Produced by Juliet Sutherland Ted Garvinand the Online Distributed Proofreading TeamIllustration _Little Bear walked up and shook hands with GrandpaTortoise_ LITTLE BEARAT WORK AND AT PLAYByFRANCES MARGARET FOXAuthor of Doings of Little Bear Adventures of Sonny Bearand The KinderkinsIllustrated byWARNER CARRLovingly dedicated to theFIRST GIRLSWho lived in the Martha Cook DormitoryAnn Arbor Michigan because they lovedLITTLE BEARCONTENTSWHEN LITTLE BEAR BRAGGEDWHEN MOTHER SKUNK HELPED LITTLE BEARWHEN LITTLE BEAR WOULD NOT WORKHOW LITTLE BEAR LEARNED TO SWIMLITTLE BEAR AND THE LOST OTTER BABYWHEN LITTLE BEAR VISITED SCHOOLLITTLE BEAR GETS HIS WISHTHREE BEARS COME TO BREAKFASTLITTLE BEARS PROMISELITTLE BEARS SURPRISE PARTYACKNOWLEDGMENTSThanks are extended to the _Youths Companion_ forpermission to reprint the following stories WhenLittle Bear Bragged When Mother Skunk Helped LittleBear When Little Bear Would Not Work How LittleBear Learned to Swim Little Bear and the Lost OtterBaby When Little Bear Visited School Little BearGets His Wish and Little Bears Surprise Party andto the _Christian Observer_ for permission to reprintthe following stories Three Bears Come to Breakfastand Little Bears PromiseIllustration _Between times Little Bear asked questions_ LITTLE BEARAT WORK AND AT PLAYWHEN LITTLE BEAR BRAGGEDOne rainy day the three bears were sitting by the firein their comfortable house in the woods telling storiesFirst Father Bear would tell a story and then MotherBear would tell a story and then Father Bear wouldhave a turn again Between times Little Bear askedquestionsThe three were happy and merry until Mother Beartold the old story about the race between the hare andthe tortoise and how the slowgoing tortoise was thefirst to reach the goal because the hare took a nap anddid not wake up until after the tortoise had passed himand had won the raceYou see Mother Bear explained the hare was sosure he could win that he did not even try to reach thegoal quickly He was so swiftfooted that he thoughthe could go to sleep if he chose and still come out aheadof the patient tortoiseWasnt he silly exclaimed Little Bear If I weregoing to run a race with Grandpa Tortoise I should gothis way until I reached the goal And Little Bearpranced up and down the room until he made even theporridge bowls rattle in the cupboard I guess I shouldknow enough to know that Grandpa Tortoise wouldkeep stepping ahead and stepping ahead and get tothe goal in time You would not catch me taking anynaps if I started out to run a race with anyone NosirreeMother Bear laughed heartily but Father Bear lookedvery solemn He did not like to hear Little Bear bragat allSo you think Son Bear said he that if youshould run a race with Grandpa Tortoise you would bewiser than our old friend Peter Hare Is that whatyou meanI know I should bragged Little Bear Id sayGoodby Grandpa Tortoise and off Id start and Ishould beat him before he had time to think Thenafterward if I were sleepy and wanted to I should takea napVery well said Father Bear I shall see GrandpaTortoise and if he is willing to run a race with a sillylittle fellow like you you shall have your chance andPeter Hare shall be the judgeSo it came about that when the rain was over thefriends of the Three Bears and of the hare and thetortoise met in the woods to see the funLittle Bear noticed that before the race began thehare and the tortoise were laughing about somethingbut he did not even wonder what it was He had nothingto worry aboutAt last the word was given One two three goIllustration He was out of breath before he had passed the firstoak treeAway went the tortoise slow and easy Off startedLittle Bear running so fast that he was out of breathbefore he had passed the first oak tree and was glad tostop a second and have a drink of dew from an acorn cupthat Friend Treetoad offered himThank you remarked Little Bear as he returnedthe cup but that was not enough I shall have to stepover to the springRemember how the hare lost the race FriendTreetoad warned himOh I shall not go to sleep answered Little Bearand really Grandpa Tortoise walks slower than Ithought he didBeside the spring were a number of Little Bearsold friends dressed in green satin coats who were playingleapfrog They asked Little Bear to play with themand soon he was showing the frogs what long leaps hecould make And then in a little while many babyrabbits came and joined in the fun The next that LittleBear knew he was chasing baby rabbits over the rocksand catching nuts that the squirrels threw to him fromthe tree tops and having a joyful playtimeAn hour passed quickly and then Little Bear suddenlyremembered that he had started out to run a raceBack he ran to the path and away he flew toward thegoal while the baby rabbits laughed and danced anddanced and laughed Father Bear had sent them toplay with Little Bear but they did not know why hehad sent them until that minuteIllustration Grandpa Tortoise had reached his goalStepping along stepping along slowly but surelyGrandpa Tortoise had reached the goal just as he had inthe longago day when he ran the race with the hareLittle Bear as he came near the goal heard the neighborsshouting Hurrah for the champion Hurrahfor the champion Hurrah for Grandpa TortoiseEven Father Bear was shoutingLittle Bear remembered his manners and as hisfather had told him what to do if he lost the race straightwaywalked up and shook hands with Grandpa TortoiseAnd the hare although he must have been laughing inhis sleeve remembered his manners too and did notlet anyone see him laughAfter that the old friends and neighbors went homewith the Three Bears to eat blackberries and honey andto tell stories round the fire Grandpa Tortoise wenttoo He had traveled so slowly that he was not eventired Little Bear asked a few questions as usualthat afternoon when the stories were told but he didnot brag And when Peter Hare winked at him onceor twice he laughedWHEN MOTHER SKUNK HELPEDLITTLE BEAROnce upon a