The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-06-08
From the Yincennes Sun.
The Foxes and the Bear.

The Foxes and the Bear
Once upon time some foxes and bear went into
partnership, and occupied the same cave They lived
together peaceably for many years. the foxes finding
the bear of great advantage to them for he coutrbu-
ted more than the foxes did to the common support,
and he did the most of the fighting in great battle
that they once had with lion But at last there rose
family quarrel, and it about in this way When
the winter it was the habit of the bear to stop
and to spend the whole of the time in the suck
ing his paws, and i'll this way he enjoyed himself
hugely. The foxes seeing how well the bear got on
without work, and how he enjoyed himself commenced
sucking their paws but somehow other they found
that they could not make living in that way, as the
bear could, and that on the whole it didn't Day so
they had to give it up and go out in the cold and TO-
rage for living usual, Then they began to envy
the BEAR because he appeared to enjoy himself and to
live so much easier than they did, and took up vo-
lent hatred to him Just because he sucked his paws.
They passed law that sucking paws should be abol-
ished forever amongst foxes and then they began to
demonstrate with the bear upon the improperly of his
conduct and to petition him to give up the horrible
practice. But the bear said he could do no such thing
that it was agreed upon when they first went into
partnership that he should be allowed to suck his paws
in peace that he had constitutional right to do so;
that it necessary for his comfort and happiness
and that paw suck he would to the end of time and
the foxes had no right to interfere with him. Then
tue oAeS SOL up ANU paWsuchuS SOCieIeS, WnlCu ue-
clared that pawsucking was the sum of all yiainies,
and they preached at the bear and petitioned him,
and even went so far as to pull his paws out of his
mouth, at which the bear got into such violent rage
that he declared he would dissolve partnership with
the foxes and leave the cave and go and up bust
for himself. But the foxes told him that he had
no right to leave, and that he shouldn't leave. The
bear said he would not ask any odds; that he could
whip thousand miserable little foxes, and one fine
morning he told the foxes goodbye and proceeded to
walk out of the and leave it forever But be had
hardly got out of the cave before the foxes set up
mendous howl, and fell on him. and there was such
fight was hardly ever before. The bear flung
the foxes right and left, slapped them over crushed
them and tore them to pieces and oftenmes thought
that he had got rid of them, but the foxes he
killed the more they seemed to increase in numbers,
for the foxes finding that the bear getting the bet
ter of them, and was about getting off ont and
hired some foreign foxes to help them so that as fast
of foxes killed. other foxes were put in
their places and the bear had no rest But he stood
at bay and kept the foxes off as fast they up
Finally the foxes finding that they could not whip
him in fair fight, determined to sarve him out, so
they surrounded him completely, so that be 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 he called upon the eagle and the lion to come
over and help him, but they told him that he must do
his own fighting. At last the bear became so com
scarcely stand up, and the foxes thinking that they
mig now make venture, collected together in great
numbers and fell upon the bear and walopped him So
that he stopped fighting and cried Enough " and
said that he would 60 back into the cave again and
carry on business as before
But the foxes told him to wait awhile, be must have
his abilities removed So they tied him hand and foot
with strong cords, and muzzed him, and placed
strong guard around him, and then began to pHIley
with him and persecute him. They told him before
they could let him go back into the cave again he
must take solemn oath of allegiance to the fox gov
eminent. The bear took the prescribed oath, and
said " now let me in" But the foxes said not vet
you must take another oath-paw is unconst
tutional and swear never again to suck your paws
The bear took that oath Also and so far as
to declare that he believed that paw sucking had been
disadvantage to him, and that he was glad that he
had been forced to give up the abomnabe practice
and after taking this oath and making this confession
lie said now let me in" But the foxes said not yet
you must eat little dirt first. At this the bear was
ndignant-he declared that he had never eaten any
lirt in his life, and that it did not agree with him. but
he foxes SAID, no matter, you must eat little Just
title and the bear made wry face and took mouth
I'll OF dirt and eat it, and said, "now let me in" But
he foxes said not yet; you must eat dirt and
he bear eat dirt and said, 'now let me in"
But the foxes said, not yet; you haven't eaten yet
enough. The bear then began to eat dirt ravenousy
Until his abdomen sweeled out like Digger Indians,
md said, now let me in" But the foxes said wait
While longer you must become peniten and learn to
'ear AID forbear. TIE bear in most miser-
bile plight, he was nearly starved to DEATH and was
covered with wounds and sores from the crown of his
lead to the soes Of his feet and thousands Of hungry
ue-bellied flies, taking advantage of his deenceless
condition, had settled upon him, and feeding
pon his Sores and fattening on his poverty; and
very time the bear attempted shake off these flies
he foxes said that he still rebelious and try
to rnto L
nd to prosecute him. They told him that he must Ut
isurb the flies, but must love them and let them eat
md the bear let the flies eat and said, now let me
L." But the foxes said, Wait little longer we are
fraid if we let you in, you won't stay in but will rebel
gain and leave us and get back to your old practice of
aw,sucking; you must give us guarantees for your
God behavior" And so the foxes kept putting off
nd tanalizng the poor bear and he is outside Of the
ave to this day, and if he complains the foxes make
ID and call him OLD SORE HEAD