The Bear and the Moon

The Bear and the Moon

There once was a Little Bear who wanted to give his mother a very special gift showing just how much he loved her.

“But what should I get for her?” Little Bear pondered.

He traveled through the wooden forest in search of a gift that was perfect in every way. During his search he asked three animals what the best gift could be.

The first creature he met was a large, grey coyote.

“What do you think the greatest gift is Mr. Coyote?” Asked Little Bear.

“The moon would be a mighty gift. The songs that my pact sing make it glow bright in the night sky,” responded the coyote.

After hearing this, Little Bear thought the moon was a mighty gift and continued on his journey. Walking on, he met a large, pale green Luna Moth.

“What do you think the greatest gift is Mrs. Luna?” Asked Little Bear.

“The moon is the most precious gift in all the land and is the true queen of all the moths. Many a night you will see her white wispy wings which let her sail high above the forest.”

Little Bear thought of how truly magnificent the moon was and continued on his journey.

The last animal Little Bear met was a beautiful snow leopard.

“What do you think the greatest gift is Ms. Snow?” Asked Little Bear.

“The moon is the greatest gift of all, as it is the mighty leopard protector who watches us during the night. Ask those with the best eyes and they can see spots like mine covering its surface,” she replied.

After speaking with the animals, Little Bear decided that the moon was indeed the ultimate present and that he would capture it to gift to his mother.

Little Bear searched for the moon in the deep, dense forest. Yet, when he looked up, the trees were too thick and he wasn’t able see the moon in the night sky.

Until one night he saw the full moon lying peacefully in a still lake.

Not quite knowing how to capture the moon, he pondered his plan during a long drink of cool, fresh water from the lake, then drowsily fell into a deep slumber upon its grassy shores. The following night, the Little Bear looked at the lake where the moon had been, and he found that the moon was slightly less, missing a tiny sliver of itself. That night, the bear drank from the lake again and fell asleep on its bank. The night after that, the moon was missing even more of itself.

Each night Little Bear returned to drink from the pool and each following night there was a little less of it until one night there was no moon left at all.

Proudly, Little Bear returned home to give the moon to his mother. Upon his return he found his mother crying next to their cave looking up to the empty sky.

“Mother, mother!” Little Bear said cheerfully, “I have walked very far and have found you the greatest gift.”

“Little Bear this is not a good night for gifts. Look up at the night sky, the moon is missing. There are no songs from the coyotes, the queen moth has opened her wings and left the sky and the great protector has left her den so no one watches over us,” his mother replied sorrowfully.

“But mother,” Little Bear replied, “I have the moon. It will light up your nights, carry you above the forest and always protect you. I have taken it for you, as it is the best gift there is to give.”

Little Bear’s mother looked down at him hearteningly.

“Oh my Little Bear, the moon is not yours to take or give. It belongs to everyone in the forest. It is not fair that I have so much and everyone else has so little. Please know that I do love the moon and it is the greatest gift, but it is a gift for everyone to enjoy.”

Little Bear was shattered. He ran back to the pool where he found the moon and wept, letting his tears fall heavily into the still waters. He felt selfish for stealing the moon from the animals, the sky and the forest. Most of all, he was sad to have upset his mother. It was not his intention.

Exhausted from another long journey, he fell asleep on the bank. The next night when he woke he noticed the tiniest sliver of the moon back into the sky. Overjoyed that the moon was returning, each night he cried tears of happiness in the pool and the moon continued to grow a little bigger and brighter, until one night the moon was completely full.

Upon his return, his mother greeted him with open arms. “I’m so very proud of you Little Bear. The moon, she’s back where she belongs!”

“Thank you mother...” Little Bear said rather gloomily. “But, I still never gave you a gift.”

“Oh hunny,” she began, “you are the greatest gift I have ever and will ever have. You are all I need. You, the moon, the earth and the stars.”

Little Bear smiled and hugged his mother tight. While they embraced, they could hear the forest rejoice as the great coyotes sang and the Luna Moths fluttered while the full moon looked down happily from the sky.