Let me tell a story, an' then,
mayhap, ye'll know the great master. Once upon a time there was a
young cub who thought his life a burden because he had to mind his
mother. By an' by a bullet killed her, an' he was left alone. He
wandered away, not knowing' what to do, and came near the land o'
men. Soon he met an old bear.
"'Foolish cub! Why go ye to the land o' men?' said the old bear.
'Thy legs are not as long as me tail. Go home an' obey thy mother.'
"'But I've none to obey,' said the young bear; an' before he could
turn, a ball came whizzing over a dingle an' ripped into his ham.
The old bear had scented danger an' was already out o' the way.
The cub made off limping, an' none too quickly. They followed him
all day, an' when night came he was the most weary an' bedraggled
bear in the woods. But he stopped the blood an' went away on a dry
track in the morning. He came to a patch o' huckleberries that day
and began to help himself. Then quick an' hard he got a cuff on
the head that tore off an ear and knocked him into the bushes.
When he rose there stood the old bear. "'Ah, me young cub,' said
he, 'ye'll have a master now.'
"'An' no more need o' him,' said the young bear, shaking his bloody
head.
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