The Travelers and the Bear

It was a wonderful day. Through the thick leaves of the trees, the sunlight played on the grass and flowers, on the bushes. But the two travelers who were walking through the forest were not happy at all. Their loud voices rang through the trees.

"Will you stop worrying?" cried one of the travelers in a loud voice. "Nothing is going to happen. I'll look after you. Everything will be all right. So let’s try to enjoy the fine weather."

His friend heard all this, but it didn't help. He was so afraid that every little sound made him jump. He was sure that wild animals were waiting to jump at them.

A second later a great bear jumped out in front of the travelers. There was no time to think. It was too late to run away. The first traveler, who had promised so much, was light and quick on his feet. He climbed up the nearest tree as fast as he could and disappeared among the thick green leaves.

The second traveler was not so quick. When he saw that his friend had left him, he fell flat on the ground, held his breath, and lay very still.

The bear looked at him, quite surprised. This was something new and strange that the animal could not understand.

The bear moved slowly around the man. It sniffed him over. It touched the traveler's ear with its nose. The traveler lay quite still, like a dead man. Was it true that bears didn’t touch dead bodies? Would the bear leave him alone?

Seconds passed. Each one seemed as long as a lifetime. At last the bear lifted its head. With an angry cry it left the man and ran off into the woods again.

The traveler in the tree climbed down. His face was white.

"Tell me, my friend," he said, "what did the bear whisper in your ear?"

"He told me," answered the other, "to be careful with a friend who runs away when danger comes."