Chapter 2
One day as Tom sat high on the old telephone pole watching over his family in the chicken yard; his keen eyesight spotted a bear cub wondering about in the forest not far from the chicken yard. The bear cub was making an awful nuisance of himself, as he stumbled about at the edge of the tree line. A friendly Magpie chirped, “What is your problem, can I help?”
“No,” the cub roared in his most ferocious cub voice. “Go away and leave me alone.”
The cub stood on his hind legs and cried in pain. Tom jumped off his perch and glided down to get a better look at what was causing the bear cub such discomfort. Tom landed in a nearby tree and watched as a rabbit from behind a tree called out, “What is wrong, can I help?”
The cub roared “You stupid rabbit, don’t you know I could eat you in one bite?”
It was obvious to Tom, the cub could not have caught the rabbit on a good day let alone when he was in such pain. Tom watched as a woodpecker, a squirrel and a fox came to the cub’s aid, but in each case the cub roared, “Leave me alone or I’ll eat you.”
Tom’s sharp eyesight could see what the problem was, the cub had a large wood sliver in his right rear thigh. With the possible exception of the magpie, any of the stoppers-by could have removed the sliver, but the cub just roared, and frightened them away. Tom was wise and he knew removing the sliver would be painful for the cub, but once the sliver was out it would begin to heal, and the pain would go away.
Tom asked the fox to distract the cub’s attention for a moment so he could help the cub without his knowledge. The fox reluctantly agreed and said what Tom had told him. “Hay cub,” the fox shouted. “I can remove the pain in you thigh by magic without even touching you.” The cub roared again, “You better run, when I catch you I will eat you.” While the fox distracted the cub Tom circled behind, then swooped down with a burst of speed, he grasped the large sliver in his powerful beak then held the sliver with all his might. He flapped with his powerful wings and gave a jerk with his head; out came the sliver as Tom flew away. The cub roared in pain, “How did that? I will eat you.” The fox quickly ran away leaving the cub bellowing in anger. From high in a nearby tree, Tom hooted, “If you would have let the others’ help, it would have hurt less.
The bear cub looked at the source of his pain and the sliver was gone. It began to hurt less and less as the day progressed until the pain was gone. He was in a much better mood as night fell in the forest.
The next day Tom went to the cub’s den to check on his disposition, “How are you doing cub?” Tom asked.
“I feel much better Tom, thanks for your help yesterday.”
Tom asked, “What’s your name cub?”
“My mother used to call me Teddy, but you can call me Ted.” The cub said as his memory retreated to his mother.
“Where is your mother Ted?” Tom asked.
“She went away last spring and never returned.”
Tom thought for a moment, them said, “I have an idea, Ferra fox lost her son last week, I think she would love for you to visit them.”
Ted wasn’t sure, “I may not fit in, they are different, I’m a bear.”
“It was just an idea,” Tom said, “I know she and Lisa are lonesome without Billy.”
“Ok, I will do it, but only because you and Lisa were the ones that helped me yesterday.” Ted said in his most pretentious voice.”
Tom flew as fast as he could to Ferra Fox’s den with the good news. She was also somewhat reluctant, but Tom explained, “You have both lost something dear to you, he needs someone to lookout after him and you and Lisa need someone that will look after you.
Ferra cautiously entered Ted’s den and introduced herself, “And you know my daughter Lisa. She tells me you have a wound where Tom removed the sliver, if you would allow me; I have some salve that will keep if from getting infected.”
Ted agreed, he knew that’s what his mother would have done.
Ted said, “If you ever need anyone to help, I’m here for you.”
As tom flew away he answered, “Who.”
