she went and got another of her own children 's cradles , of which there were four ; but he turned his head , and said : " that is not mine ; i am as sick as ever . " when she had shown the four , and they had been all rejected , she at last produced the real cradle . the young man saw that it was of the same stuff as the wampum which he had in his bosom . he could even see the marks of the teeth of spirit - iron left upon the edges , where he had taken hold , striving to hold it back . he had no doubt , now , which was his mother . to get free of the old toad - woman , it was necessary that the young man should kill a fat bear ; and , being directed by spirit - iron , who was very wise in such a matter , he secured the fattest in all that country ; and having stripped a tall pine of all its bark and branches , he perched the carcass in the top , with its head to the east and its tail due west . returning to the lodge , he informed the old toad - woman that the fat bear was ready for her , but that she would have to go very far , even to the end of the earth , to get it . she answered : " it is not so far but that i can get it ; " for of all things in the world , a fat bear was the delight of the old toad - woman .
a fat bear was the delight of the old toad - woman .
why did the toad-woman say that it was not very far to retrieve a fat bear ?
why did the toad-woman say that it was not very far to retrieve a fat bear ?