Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
How Little Bear
Learned to Swim

| Last summer, Little Bear went on
long journey with his father and moth
err. The three bears had beautiful time
travelling through the big forest until
they rea ched the banks of a deep, swift
river. Then there was trouble. for Little
Bear could not swim, nor did he wish
to learn how to swim; he said he was
afraid of the water.
Father Bear can carry me over the
river" he suggested.
"Nonsense!" replied big aFther Bear
in gruff tones. Nonsense, my son! You
are old enough and strong enough to
learn to swim. will not carry YOU
across the stream; neither shall your
mother"
| Just then there came Father Otter
swimming like a seal, and twisting and
turning In the water like a fish.
perhaps the good otter will teach
Little Bear to SWIM" Mother Bear SAID
and then called to him.
1T is the easiest thing in the world
! to teach a little bear to swim," answer
ed Father Otter. Just throw him in
And away he went, laughing over his
shoulder.
He must be Joking" observed Moth
er Bear quickly because she was afraid
that Father Bear would toss Little Bear
into the river. and she did not like the
idea.
At that moment Mother Otter came
swimming down the river with her chill
dren. One of them climbed upon her
| shoulders and stared solemnly at Little
Bear on the river bank.
| Good morning" said Mother Bear.
| Good morning." answered Mother
Otter
"Your children are fine swimmers
added Mother Bear.
Certainly" answered Mother Otter.
Every one Of them knows that our
people have been famous swimmers for
centuries" 7
IT suppose. then" ventured Mother
swimmers. You probably had trouble In
keeping them out Of the water when
I they were babies"
Mother Otter laughed. THE trouble
was to get them into the water" she
said, because the silly little things
were afraid All young offers are afraid
Of the water and have to be put into 1t
by force"
you do not mean it," exclaimed
her tones.
Indeed I d." replied Mother Otter.
1--WE had to push every one Of our chill
dren into the water. Does Little Bear
know how to SWIM"
mo" answered Mother Bear, shak-
ink her head. ."he is afraid to try
Duck him." advised Mother Otter.
duck him. There is no other way to
teach a little bear to SWIM"
And away she went, down the stream,
intending to overtake Father Otter.
The little Offers kept looking back,
hoping to see Father Bear toss Little
| poor }rfo tho rivor. hNt Mother Rear
begged him not to teach Little Bear to
swim that day, and so the little Offers
missed the fun.
That night the three bears camped
beside the deep, swift river. After Lit
tie Bear was cuddled down in his bed
Of leaves and springy boughs. Mother
| Bear made Father Bear promise not to
toss Little Bear into the river unless
Little Bear said he wanted him to.
The next morning Father Bear was
sorry that ne had made the promise,
1 because an honest looking polecat who
came across the stream and went into
the woods told Father Bear and Moth :
| er Bear that the largest, sweetest
blackberries in the forest were ripe on
the other shore.
And now" whispered Mother Bear
to Father Bear. now aren't you sorry
that you told him that we wouldn't
carry him over?"
"Sure enough I am" agreed Father
Bear; and then he laughed at the Joke
on himself.
WELL suggested Mother Bear at
last, II shall coax Little Bear to lot you
toss him gently into the river. and !
shall catch him if he finds he cannot
SWIM"
"Nonsense!" grumbled Father Bear,
coax" he said, IT shall go for walk"
Coaxing did not do any good. When
Little Bear saw his father wander
away, he told his father that he did
not feel like going into the water that
morning; he hoped she would please
excuse him. And so she excused him.
Soon Father Bear came back, smiling
and happy II have found a bridge,
said he. IAN old log has fallen across
the river a little way upstream. where
on the other side, blackberries are al
most as big as ducks eggs. Little Bear
can walk across on the log
:All right, I'll do it." promised Little
Bear, and gladly followed his father un-
til the three bears reached the bridge.
But while Little Bear was skipping
joyfully over the log. trying to reach
the opposite bank before his father and
mother could swim across. the log
turned over and sent Little Bear head
first into the river. Fortunately, he
knew enough to keep his mouth shut
and in little while he bobbed up
shaking his head to get the water out
Of his eyes and his ears and padding
like a duck That was all there was to
it, because, ever after, Little Bear could
swim.
Mother Bear believes to this day thai
Father Bear knew that the log would
roll over She believes 1t because. when
ever any one asks him. he says nothing
but just laughs.--Frances Margaret Foa
in Youths Companion.
,|Mary Martha Hill Thinks