The Little Bear's Christmas Gone Bad

Third Place (tie), children's stories

Ryan Valdez |

12/18/2008 - 12/19/08

One winter day, a little bear was walking home from picking berries in the middle of the forest, but the trail that led to his cave was completely gone. Baby Bear was confused, so he asked the only bird in the forest if he could help him find his way home.

The bird said, "Are you talking to me, little bear?"

"Yes," said Baby Bear. "Can you help me to find my way home? The trail to my house is covered in snowflakes."

"Well, I don't know. I have to start flying south for the winter," said Mr. Bird.

"OK," said Baby Bear. "I'll be moving along."

"Baby Bear, be careful of wolves. They can con you," said Mr. Bird.

Baby Bear was as frightened as a chicken getting chased by a dog. So he started to walk very slowly. He heard a howl very, very close to him.

Baby Bear turned around and saw a 9-foot-tall wolf. "Hi," said the wolf in a high, cracking voice. "Are you OK?"

"Not really. I'm lost," answered Baby Bear. "I don't really need a wolf's help."

"Come on, I know this forest better than an eagle."

Baby Bear said, "Are you sure you're not going to kill me?"

"Pish posh!" said the wolf.

"OK, I'll follow you," said Baby Bear.

Moments later the wolf took Baby Bear to his cave.

"Where are we?" Baby Bear asked.

"We're at my cave. Now sit down while I go start the oven."

"Why do you have to start the oven?" asked Baby Bear.

"Uuhh ... I'm starting it because I'm baking cookies," said the wolf.

"May I have one?" asked Baby Bear.

"No!" screamed the wolf.

"Why not?" cried Baby Bear.

"Uuhh ... They haven't finished baking yet!"

"So can I have one when they're done?" questioned Baby Bear.

The wolf replied, "Maybe."

A few moments later, the wolf told Baby Bear to check the cookies in the oven. When he walked toward the oven, the wolf was right behind him.

"Open the oven, little bear."

"Hold on, I'm thirsty. Can you get me a glass of water?"

While the wolf was getting a glass of water, Baby Bear was clever.
He knew what the wolf was going to do, so he went and hid in the closet. The wolf came back and yelled, "Where is the bear?"

He looked all over the house. Baby Bear ran outside. The wolf saw him running into the forest. The wolf caught up to him by running as fast as a speeding bullet.

"Where do you think you're going, little bear?"

"Uuhh ... Now I was coming out for fresh air."

"Ha, ha, ha," laughed the wolf. "You were going to run away."

"Why would I run away? You said that you would help me find my way home."

The wolf couldn't stop thinking of how hungry he was.

Just then, the biggest fish you've ever seen fell out of the sky. The
wolf charged over to eat the fish. Mr. Bird yelled to Baby Bear, "Run,
run now!"

The wolf was so distracted that he didn't know that Baby Bear was gone. Mr. Bird led Baby Bear to a safe place up in a tree. When the wolf finished, he realized that Baby Bear was gone, and he yelled "I can smell you, little bear."

The wolf searched and searched, but he could not find him. Mr. Bird lifted Baby Bear up and told him to say which house was his. After searching and searching, they couldn't find the little bear's house.

Baby Bear missed his parents a lot, but Mr. Bird said, "Look. It's a flyer with a picture of you, Baby Bear."

They soared down and took a look at the flyer. Baby Bear was so excited. He couldn't wait to see his parents.

Mr. Bird said, "You're on your way home, kid, but you're on your own."

"Nice meeting you, Mr. Bird. Have a nice time," shouted Baby Bear.

"Have a great Christmas tomorrow and a nice Christmas Eve."

"Sure thing, Mr. Bird."

Baby Bear started to walk down past all the houses, but when he got home, all the lights were off. Baby Bear said to himself, "Nobody is home. They're somewhere out looking for me. Maybe I should wait here. No, no, it's too cold. I'll freeze out here. I've got to find somewhere warm until Father and Mother Bear get home."

Baby Bear climbed a tree next to the house so he could take a nap.

A few moments later, Father Bear and Mother Bear came home. Father Bear said, "It's no use. We can't find him."

"Don't say that," Mother Bear said. "We'll find him tomorrow."

In the middle of the night, Baby Bear crawled down the tree, looked through the window, and whispered, "They're home."

He climbed inside, went upstairs, and got in bed. All through the night he dreamed about a red bicycle for Christmas. The next morning Father Bear and Mother Bear were getting ready to go out until they heard snoring in Baby Bear's bedroom. They ran upstairs and saw Baby Bear and a red bicycle, and they all felt happy.