Once apon a time, a bear, named Bear, had a long tail. It was his proudest possession. It was black, and glossy, and Bear used to wave it around just to get attention. Fox saw this bear doing this. Fox is a total trickster and loves to fool others, so he decided that it was time to play a trick on Bear. It was the time of the year when the Spirit of Frost has swept across the land, covering lakes with ice and pounding on the trees with his big hammer. Fox made a hole in the ice, right near the place where Bear liked to walk. By the time Bear came, all around Fox in a big circle, were big, bigger, and even BIGGER fishies. Just when Bear was going to ask Fox what he was doing, Fox flicked his tail that was in the hole, and pulled out a g
iant fishy.
"Hey Bear. How are you?" Asked Fox.
"Hi Fox. I'm doing good, but what are you doing?" Replied Bear.
"I'm fishing. Do you wanna try?" Answered Fox.
"Sure!" Said Bear, as he hobbled over to Fox's fishing hole, but Fox stopped him.
"Wait, this place will not be good. I already caught all the fish!! Let's get you a new spot" He said.
Bear agreed and followed Fox to a new place, a place that Fox knew very well very too shallow to catch the winter fishies. As Fox made a hole in the ice, Bear could already taste the fishies he was about to catch.
Fox told him to "Clead your mind of all the fishy thoughts. Don't even think of a song, or else the fishies will hear you. Turn backwards and put your tail into the hole. Soon, a fish will come grab your tale, and that's when you pull it out."
"How will I know if a fishie has grabbed my tail if I can't see it?" Asked Bear.
"I'll hide over here and tell you. They can't see me behind this bush. But, be patient, and don't move until I say go."
Bear nodded, and put his tail into the hole.
Fox watched for a bit to make sure Bear followed all his steps and then, super quietly, sneaked back to his house and went to bed.
The next morning as he woke up he thought "I wonder if he's still there. I'll just to check, I guess."
So Fox went back to where Bear was, and guess what he saw?
He saw what looked like a little white hill in the middle of the pond. It had snowed last night, and Bear had fallen asleep in it. Bear was snoring so loudly, that the ice was shaking. It was so funny, that Fox fell out of laughter. When he was done, he decided to wake up poor Bear.
He tip toed to Bears ear, took a deep breath, and yelled "NOW, BEAR!!!"
Bear woke up quick, and pulled his long tail as hard as he could. But Bear's tail was caught in the ice, as it had frozen over. And as he pulled, it broke off! Bear turned to look at the fish he caught, and instead, saw his very lovely tail caught in the ice.
"Ohhh. Ohhh Fox. I will get you for this." He sighed.
But Fox, laughing as hard as he was, was still faster than Bear. He jumped to the side, and ran.
Bear was so embarrassed, that he ran into his cave, and didn't come out until spring. So it is that even to this day bears have short tails, hibernate all winter, and have no love at all for foxes. And if you ever hear a bear sigh, it is because be remebers the trick Fox pulled on him long ago, as he is still mourning his lost tail.
The end.
