Bear's Lesson

I started writing children’s picture stories a few years ago after attending a district required reading staff development. At one point during the class, our instructor read us a story similar to this. I don’t remember exactly what the point was for reading this book. Some lesson idea, I suppose. I don’t even remember the title.

Anyway, the story was about a wolf who comes across some barnyard animals that are reading. The animals end up teaching the wolf to read, they all become friends and live happily ever after.

I heard the story and I was very disappointed. You see, I felt that the story should have had a much different ending. I went straight home and wrote my first rhyming children's picture story. However, seeing as I can’t draw anything more than stick people and I don’t even do that very well, you’ll have to create the pictures in your mind.

Enjoy


Bear's Lesson

I know of a sheep, a chicken and pig,
When I met these guys, my life it changed big

You see, I’m a bear and what I have to say,
Is I eat all these creatures on most every day

The problem begins with me walking along,
When all of a sudden, I heard a strange song

The music was odd, though it had a good beat,
And the voices I heard, to my ears, were a treat

Then I saw it, a kind of old broken down shack,
It was three shades of red with a wobbly smoke stack

Quick up to the window, I did softly creep,
The first thing I saw was this rather large sheep

I sat there just dreaming of having sheep stew,
When a squatty, plump pig waddled into my view

Well now the night’s meal was almost complete
I’d have mutton stew, then the other white meat

But nothing compares to me seeing the chicken,
I became Pavlov’s dog, as my chops I was lickin’

Without thinking longer, I knocked down the door,
I raised both my arms and let out a loud, “ROAR!”

In the past, well, each roar was just loads of fun,
Cause all over the place my new dinner would run

I’d have a real blast chasing down the night’s feast,
And I wouldn’t stop ‘til I’d gulped down each beast

But these new taste treats didn’t follow that rule,
I stood with arms raised, feeling much like a fool

My actions, it seemed, they had one small hitch,
Pig said, “My good fellow, your roar was off pitch”

Pig showed me a seat, and bewildered I sat,
When sheep spoke up and said, “Not to mention, you’re flat”

“We could give you lessons,” the nice chicken said,
I smiled really big and nodded my head

I went to that shack for six weeks, twice a day,
For they taught about music in more that one way

I learned that I sing in what’s known as bass,
That’s why, when I roar, it shakes up the place

My teachers, they said that for me solo’s best,
For I tend to be loud and drown out all the rest

And that’s when the lesson I’d learned, it hit big,
I had three new friends…sheep, chicken and pig

See, they didn’t think that I was all scary,
Just because I am loud, big, mean and hairy

No, they took the time to help out a bear,
The fact is, we’re different, but they didn’t care

So when my last lesson had come to an end,
I stuck out my paw and said “Bye” to each friend

I turned to the door, but then I looked back,
And grabbed that fat chicken for a last good-bye snack

Sheep and pig stared in fear as I started to chew,
Coughing feathers, I said, “Guys, it's just what bears do”