“The bear and the wolf walked backward and forward some time, till his mate came home with some food in her mouth [pg 156]for her children. The wolf and the bear watched her. She went to the tree where the bird was singing, and they together flew to a little grove just by, and went to their nest.
“ ‘Now,’ said the bear, ‘let us go and see.’
“ ‘No,’ said the wolf, ‘we must wait till the old birds have gone away again.’
“So they noticed the place, and walked away.
“They did not stay long, for the bear was very impatient to see the nest. They returned, and the bear scrambled up the tree, expecting to amuse himself finely by frightening the young tomtits.
“ ‘Take care,’ said the wolf; ‘you had better be careful. The tomtits are little; but little enemies are sometimes very troublesome.’
“ ‘Who is afraid of a tomtit?’ said the bear.
“So saying, he poked his great black nose into the nest.
“ ‘Who is here?’ said he; ‘what are you?’
“The poor birds screamed out with terror. ‘Go away! Go away!’ said they.