The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1870-01-21
From the Richmond Enquirer, Jan. 3.
THE FOXES AND THE BEAR.

f them, tor lie contributed more than the
J foxes did to the common support, and
{ he did the most of the fighting in Il
great battle they once had with the Iii
on. But at last there arose family
quarrel, and it came about in this way:
When the winter came it was the habit
of the bear to stop work and to spend
the whole of the time in the cave suck
ing his paws, and in this way he err
joyed himself hugely. The foxes seeing
how well tile bear got on without work,
and how he enjoyed himself, coinmene-
ed sncking .heir paws, but somehow or
other they found they could not make
a living in that way, as tho hear could,
and shat on the whole it didn't pay ; SO
they had to give it up and go out into
the cold and forage for Il living as usual.
Then they began to envy the bear. be-
ca1se he appeared to enjoy himself and
to live so mulch easier than they did and
took violent hatred to him just be-
cause he sucked his paws. They pass
ed law thatthe sucking of paws should
be abolished foreyer.alnongst foxes, and
then they began to demonstrate with
the bear upon the impropriety OF his
conduct and to petition him to give up
the horrible practices. But the bear
said he would do no such thing; that it
was agreed upon when they first went
into partnership that he should be al
lowed to suck his paws in peace. that
he had a constitutional right to do so,
that it was necessary for his comfort
and happiness, and that paw suck ho
would to the end of time, and the fox
es had no right to interfere with him.
Then the foxes got up upanti-paw-sucking
societies which declared that paw-suck-
ing was the sum OF villaiilles, and they
preached at the bear, and petitiontd
him, and even went 81 far as to pull
his paws out Of the mouth, at which tile
bear got into such a violent rage that ha
declared that he would dissolve part
nership with the foxes and leave the
cave, and go and set tp business for
himself. Butthe foxes told him that
he had no right to leave .and that he
shouldn't leave. The bear said he
would not ask them any odds; that he
could whip thousand miserable little
foxes, and one morning be told the fox
es good bye, and proceeded to walk
out OF tho cave and leave it forever
But he had hardly got out of the cave
before the foxes set up a tremendous
howl and fell OH him, and there was
such fight as was hardly ever seen bes
tore. The bear fling the foxes right
and lett, slapped them over, crushed
them, but the more foxes hel killed tho
moro they seemed to increase In num-
bers, for the foxes finding that the bear
was getting the best of them and was
about to get off, sAnt out and hired
some foreign foxes to help them. so
that as fast.as one set of foxes was kill
ed, other foxes were put in their place,
and the bear had no rest But he stood
at bay and kept the foxes Off as last as
they came up. Finally the foxes, ind
ing that they could not whip him in a
fair fight, determinSd d to starve him ont,
SO they surrounded him com mpletely, 40
that he could get nothing to eat or to
drink. The bear then began to suffer
severely and to grow thin and weak,
and in his distress called upon the ea-
gle and the lion to come over and help
him, but they told him that he must do
his own fighting. at last the bear be-
came so completely exhausted by hun
ger and fatigue that he could scarcely
standup, and the foxes thinking that
lected together In great numbers and
tell upon the bear and walloped him SO
that lie stopped fighting and cried En-
ough land slitl that he would &c back
into the cave again and carry on busi-
ness as before. i .,t4,af. 7.!..yisr1e1
But the foxes told him to walt awhile,
he must have his abilities removed. So
they tied him hand aud foot with strong
cords, end mllzzled him, and placed q
strong guard around him, and then be-
gan to parley with him and pergecute
liim. They told him before they cou.d
let him go back into the cave againahe
mus. take solemn oath OF allegiance
to the fox government. The bear took
the prescribed oath, and said SNOW let
me in" Bat the fox said not yet; you
must sakc another oath that paw suck
ing is unconstitutional aud swear never
again to suck your paws. The bear
took that oath also, and even went so
far as to declare that he believed that
paw-suoking had been a disadvantage
to him, and that he was glad that he had
been forced TO give up the abominable
practice, and after taking this oath and
making this confession, he said "Now
let ME in.'' But the foxes said, not yet,
you must eat little dirt first. At this
the bear was indignant-he declared
that he had never eaten any dirt in his
life, and that it did not agree with him;
but the foxes said, no matter, you must
eat little, just little; and the bear
made wry face, and took moiithful
of dirt and eat it, and said snow let me
in." But the foxes said not yet; you
must eat more dirt; and the bear eat
more dirt. and said, snow let me in."--
But the foxes said, not. yet; you haven't
eaten dirt enough. The bear then be-
gan to eat dirt ravenously antil his alb
domen swelled out like Digger In
dams, and said, SNOW let me in.n But
the foxes said wait awhile longer, yon
must become penitent. and learn to
bear and forbear. The bear was now
IN most miserable plight, he was near
u starved to death, and was covered
with wounds and sores from the crown
IF his head to the soles of his feet, and
thousands OF hur cry blue-bellied flies
taking advantage OF his defenceless coll
lition had settled upon him, and were
'eeding on his sores and fattening on
mis- poverty; and every time the bear
,ttsnpted to shake off these flies, the
ioxes said that he was still rebellious,
and was irving to get away, aud took
occasion otighten his cords and to per-
secute him. They told him that he
must not disturb the flies, but must love
them and let them eat. And the bear
let the flies alone and let then. eat, and
said, "now let me in."a But the foxes
,aid, "W ait little longer, We are afraid
Il We let J ou In, you won's stay in, but
will rebel again and leave us and get
back to your old practice OF paw-suck-
ng; you must give us guarantees for
rour good behaviour" And SO the fox
,s kept putting off and tantaizing the
1oor bear, and he is outside of the cave
o this day, and ifhe complains the tox-
IS make fin Of him and call him OLD
SORE HEAD.
nPTe an absent ene.-Oh, Richard,
lear Richard, come to us now, tho
.lock on the church strikes one; you
ainnrr orlIf hama -lrnnn