290 THE BEAR AND CHILD. 



" It was the duty of one of the women to tend the cattle 

 in the forest, whilst the other occupied herself with house- 

 hold matters, and in looking after the children. It so 

 happened, however, on the 23rd of last September, that 

 whilst one of the women, as usual, watched the cattle, the 

 other absented herself for a short time on a visit to a neigh- 

 bour, leaving the children altogether to themselves. She 

 had not been long away, before they perceived two large 

 brown animals, which they took to be cows, on the outside 

 of the fence, bordering the patch of pasture-ground conti- 

 guous to the hut. All children are curious, and indifferent 

 to danger; without consideration, therefore, they climbed 

 over the fence, and made up to the creatures. When the 

 animals became aware of the near approach of the children, 

 the larger of the two compelled the smaller to lie down at 

 the foot of a tall pine, and then couched by its side, as 

 if to protect it from harm. Whereupon, the least of the 

 children that of two years of age without hesitation, 

 toddled directly up to the animals, and laid itself down 

 likewise, with its head resting on the belly of the larger 

 one, humming at the same time some nursery-song, as if 

 reposing on its mother's lap ! The other children remained 

 the while quiet spectators of the scene. When, however, 

 the eldest had reflected a little, and had come to the con- 

 clusion that it was not a cow, but a bear as was the fact 

 the child was thus toying with, she became sorely affrighted. 



" Meanwhile the infant, who could not remain long in the 

 same position, presently rose from its hairy couch, gathered 

 some blue berries growing hard by, and gave them to its 

 bed-fellow, the bear, who immediately eat them out of the 

 babe's hand ! The child next plucked a sprig from a 



