THE BEAR WENT OVER THE MOUNTAIN
"Hey, Papa! Hey, Papa?
What’s over that mountain? What’s over that mountain right there? You know, that
big mountain. What’s on the other side?"
"Eat your honey, Sidney."
"Papa? What’s on the other side of the lake?
Isn’t there something over there? I mean, I can see what’s over here but
I’m wondering what’s on the other side of the lake?"
"Will you please eat your honey? I went to a lot of
trouble to get this bee hive and now you’ve got a dozen questions about the other
side of the mountain. Eat!"
"But don’t you think there’s something
interesting we could explore on the other side of the mountain or maybe the lake? Could
we? Could we? Could we? I just want to take a look, Papa."
The older bear wiped his snout with his paw as the bees
swarmed all around.
"We’re not doing anything until you finish your
dinner. Is that clear? I want you to eat your honeycomb, too, not just the honey,
Sidney."
"But I want to be a great explorer, Papa," Sidney
said. "I want to discover new lands and find out what’s on the other side of the
mountain. Can we do that? Huh? Can we? Can we?"
"[Sigh] After we finish this, we’re going back to
the garbage dump to get dessert and then maybe, if there’s enough time before dinner
and your homework is finished, maybe we’ll go exploring."
"Over the mountain? Are we going over the mountain? Are
we, Papa? Can I be the leader? Can I? I want to be the leader so I can explore some new
lands. Won’t that be fun, Papa?"
"Maybe this honey has too much sugar in it," Papa
Bear muttered.
Later that afternoon after they visited the garbage dump and
after Sidney finished all his homework, he begged his father just enough and the two of
them set out to explore.
"Honestly, Sidney, I’ve been over this mountain a
thousand times and there really isn’t anything different on that other side than . .
."
"But you haven’t explored it, Papa. I mean,
you’ve just been over there and you haven’t explored it because when we explore
it we’ll be taking our time and listening and looking and watching and listening and
looking for every little detail and stuff just in case we discover something really
amazing and we need to know about it."
"Yeah. Just as long as we’re back in time for
dinner."
Papa Bear and Sidney Bear walked along a trail towards the
mountain. It was a beautiful day to be out walking. The air was crisp and sweet and the
wildflowers in the meadows were drying out in the autumn weather. It wouldn’t be long
before the snow began falling and it would be time for the bears to get into their den for
the winter.
"Whoa!" Papa Bear said. "Look at that?"
"What is it?"
"Well, that stump over there. Now that is something.
Can you believe that? Well, we’ve done our exploring for the day. We’d better
get back home and get ready for dinner."
"Oh, Papa! That stump isn’t special. That’s
just an old silly stump. There’s not out exploring stumps like that, Papa. We’re
looking for something over the mountain. I mean, we haven’t even got started.
We’re not over the mountain yet. We’re still on our side of the mountain and
there’s nothing interesting about a silly old stump on our side of the mountain. I
might think you said that just so we could go home early but I don’t think
you’re that kind of a papa, are you Papa?"
"No, course not. I was just pointing out that stump and
. . . well, I thought you might be interested in . . . and . . ."
They walked quietly through the forest. Every few feet,
Sidney would stop and listen and look and then explore a little more.
"Exactly what are we looking for?" Papa Bear
asked.
Sidney didn’t answer. He was much too busy making his
way through the woods.
"These trees look exactly like the trees we passed
back there, if you know what I mean," Papa Bear said.
It was a long hike before Papa Bear and Sidney came to the
top of the mountain. In the late afternoon light, the valley ahead looked absolutely
beautiful. It looked as if the whole world was holding its breath for one moment while
father and son gazed at the sight.
"Oh my, Papa," Sidney said. "Isn’t it
amazing."
"It is."
"I told you we’d find something special on the
other side of the mountain. And now look, there it is. Plain as day. Don’t you see
it, Papa? Don’t you see what I’m looking at? Do you? Huh?"
"The light is very beautiful and peaceful."
"I don’t know what you’re talking about,
Papa," Sidney said, "but I’m talking about that castle right in front of
us. Don’t you see the castle there? Isn’t it cool? I wish we could explore the
castle, too, but I don’t think we have enough time before dinner because I know you
get plenty hungry and that’s a pretty big castle, don’t you think? You do see
it, don’t you?"
"Sidney, I’m looking at a very peaceful valley at
sunset. I see rocks and trees and mountains in the distance and the setting sun, but this
castle . . .?"
"Papa, it’s right in front of us. It’s huge!
It’s a giant’s castle. I’ll bet a thousand creatures live in that castle.
Can’t you see it? Papa? We’re just pretending, you know."
"Oh, yes, now I can see it, Sidney. Say, isn’t
that a grand castle? How would you describe that color, son?"
"I’d say it was October blue, Papa, because blue
is my favorite color and I love October, too, because that’s a good month for castles
just like this one."
They sat together for a few more minutes enjoying the view
until they headed back home, two very happy and hungry bears.
The End |
