We took Huckleberry Bear Bear for a walk.
He sniffed, explored, rustled in the grass. He had a glorious time. Then it happened . . .
Huckleberry Bear Bear wanted a nap.
Huckleberry Bear Bear found a cozy hole between two big rocks all hidden in some bushes. It was so inviting. Just right. He settled in.
He made himself comfortable. He even made a sun-warmed rock into a pillow. What a smart bear!
After a while we tried to bring him home. He didn’t want to move. As a matter of fact he refused to budge. We watched the cold rain clouds move closer and the sun begin to set.
But Huckleberry Bear Bear is 700 pounds. That is a lot of bear for any human to try to move.
You have to be patient with a bear. You can’t raise your voice; you can’t hurry him along. You are now on bear time and that’s final.
“Huckleberry Bear Bear”, we were thinking, “its only 500 ft. back to were we started. Come on Huckleberry Bear Bear!”
He was lying on his ample belly. We enticed him with marshmallows, his favorite treat. (Most of the time he gets fresh fruits and vegetables but in an emergency you do what you have to do. . .) He would roll out his long long tongue and snap it back with the marshmallow on its sticky tip. If we put it just out of reach he would heave his bulk just far enough along the ground to reach it, but if we put it too far away he would say no way. Not worth the trouble. Little by little Huckleberry Bear Bear moved, up one inch, back six. “Come on Huckleberry Bear Bear”, we yelled in our heads. But what could we do but wait?
So we waited. . . . . . and waited. . . . . . and waited. . . . .
And then it happened. He decided to go home.
It only took three whole bags of marshmallows and an hour and a half of patience to get him there. And the cold cold rain held off just long enough.
Next time, we will look at the weather before we start a bear walk.
But no matter what, you are a good bear Huckleberry Bear Bear.
“All the king’s marshmallows and all the king’s men, couldn’t get Huckleberry Bear Bear back home again.”
