The Bear Who Never Got Angry

There was once a big brown bear, and he lived in a hollow tree in a forest. He loved his house very much and liked to keep everything in order. In the summer- time, when the woods were green and cool, he did not use his house very much. But when winter came, and the days were dark and cold, and the woods were white with snow, then the big Brown Bear liked to stay inside his house. In a corner he had a jar of honey and in the other corner he had a soft bed of dried leaves where he could sleep in the long winter nights. The big Brown Bear was a kind-hearted old bear, who never got angry, and everybody liked him and came often to see him. But it was the White Rabbit who came most often. She said she liked to sit in the big bears house because it was always so tidy and clean. Little White Rabbit had a house of her own, but she never could keep it in order because her children were very naughty. Her house was always in an awful state. The big bear was very polite to the little White Rabbit whenever she came to visit him. He offered her the best chair near the fire, so that she might be very comfortable while she told him her troubles. She told him how her younger child, Bunny Rabbit, fought with his brothers, how the oldest son, Cotton Tail, ran away from home, and many other troubles. The big brown bear gave her advice how to treat her children; he told her not to punish them for he was sure that if only she were very kind, the children would surely be good. Not long after this conversation, little White Rabbit went into the woods to look for food but never came back. The babies waited and waited and cried and cried. But poor little White Rabbit could not come home again because she was caught in a trap, and a little boy took her away for a pet. When the baby rabbits were very hungry, Cotton Tail remembered about the kind bear. He called his brothers and sisters around him and said to them: Little White Rabbit will not come back to us anymore. She is lost. And if we stay here alone we will starve. So we must go to the big bear and ask him to take care of us. He is very wise and very kind. I will ask him because I am the oldest and you all must do as I say.

They all put on their best clothes and went to the big bears house. The bear looked very much surprised to see so many little rabbits in front of his house. Little White Rabbit, our mother, is lost, cried all the little rabbits, holding their handkerchiefs over their eyes . Oh, dear, said the big bear, much distressed, that is very sad news indeed. I was very fond of your mother. She often came to see me. But ... Now, to tell the truth, the big bear did not wish very much to take care of all the babies, because there were so many of them and all looked very hungry. But when they put their handkerchiefs over their eyes and looked so sad, he could not refuse them. Will you promise to be good children, and always do what I tell you to do? Yes, indeed, answered Cotton Tail. Yes, indeed, answered all the little rabbits. So at last the big bear let them come into his house and began to take care of them. He washed their faces every morning and brushed their fur, he mended all their clothes and he even got books for them and began to teach them the letters. For a time the little rabbits were very good . But, after a while, they grew tired of being good. So, one morning, when Big Brown Bear went out for a walk, Cotton Tail threw his books and said: Lets not read any longer. The bear is away and doesnt know what we are doing. Lets have some fun until he comes back. What shall we do? Lets eat up his honey! And so they did- every drop of it! When the Big Bear came home he was very sorry to see what they did but he didnt scold them because he was very kind and did not know how to get angry. The next day the little rabbits were very good until the bear put himself into bed to take a nap. Cotton Tail called his brothers and sisters and told them very softly: Lets not be good anymore. Lets tease the bear and wake him up. And so all the little rabbits did all they could to tease the Big Bear. They jumped up and down on his back, some of them pulled his ears and one of them even tickled his nose with a straw. You may be sure that the Big Bear didnt take a very long nap. But when he woke up, he did not scold them. He said good-bye to them, went off his house and, though the little rabbits waited a long, long time, he did not come back.

Then Cotton Tail and the other rabbits fell very sorry for what they did and decided to look for the bear. And where do you think they found him? He was caught in the trap, too. All the rabbits were more sorry for their behaviour. Cotton Tail said: We are sorry that we were so naughty, Big Bear. But we will help you now. We love you because you are so good to us and never get angry. All together pulled the trap so hard, that the trap gave way and the bear was free again. So they all went home together and when they got there, whom should they see standing in the door but little White Rabbit herself! She ran away from the little boy and came back to her babies, and perhaps you wont believe it, but the big brown bear was really glad of it!

Answer the questions: 1. What was the bear like? Look in the whole story and find out. 2. Where did he live? Describe his house. 3. Who was his best friend? 4. What were the little rabbits like? 5. Who was Cotton Tail? 6. What happened to little White Rabbit? 7. Where did the rabbits go when their mother didnt come home? 8. Was the bear glad to have the rabbits? Why? 9. Did the rabbits promise to be good? 10. Were they good? 11. What happened one day when the bear went out for a walk? 12. What did the rabbits do when the bear was sleeping? 13. Did the bear got angry? What did he do then? 14. Why did all the rabbits go out in the woods? 15. Where did they find the bear? 16. How did they help the bear? 17. Who waited for them when they came back? 18. Do you think the little rabbits were naughty after that?