"'Why,' answered another, 'the same that they use; bows and arrows, of course.'
"'But how shall we make them?' asked one bear.
"'Oh, that is easy,' said another. 'I'll show you how to do it. You know I lived for a long time in one of their villages.'
"So this bear got a piece of ashwood and a string, some straight reeds and pieces of flint, and made a bow and some arrows.
"The White Bear, who was chief of the council, stepped out to make a trial of the bow. He pulled back the string and let the arrow fly, but his long claws caught the string and spoiled the shot.
"Seeing this, one of the bears proposed to cut off his own claws and make another trial. This was done and the arrow went straight to the mark.
"Now all the bears were ready to cut off their claws that they might practice with the bow and arrow. But their chief, the old White Bear, was wise.
"'No,' said he, 'let us not cut off our claws. If we do, we shall not be able to climb trees or to tear our food to pieces, and we shall all starve together. It is better to trust to the teeth and claws that the Master of Life has given us. Man's weapons are not for us.'