The young tomtits were terribly frightened, and some of them were hurt. When the old birds came home they were very angry.
They could see the bear walking about among the trees, but they did not know how to punish him.
II.
| peeped | prudent | followed | toward |
| flutter | whether | surrounded | nailed |
| escape | prowling | overlooked | paused |
Not far away there was a glen, surrounded by high rocks, where the bear used to go to sleep because it was a lonely place.
One day, as he was prowling in the woods, he saw two hunters coming with their guns. In fright, he fled to his glen, where he thought he should be safe.
The tomtits saw the bear run to the rocks and hide in terror.
"Why is the bear hiding?" said one bird to the other.
"Do you see those hunters with their guns?" said the mother tomtit. "If only they can find the bear, then our little ones will be safe. Let us help them."