When bed time came the mother said, “I cannot think of turning you out this stormy night. Stay here by the fire.” The bear thanked her and stretched out on the warm hearthstone.
In the morning the children opened the door for him, and off he trotted into the woods.
After that the bear came every evening. He lay down before the fire and the children played with him until it was time to go to bed.
The winter passed by. The green grass was springing up in the meadows, the tiny buds were breaking out into leaves and blossoms on the trees.
One morning the bear said, “Children, I must say good-bye to you. I am going away and you will not see me again until next winter.” “Oh, where are you going, dear bear?” said Snow-white. “I am going far away into the forest,” he answered. “There are many precious things buried in the ground. In winter they are safe under the frozen earth. In the summer, when the sun has made the ground soft, it will be easy for the wicked dwarfs who live in the forest to dig down and take what I have buried. So I must go to watch over my treasures.”
The children felt very sad as they said good-bye to their dear playmate; but he promised to come back.
As he went out the latch of the door caught in his rough coat and tore it. Snow-white thought that she saw something like gold glittering under the shaggy hair; but she was not sure, for the bear trotted away very quickly and soon disappeared among the trees.
Suggestions.
The bear,—appearance, home, habits, use to man, etc. The seasons—Spring, Winter.
Kindness and hospitality as shown in the story.