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How Bear Lost His Tail
Back in the old days, Bear had a tail which was his proudest
possession. It was long and black and glossy and Bear used to
wave it around just so that people would look at it. Fox saw this.
Fox, as everyone knows, is a trickster and likes nothing better than
fooling others. So it was that he decided to play a trick on Bear.
It was winter and the Spirit of Frost, had swept across the land,
covering the lakes with ice and pounding on the trees with his big
hammer. Fox made a hole in the ice, right near a place where Bear
liked to walk. By the time Bear came by, all around Fox, in a big
circle, were big trout and fat perch. Just as Bear was about to ask
Fox what he was doing, Fox twitched his tail which he had sticking
through that hole in the ice and pulled out a huge trout.
"Greetings, Brother," said Fox. "How are you this fine day?"
"Greetings," answered Bear, looking at the big circle of fat fish. " I
am well, Brother. But what are you doing?"
"I am fishing," answered Fox. "Would you like to try?"
"Oh, yes," said Bear, as he started to lumber over to Fox's fishing
hole.
But Fox stopped him. "Wait, Brother," he said, "This place will not
be good. As you can see, I have already caught all the fish. Let us
make you a new fishing spot where you can catch many big trout."
Bear agreed and so he followed Fox to the new place, a place
where, as Fox knew very well, the lake was too shallow to catch
the winter fish--which always stay in the deepest water when
winter has covered their ponds. Bear watched as Fox made the hole
in the ice, already tasting the fine fish he would soon catch.
"Now," Fox said, "you must do just as I tell you. Clear your mind
of all thoughts of fish. Do not even think of a song or the fish will
hear you. Turn your back to the hole and place your tail inside it.
Soon a fish will come and grab your tail and you can pull him out."
"But how will I know if a fish has grabbed my tail if my back is