The Bear and the Fox

Lily stormed through the door and threw her bag upon the table. "It's not fair! I was only trying to help!"

"What happened?" asked Grandmama.

"Remember how Jen was so nice and helped me with that homework I forgot? Well, today was clean up day so I decided I would clean her tote too, so she wouldn't have to, and I accidentally threw out her favorite pencil. I didn't even see it! I promised to get her another one just like it, but she was sad and the other kids are saying I did it on purpose! I didn't! I swear! I was just repaying a favor!"

"I know, And I'm sure Jen knows it too. Sometimes, we think we are helping, but we aren't helping at all. Like the bear and the fox."

"The bear? And the fox?" Lily came to sit beside her. "I haven't heard that story before."

"Haven't you? Well, once upon a time, a bear lived in the forest high in the mountains, along with many other animals, like the crow and the boar, and of course, the fox. Well, one day, the bear fell into a pit! He couldn't climb out, and he cried, knowing he would either be found by hunters and killed for his meat and pelt, or starve to death in a dark dirty hole. 

"But just then the fox came along and heard him crying. Moved to pity, she searched for a way to help the poor bear. Eventually, she saw a large branch covered with vines that had broken and fallen not that far away from the pit. It was very heavy, and she struggled to move it. But she didn't give up. She pushed, and she pulled, and she dragged the branch towards the pit, bit by bit, inch by inch. It was very hard work and from time to time she had to stop and rest. But eventually, she managed to push it over to the edge of the pit, and the bear was able to use it to pull himself out."

"How nice of the fox," said Lily. "Wasn't that helping?"

"It was. It was a very kind favor. And the bear wanted to repay it."

"Oh."

"The fox said there was no need, that woodland folk stick together. But the bear insisted, and followed her, looking for an opportunity to help. Eventually, the fox came to a fast but shallow stream she needed to cross. There were wide, flat stones in the middle of the stream that she could easily leap to, but the bear would not hear of it. He insisted that he would carry her across. 

"She said that wouldn't be necessary but before she could say anything else, he picked her up with his front paws and started across. But the stones of the stream were very slippery, and the bear was not steady on just his two back legs, so he slipped and fell, and they both plunged into the cold water!

"They crawled out of the stream shivering and shaking. The fox told him that it was the thought that counts, but the bear felt doubly guilty. He apologized profusely, and told the fox that he would do her another favor, to make up for his clumsiness. She told him that there was no need. But even as she spoke, the bear heard her belly growl."

"Oh dear," said Lily.

"The bear rushed off, and soon returned with an entire tree stump in his paws, and offered it to the fox. It was filled with honey--and very angry bees. The bear's hide was thick enough to protect him, but the fox was not so lucky and she had to run and leap back into the stream to get away from them all!

"The bear was mortified, and carried off the stump, and once the bees were gone the fox crawled out of the stream, sore and wet and very cold. She told the bear that whatever debt he thought he owed her was repaid. But the bear insisted that it was not. He said he would be happy to warm her up. They would snuggle close, and his warm fur would have her dry and comfortable in no time!

"The fox tried very hard to refuse, but the thing about bears, as I'm sure you know, is that they are very insistent. Once they decide upon something, it is almost impossible to change their mind! He laid down and pulled the fox close against himself. And she had to admit it was indeed very warm and comfortable, and they both dozed off.

"But in his sleep, the bear began to dream. He forgot where he was and rolled over--right onto the fox! She awoke smothered in bear! She couldn't breathe or move or shout. It was her turn to believe that she might die! In desperation, she did the only thing she could. She bit him. Hard!"

"Did that wake him up?"

"Oh yes it did. He leaped up in the air with a mighty roar, and the fox didn't even hesitate but dashed away into the woods, and was not seen on that side of the mountain again for many many years."

Lily was laughing. "Poor bear. He only wanted to help."

"Yes, but you can see that sometimes, what we think is helping really isn't. We have to consider the other person's feelings, or else it becomes more about us than it is about them."

"I understand. I should have asked her how I could help before I did anything," said Lily with a sigh. "We could have cleaned out our totes together and that would have been much more helpful, and more fun too. I said I was sorry and I know she'll forgive me, and I found out exactly what kind of pencil it was so I can get one exactly like it."

"That's good! It's always best to give someone exactly what they ask for, instead of what you think is best for them."

Lily nodded. "As long as the new pencil isn't full of bees, I'm sure it will be perfect!"

Grandmama laughed, and hugged her tight.