Native American Legends
Bear did not always hibernate
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
The bear, a giant of a beast, but gentle to all who see its tender
loving ways. The bear did not always sleep (hibernate).
It was during the time of the first winter that Wind gave Bear
the gift of sleep. All the animals of the forest thought Bear was
lazy and slow. They would tease him and harass the poor soul daily.
They viewed his kind gentle ways as a weakness.
They always laughed at his friends, and when he stopped and talked
to them. Still Bear did not hate or get angry at the animals who
made fun of him, he just smiled and went on his way. He loved his
feathered friends, his underground friends and his underwater friends.
The only time he was sad is when he was hungry and had to eat one
of them.
One day father Wind Heard all the animals talking about how foolish
bear was. Even Fish turned against his friend. This made Wind very
mad.
In a dream he taught Bear what plants to eat and all about the
bad things Fish had said. He told Bear fish was not a friend but
food. He also told Bear that because he was kind he would receive
a special gift. Then bear awoke wondering what gift would Wind give
him.
In the next dream, Bear was sad. Winter asked him what is wrong?
"I am only good because I have good friends". "That
is true", said Winter. So he told Bear to go and tell all his
friends about the gift that Wind had promised him.
When Bear awoke he ran through the forest and told all who would
listen. This made him very tired and sleepy so he went back to cave
and fell a sleep.
As before, many creature did not listen to Bear. They went about
their business. Some even called him crazy. So Winter decided to
teach them a lesson. As bear and his friends slept, flew away, or
gathered food, without knowing Winter came down upon the forest.
Yet, he made sure that those who were friends of bear were not aware
of him or his brother wind. To them it was a time of the gift.
So as Winter begins his journey across the land, one can still
see who were the friends of bear...Are You???
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