Onemorning,whentheThreeBearswerefloatingdownstreamontheirraft,theysawafarmhouseinthedistance. “Perhapsweshallneverbesonearafarmhouseagain,”saidMotherBeartoFatherBear,“soIthinkweshouldbuysomeeggsofthefarmer’swife.” “Dobesensible!”exclaimedFatherBear.“Rememberthatwehavenomoneyandthatfarmersdonotlovebears.” “Thatdoesnotmatter,”saidMotherBeargently. “To-night,whenwebuildourcampfirefortheevening,wemusthavehens’eggstoroastforsupper,andhowcanwehavehens’eggsunlesswebuythematthefarmhouse?” FatherBearmadenoanswer,butpushedtheraftagainstthebankandtiedittothewillowswitharopeofwildgrapevine. HeknewthatMotherBearwouldhaveherway,sohewastednotimetryingtoargueaboutthematter.“Now,then!” wasallFatherBearsaidafterthat,ashesatinhishugechairandfoldedhisarmstowatchthefun. “‘Now,then,’iswhatIsay,too,”addedMotherBear,laughing. “HoneyCub,”shesaidtoLittleBear,whowaswonderingwhatwouldhappennext,“jumpofftheraftandbringmemanylong,slimleavesofthecat-tailsgrowingoverthere,andIwillweavetwobaskets,oneforthemoney,onefortheeggs.” LittleBearhastenedtoobey.Butwhenhereturnedwithhisarmsfullofcat-tailleaves,hesaid,“MotherBear,Ihavemadeawish. Pleaseletushavetheeggsfordinner,andletushavethemscrambled. FatherBearandIlikescrambledeggsbetter,”andLittleBearwinkedatFatherBearandFatherBearwinkedback. “Weshallnotmakecampatnoonsonearafarmhouse,”answeredMotherBear,“andtheeggsshallberoasted. Nowrunalongaftersomelonggrasses,HoneyCub,formetoweaveintothebasketswiththecat-tails.” LittleBearobeyedhismother,butheneitherdancednorsangashegatheredthegrasses.“Noonisthetimefordinner,”hetoldabiggreenfrog,“andIwishforscrambledeggsatnoon.” QuicklyMotherBearmadetwoprettygreenbaskets. “Oneisforwildstrawberries,”sheexplained. “Wewillfillittothebrimandleaveitforthefarmer’swife,insteadofmoney. Shewillfinditinanestwhenshegoestogathertheeggs.” “I’llgladlypicktheberries,”saidLittleBear,“andI‘llgowithyoutofindahen’snestthathaseggsinittoscramble.” “YouwillstaywithyourfatherwhileIgofortheeggs,”answeredhismother. SoafterLittleBearhadfilledonegreenbasketwithdeliciouswildstrawberries,hestayedwithhisfatherwhileMotherBearwentfortheeggs. “Noonisthetimefordinner,”LittleBearsaidingrumblingtones,“androastedeggsarenotsogoodasscrambled.” “SonBear,”answeredFatherBearsternly,“MotherBearisalwaysright!” SoonbackcameMotherBear,walkingfast. AndwhenLittleBearsawtheeggsinhergreenbasket,hewassomuchpleasedthatheforgottobecross,althoughhedidnotforgethiswish. WhileFatherBearuntiedthegrapevinerope,LittleBearhelpedMotherBeartocovertheeggswithbiggreenleaves,tokeepthemcool.Hedancedandsangasheworked. “Andnowweareoffforamorning’sgoodfishing!” exclaimedFatherBear,ashepushedtheraftintothemiddleofthestreamandpassedaweefishpoletoLittleBear,amiddle-sizedfishpoletoMotherBear,andstraightwaybeganfishinghimselfwithhisownhugepoleandline. TheThreeBearsfishedallthemorningandcaughtnothing.Atnoon,withoutwarning,therewasagreatsplashingintheriver,andFatherBearexclaimed,“Ihaveabite!” Well,hepulled,andpulled,andpulled,andcouldnotlandhisfish. Therewasgreatexcitementontheraft,untilsuddenlyFatherBearalmostcaughtthefish. Upcametheline,upbobbedthefish-ahugefish,almostthebiggestfishFatherBearhadevercaught. ButbackfellFatherBear,andbumpedintoMotherBear,andshebumpedintoLittleBear,andhesatdowninthebasketofeggs,becausethethreewerestandingonebehindanother.Thenthefishfloppedback,splash! intothewater—andtheThreeBearswerehungry! “Somethinghashappenedtotheeggs!”exclaimedLittleBear.“Iamafraidtheyareallsquashed.” Sureenough!WhenMotherBeartooktheleavesoffthebasketofeggs,whatasightshebeheld!Everyshellwasbroken. ThensaidFatherBear,laughing:“Roastedeggsarenotsogoodasscrambled,andnoonisthetimefordinner! MotherBear,letusgoashoreandmakecamp. Wehavecomealongwayfromthefarmhouse.” “FatherBearisalwaysright,”saidMotherBear,assheemptiedthebrokeneggsintothefryingpanandbeganpickingoutpiecesoftheshellsandtossingthemintothewater. ThatishowitcameaboutthattheThreeBearsbuiltacampfireatnoonanddinedonscrambledeggs. TheyhadajollytimeeatingdinnerinthewoodsandtalkingaboutwhatahugefishitwasthatFatherBearhadalmostpulledoutofthestreaminthemorning. ButafterdinnerLittleBearlaughedandsang: untilatlastthethreebearsjoinedhandsanddancedroundthecampfiresingingtogether: WhenFatherBearlosthisfish! 
