Why Brother Bear Wears a Stumpy Tail

"Why Brother Bear Wears a Stumpy Tail" by Julia Darrow Cowles is a charming children's story that explains the origin of the bear's short tail through a whimsical tale. The narrative blends folklore and moral lessons as it recounts Brother Bear's adventures and the experiences that led to his distinctive feature. With engaging illustrations and a gentle message about acceptance and the beauty of being different, the book captures the imagination of young readers while instilling valuable life lessons.

• Children
• Short story

								
IN times long past Brother Bear was a famous fisherman. He had a large
stock of patience, and great good nature. He was never in a hurry.

But Brother Bear was honest as he was slow, and always ready to
believe what others told him, and so he was often imposed upon by the
slyer animals--Brother Fox, for instance.

One day as Brother Fox was walking beside a stream, he saw a group of
plump little animals slip into the water and disappear from sight.

“Young otters, I do believe!” cried Brother Fox, smacking his lips.
“What a meal they would make!” Then he sat down beside the stream and
began to think. He did want those otters so badly! He could not think
of anything else that would taste half so good. But how to get them!
That was the question.

Presently, while he was thinking, along came Brother Bear shuffling
down the path with a load of nuts and honey.

“Good morning, Brother Bear,” said Brother Fox. “I see you have a load
of excellent food--excellent for you, I mean. My tribe never eats nuts
or honey. But perhaps you would not mind adding a bit of tender meat
to your load.”

“Meat? No, indeed,” replied Brother Bear. “But where am I to find it?”

“Why,” said Brother Fox with his craftiest smile, “there are some
young otters in this stream. I just saw them slip into the water. It
seems to me that they would make very good eating for you and your
family.”

Brother Bear smacked his lips. “But how am I to get them?” he asked.

“I am no fisherman, as you well know,” said Brother Fox, “but you are
a famous fisherman. Why can you not fish for them?”

Brother Bear thought for a moment. “But I have no bait,” he said.

“That is true,” replied Brother Fox, “but I will tell you what to do.
Just go out upon that log that lies near the shore and drop your fine
long tail into the water. I feel sure the otters will think your tail
good bait, and when one comes to nibble it, you can jerk up your tail
and just whip the otter over to the shore. I will guard your game for
you until you finish fishing.”

“Very good,” agreed Brother Bear, “I will try that.”

So Brother Bear laid down his load of nuts and honey, made his way to
the log, and climbed upon it. Then he let his fine long tail drop down
into the water--for this was in times long past, you must remember,
when the tails of the bears were long--and then he closed his eyes and
sat very still.

Presently he felt a nibble at his tail, and he whipped it up, as
Brother Fox had told him. Sure enough, a fine young otter went flying
across to the bank where Brother Fox lay waiting behind a bush.

“That was pretty well done!” thought Brother Bear, as he dropped his
tail into the water again and waited. Presently he felt another
nibble, and another otter went flying across to the bank. And soon it
was followed by a fish, and then by another fish.

“What a fine dinner I shall take home to my family,” thought Brother
Bear to himself, as he began trying to count the number of times his
tail had been nibbled, and he had sent something flying across for
Brother Fox to guard.

While he was trying to count, North Wind came along and saw him
sitting there with his eyes closed, and his tail hanging down in the
water.

“I shall have to play a trick on Brother Bear, I do believe!” chuckled
North Wind to himself, and he sent a cold breath over the water, so
that it became quite still. Then he sent another breath, and a cold,
shining crust formed all across its top. After that he sent another
breath, and another, and the cold, shining crust grew thicker and
thicker.

Presently Brother Bear stopped trying to count and opened his eyes.
“Brother Fox,” he called, “there seems to be no more game in the
river. I have not felt a nibble for a long time.”

But Brother Fox was just finishing a nice bone, and he called back
earnestly, “Oh, be patient, Brother Bear! I am sure you will catch
more game if you wait a little longer.”

So Brother Bear closed his eyes again and sat still for several
minutes. Then he called, “Brother Fox, I am sure there is no more game
in the river. I am coming ashore now.”

There was no answer from Brother Fox, so Brother Bear moved a little
on the log, but it was a very little, for his tail felt heavy as lead.
“Why,” he exclaimed, “I must have an enormous fish now, my tail is so
heavy!” And with that he gave a great jump, intending to carry the
game with him to shore, when, snap! his tail broke right off short,
for it was frozen fast in the ice. And that was the trick that North
Wind had played.

Brother Bear felt terribly at losing his tail, it had been such a
beautiful, long one! But at last he comforted himself by thinking,
“Well, at any rate, I have a wonderful feast to carry home to the
family: nuts, and honey, and fish, and game.” So he licked his lips,
in spite of the loss of his tail.

But when Brother Bear reached the shore, he could not find Brother Fox
anywhere! And neither could he find the fish, nor the tender young
otters. Instead, he found a heap of fresh bones back of the bush where
Brother Fox had been lying. And then he knew that Brother Fox had
played a bad trick upon him, too.

He gathered up his load of nuts and honey and went sadly home. And
from that day to this Brother Bear has refused to do any more fishing,
and has worn a stumpy tail.
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