“Oh, that—,” Little Bear repeated as he finally got to his feet, “Oh, that wasn’t my notion, sir; it was just the rock’s. You see it kind of rolled out from under me.” And he explained the happening in so droll a manner that the big bear laughed so loud and so long that the forest fairly echoed in answer.
“There, there, forgive me,” he finally said, as he wiped the tears from his eyes with the top of his cap, “but you surely cut a most comical figure. And now, though it may be none of my affair, let me ask just what it is that has brought you.”
Thus encouraged, Little Black Bear told his story as to just who he was, whence he had come, and what it was that he sought.
“Well, well, now that is indeed interesting,” the other exclaimed. “My name’s Shagg—Shagg, the Carpenter—and I’ll be glad to help in any way I can.” With that he extended a paw, the two shook hands and then, at Shagg’s suggestion, they sat down at the foot of the tree that stood near the bench.
“So you are a circus bear. My, what a lot of wonderful places you must get to see. I’ve often thought it would be splendid to leave the forest and travel into the world. But then there is Mrs. Shagg. And there are the things to be built.”
“Why, I should think this would be the jolliest kind of a place,” rejoined Little Black Bear. “I can’t imagine anything quite as interesting as building things. Have you always been a carpenter?”
“Ever since I was old enough to handle a saw and a hammer,” answered Shagg. “You see carpentering, and especially chair-making, has been the family trade for quite a long time; in fact, ever since the days of the Three Bears.”
“The three bears,” said the other. “The three bears—why, you surely don’t mean the very Three Bears!”
“To be sure,” answered Shagg. “What is so unusual about that?”
“But there’s been books and stories and everything written about them!” cried Little Black Bear in rapt admiration, “about them and Goldilocks, you know.”