The Washington herald., 1911-03-19
A Bear and a Fairy.

so had gone on and on. and pretty soon.
when they too became very tired, and
wished to retrace their steps, they did not
know which direction to take. So. as
is always the case with children who
are lost, they took the wrong course.
And so they went on and on. up long
hill, then down II, then up another
sleeper and greater one. And so the
evening shadows began TO fall, and still
Tad and Bah were not in sight of their
front gate with the vine growing over
it.
And SO they began to cry softly, as,
hand in hand, they went along. "Oh, l
want mamma walled poor little Bah.
''Oh, / want mamma, too," walled little
Tad. Then they wept together.
After a long, long time they came to
a strange, wild path in the woods. 1t
did not look like path made by human
been made by the soft paws Of wild
creatures. And so 1t had. Old Bruno's
paws had helped in making that path.
After following the path for some time
Tad and Bah came to a clear, cool spring.
The rising moon-which had come early
n chase away the sun-was peeping at
herself In 1t. and Tad saw a Shiny little
snake creeping close TO the waters edge.
This gave him an extra fright, but he
Bah. She was his baby sister. you know.
and he felt that he must protect her.
But just as the tiny snake had hidden
itself from sight there was the sound OF
heavy, soft paws coming on the path.
In another instant Tad and Bah saw a
huge black creature coming toward them,
coming down the steep path Old Bruno
saw them at the same instant and his
eyes glowed wickedly. Infants! he
muttered to himself. II can Kill them
with one stroke Of my paw
But you'll not kill them" said little
voice just above Bruno's head. You'll
carry them home on your back. Come
follow my Instructions" Then the fairy
- for the voice came from a sure-enough
fairy in n tree-came to earth and ap-
preached Tad and Bah As children and
fairies always know each other on sight
It did not take Tad and Bah long TO
agree to do anything that their good
friend. the fairy, told them to. Come.
you old black bear" repeated the fairy,
lend your strength to carry these lost
children home"
And Bruno. like all wild creatures and
children. loved fairies. even though he
was n very fierce fellow. and he came
willingly forward and stopped low so that
Tad and Bah might mount upon his
broad back. And the fairy flying above
his head made MIN go at very nVely
gait. and before long the little ones came
in sight Of the village and their own
home.
At the outskirts Of the village the fairy
had them dismount, and pointing toward
their house, said: Now, there is no
danger of your becoming lost again. You
can see even your own gate, and the
moonlight is as daylight. Goodby. and
never, never run away in search Of wild
blossoms again. Next time a fairy might
not rescue you, and a bear would GER
IHInly make quick work of killing you"
Then the fairy was gone. Also Old
Bruno was fast disappearing up the
mountain path. And then the children
heard their mothers and fathers voices
calling to them. And they ran home as
fast as ever they could. and when they
told their story their parents shook their
heads, saying to one another: The dar-
lnEs have been asleep in the meadow
and have drenmt that fairy and bear
brought them home"
But Tad and Bah knew: and the fairy
knew; and Old Bruno. sitting in his cave
that night, knew. And he marveled most
of all.