish." said Fox, "But it must be done just so. One large fish will get me more meat than all those little fish you've caught"
Fox turned back to his fishing, and ignored Bear.
Bear returned to his hole, but the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like he was wasting his time catching small fish. Eventually he returned to Fox's hole.
"Could you teach me how to catch large fish?" he asked Fox.
Fox, with a great show of annoyance, turned to Bear. "If I show you, I will have to move away, as there are only a few large fish in any one part of the lake. None the less, I will show you how to catch large fish, but you must do exactly as I say."
"You can use my hole," Fox said, "as it is in just the right spot. You must put your tail down into the water, and keep absolutely still unitl you feel the fish grab hold of your tail. When you feel a hard tug on your tail, you can pull the fish out. It will probably take a very long time, but you must remain absolutely still, no matter what, even if it takes a very long time. I will return and check on how things are going later"
Bear agreed to this, and placed his tail in Fox's hole. Fox, murmering under his breath, walked off to the far end of the lake.
Much time passed. Bear felt no tug. He was tempted to pull his tail out, to see if it should be in further or out further, but he remembered Fox's admonition, and kept still.
The stars came out. The night was cold. Still bear remembered to remain still, though by this time, he couldn't even feel his tail.
When the morning light appeared, Fox came sauntering up, and asked him how the fishing was going.
Poor Bear! He was so cold and miserable, he could hardly have moved if he wanted to. "I haven't felt any tugs!" He said.
"You haven't sat here all night?" asked Fox.
"Oh, yes" said Bear.
"Well, why don't you pull out your tail and I'll see if you have it placed in the hole correctly."
Bear tried to pull out his tail, but it was frozen into the ice. He tried and tried to get it out, but it would not come.
Fox, cunning creature that he was, had hoped for this result. He commiserated with Bear, but in the end, nothing had changed. Bear was still attached to the ice by his tail.
Fox said, "Well, as long as you are going to stay here, someone should do something about all these small fish left on the ice" and he walked off with them.
Bear eventually pulled hard enough to break off his frozen tail, and wandered away wimpering for the loss of his beautiful tail - and his fish.
This is why Bear will eat Fox, if he can, and never trusts him to this day.
PG
