As for the bear, whether he thought of the honor or not, I cannot say. He never was known to be much of a thinker.
Nevertheless the owl’s tactful words soothed him, and he felt quite satisfied to leave things as they were.
“I know of other caves and of hollows in trees where I can sleep,” said Shaggy Bear. “When I’m full of honey I don’t care!”
That the bear was full of honey seemed quite clear.
Indeed, if you might judge by outside appearances, he was over full. The sticky stuff was running down his chin, and he kept wiping it off with his big paw as he walked away in lazy bear fashion.
Before morning all the animals of the wood, and the birds and the bees, knew that at ten o’clock there would be a meeting at the cave.
What it was about or who Father Thrift was, not one of them knew. That is, no one knew except the owl; and he wouldn’t say.
