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The little bear stood at the bottom
of a tree, looking up to the top. "That’s the tallest tree I’ve ever
seen," Bruce said. "Is that a beehive dangling from one of the branches?"
Bruce was feeling very hungry. His tummy was rumbling. "I think I’ll climb
up there and knock the beehive down. It’s big and must be filled with
delicious, sweet honey."
Using his large paws and sharp
claws, he started to climb the tree. "Whew, this trunk is higher than I
thought," he sighed. He was only a few feet off the ground and already he
was tired. "The bark is sharp and hurts my soft paws," he groaned. "I
can’t hold on any longer." He let go of the tree and fell backwards,
landing on his back in a pile of leaves that had gathered around the
bottom of the trunk. "Ouch!"
Bonnie Beaver was on her way to chop
down a small tree with her sharp teeth and spotted Bruce lying on the
ground. "What happened?" she asked.
Bruce rolled over onto his paws and
stood up. "Do you see that beehive up there? It’s full of golden honey. I
was trying to climb the tree but I fell down. It’s very tall!"
Bonnie looked at the top of the
tree. "Wow! That is a tall tree. You can do it though. You’re a bear.
Bears are experts at climbing trees. Try again," she said and ran off to
chop down a tree for her lodge.
Bruce tried again. He put his paws
and claws on the tree trunk and started to climb up. He scooted his furry
body higher and higher. "I’m higher than I was last time, but I just don’t
think I can go any further." He let go of the trunk and fell backwards,
landing on his back in the leaves. "Ouch!"
Ronald Raccoon had just raided Mr.
MacDonald’s trashcans and was heading back home with an armful of leftover
chicken legs when he spotted Bruce lying on his back in the pile of
leaves. "What happened?" he asked.
Bruce rolled over onto his paws and
stood up. "I’m trying to climb this tall tree to get that beehive. Do you
see it? It’s dangling from that branch way up there. It’s filled with
tasty honey and I’m very hungry." He brushed the leaves from his fur.
"Wow! That is a tall tree! You’re a
bear, and bears know how to climb trees. Keep trying, Bruce. I’m heading
home with my chicken legs," Ronald said and ran off into the woods.
Bruce looked up at the beehive.
There were hundreds of bees buzzing around it. "I’m sure there’s lots and
lots of honey in there. I’m so hungry. I’ll try again. After all, I am a
bear." He wrapped his paws and claws around the tree and started to climb
up. He climbed and climbed and climbed. He passed the place he first fell
from, and then he past the place he fell from the second time. "I’m doing
it! I’m climbing the tree! I’m halfway up." He went a little further, but
was getting very tired. "I can’t go much further. This tree is too tall.
Maybe I can go just a little bit more," he sighed, but couldn’t hold on.
He let go and fell to the ground, landing on his back in the pile of
leaves. They flew into the air and fell on top of him. "Ouch!"
Shonna Squirrel was running about,
gathering acorns that fell from the oak tree. She saw Bruce’s paws
sticking out of the orange, red, yellow, and rust colored leaves. "Is that
you in there?" she asked.
Bruce rolled over onto his four paws
and stood up. "It’s me." He brushed the pieces of twigs and crushed leaves
off his fur.
"What happened?" Shonna asked.
"I climbed halfway up that tall
tree. I’m trying to reach the beehive because it has honey in it and I’m
hungry, but I fell. I was too tired. How will I ever climb that high?" he
sighed.
"Bruce, you’re a bear. Bears can
climb any tree. You can do it. Just start climbing and don’t let go,"
Shonna said and then ran back to the oak tree with her cheeks filled with
acorns.
Bruce looked at the beehive. "I’m
going to do it this time. I’m going to climb all the way to the top and
get the honey. I’m a bear and bears are the best tree climbers in the
forest." He used his paws and claws and started to climb the tree. He
climbed and climbed and climbed and didn’t look down. Finally, after
having to stop to rest several times, he reached the beehive. "I did it!
I’m at the beehive!" He felt so happy and so proud.
Bees were buzzing all around him.
They didn’t want him to knock their beehive down and take all the honey.
Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz. He stuck his paw into the beehive and took a big
scoop of honey out. He started to lick his paw. "This is delicious honey."
He licked and licked and licked.
The bees came flying out of the
beehive and started to sting Bruce. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" He swatted at
them, but there were too many. He fell to the ground from the very top of
the tree and landed on his back in the pile of leaves. "Ouch!"
This time the bees came after him.
They started to sting him through the leaves. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" He
rolled over onto his paws and ran into the forest. The bees chased him.
He ran past Bonnie Beaver. She was
gnawing a tree. "I see you climbed to the top," she said, as he whizzed by
with the bees chasing him.
He ran past Ronald Raccoon. He was
nibbling away on his chicken bones. "I see you made it to the top of the
tree," he said, as Bruce and the bees zipped by.
He ran past Shonna Squirrel, who was
putting all her acorns into a hole in the tree trunk. "I see you made it
to the top," she said, as Bruce and the bees flew past her.
Bruce ran and ran and ran. When he
got to the pond, he jumped into the water. The bees flew all around
looking for him. He held his breath and stayed under the water until they
gave up and flew back to their beehive. Bruce came up and took a deep
breath.
Bonnie Beaver ran along the side of
the pond carrying a log and saw Bruce climbing out of the water. "I think
you’d better practice climbing trees in another part of the woods," she
advised and went into her lodge.
Bruce went back to his cave for the
night. His tummy rumbled with hunger. He was happy that he learned to
climb the tall tree, but knew that from then on, he’d stick to eating
fish. No more honey for him. He let out a big yawn and then curled up in a
ball and went to sleep. |
