English
OnceinmidsummerwhenwildroseswerebloomingalongtheriverbankbehindtheThreeBears’houseintheforestandwildbirdsweresingingfromeverythicket,FatherBearbuiltaraftandtookhisfamilyfloatingdownstream.
Theraftwasmadeoflogsfirmlyfastenedtogether.
Itwasbigandstrong,andhadthreerusticchairsonit—abig,bigchairforthebigFatherBear,amiddle-sizedchairformiddle-sizedMotherBear,andawee,weechairforweeLittleBear.
Therewerealsopolestokeeptheraftfrombumpingagainsttheriverbank:aratherheavypolemadejustforhugeFatherBear,amiddle-sizedpoleformiddle-sizedMotherBear,andalong,lightpoleforLittleBear.
Soontheywerefarfromhome,butitwasafternoonbeforeanythingspecialhappened.
Therewasabendintheriver,andwhentheraftcameswishingandtumblingroundthatbendtheThreeBearssawalittleloghouseonahillsideandmanychildrenplayingoutsidethedoor.
Atthatverymoment,bump!wenttheraftintothebank,andthereitstuckamongthewillows!
“Oh,pleasedonotpushtheraftintothestream
aschoolhouse
forafewminutes!”whisperedLittleBear.“Letuswatchthechildren!”
“Yes,letuswatchthechildren,”addedMotherBear.
SoFatherBear,beingwillingtopleasehisfamily,seatedhimselfinhishugechair,andMotherBearseatedherselfinhermiddle-sizedchair.
ButLittleBearstoodonhistippytoesinhislittlechair,sothathecouldseebetter.
“Oh,Iwishthosechildrenwouldletmeplaywiththem!”criedLittleBear,astheyoungstersjoinedhandsanddancedroundandroundinacircle.
Plainly,thelogbuildingwasaschoolhouse,foramomentlateroutsteppedtheschoolmasterandbegantoringabell.
Thechildrenstraightwayformedinline,boysfirst,girlsbehind.
Thentheyallmarchedintotheschoolroom,saying,“Leftfoot,rightfoot,leftfoot,rightfoot,”andtheirfeetmadeamerrystamping.
Afterthechildrenwereallintheschoolhouseandthedoorwasclosed,asongcamefloatingthroughtheopenwindows.
Whenthesingingwasover,andtheonlysoundsthatthebearsheardwerethesongofbirds,thelappingofthewater,andthehummingofbees,LittleBearsaidtohisfatherandmother,“Iseealittlepathleadingfromtherivertotheschoolhouse,andIseebushesbesideoneofthewindows.
IfIwillgosoftly,softly,andclimbsoftly,softlyintothebushes,mayIgoandpeepintotheschoolhouseandseethechildren?”
“Oh,Idonotknowaboutthat!”beganMotherBear.
ButFatherBearsaid,“Oh,lethimgo!Only,SonBear,”headded,“ifoneofthechildrenshouldhappentoseeyou,andshouldsay‘Bear,’yourunstraightdowntotheraft,andweshallbereadytopushintothestreamandgetaway!”
SoLittleBearcreptsoftlyupthepathonthehillside,climbedsoftlyintothebushes,andpeepedintotheschoolroom.
Allthechildrenwereintheirseatswiththeirheadsbentoverbooksandslates.
Thentheteachersaidsternly,“Primerclass!Comeforward!”
Twolittlegirlsandonelittleboy,withblue-coveredbooksintheirhands,wenttoaspotinfrontoftheteacher’sdeskandstoodwiththeirtoesonacrackinthefloor.
Thelittlegirlsedgedawayfromtheboyasfarastheycouldwhilethemasterlookedatthem.
LittleBearwassomuchinterestedthatheclimbedclosertothewindow.
“Openyourbooks,”saidtheschoolmaster.
Thethreeopenedtheirblue-coveredbooks.
“Joan,youmayreadthelessonfirst,ifyouplease.”
SoJoanread,“I—see—a-cat.”
“Good!”saidthemaster.“Mary,youmayread.”
“I-see-a-cat,”readMary.Shekneweverywordofthatlesson.
“Now,Simon,”spokethemastertotheboy,“letushearyouread.”
LittleBearwassurethatSimondidnotknowhislesson.
HewassureofitbecauseSimonactedsofoolishandlookedsounhappy.
Hestoodononefootandthenontheotherandtwistedandsquirmeduntilthegirlsgiggled.
“Come,Simon,”urgedthemaster,“wearewaiting.”
IthappenedthatLittleBearfeltsosorryforSimonthatheforgotallabouthimself,andleanedforwarduntilhispawsrestedonthewindowsill.
Noonenoticedhimthen,becausebushesclusteredcloseroundthatwindowandhehadmadenosound.
“Simon,”themastercommandedatlast,“readthelesson!”
“I-see,”beganSimon,“I-see-a-”Thenhelookedup,butinsteadofsaying“cat,”astheprimersaid,Simon,witheyesaslargeandroundassaucers,droppedhisbookandcried,“Bear!Iseeabear!”
Sureenough,hedid.Sodidallthechildren.Sodidthemaster,becauseLittleBearwasrightupinthewindow,tryingtotellSimontheword“cat”!
DownthehillranLittleBearasfastashecouldgo,andscrambledonboardtheraft.
FatherBearandMotherBearusedtheirpolesandquicklypushedtheraftintothemiddleofthestream,andawaywentallthreeofthem,laughing.
ButLittleBeardidnotwishtovisitschoolagainthatday-orthatsummer.
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