“Have you seen any bear about here, Eric?” shouted out a voice in the wood.
“Say no,” said the bear.
“No, I haven’t seen any,” said Eric.
“What’s that, then, that stands alongside your sledge?” bawled out the voice in the wood.
“Say it’s an old fir-stump,” said the bear.
“Oh, it’s only an old fir-stump,” said the man.
“Such fir-stumps we take in our country and roll them on our sledges,” bawled out the voice. “If you can’t do it yourself, I’ll come and help you.”
“Say you can help yourself, and roll me up on the sledge,” said the bear.
“No, thank ye, I can help myself well enough,” said the man, and rolled the bear on the sledge.
“Such fir-stumps we always bind fast on our sledges in our part of the world,” bawled out the voice. “Shall I come and help you?”