"'Oh, don't you?' snarled King Bear. 'Well, perhaps you'll change your views before very long. And what do you mean by saying I am colored wrong?'
"'Black and brown are the correct colors for bears,' said the crow. 'Dirty white looks both foolish and untidy.'
"Just then the six wolves and the two black bears reached the bottom of the hill. There they halted, and one of the wolves cried out, 'What are you doing here, big stranger?'
"'I am sitting on the top of a hill, admiring your beautiful country,' replied the white bear, in a snarly voice.
"'What do you want?' asked the wolf.
"'Something to eat,' said the white bear.
"'Where did you come from?' asked the wolf.
"'You miserable creature, I came from my own country where I am king,' roared the bear. 'And I want you to know that I did not come here to answer your questions! Bring me something to eat—a fat caribou, or a couple of seals—or I'll try my teeth on you!'
"'Your talk is as big as your body; but neither big words nor big bodies are much thought of in this country,' replied the wolf.
"King Bear was astonished at the wolf's daring in speaking to him so impudently. He had never been spoken to in that way before by any common animal or bird. Of course King Moose, his rival, had said rude things to him every year; but that was to be expected and was between kings. But it made his blood bubble in his brain to hear such words from that ordinary wolf, and to see the other common creatures, and the crow grinning at the talk. He was so angry that he almost forgot the hungry-pain in his stomach.