As Ryan Bear watched from the edge of the meadow, he couldn't get over how much Sarah, a white-tailed deer, had grown this past year. He remembered the day two years ago when she was born. All the animals had gathered around to see the new fawn as it nuzzled close to its mother. Sarah's fur had been covered in white spots and they all chuckled as she took her first clumsy attempts of getting up on her wobbly legs. Sarah was now a beautiful doe that stood proud eating in the meadow.

 Ryan Bear nibbled on some berries that were handy on a bush. He marvelled at the changing of the autumn leaves. Yesterday, the meadow had been warm with summer and overnight the fingers of autumn had changed some of the leaves.

 Autumn brought with it a danger to the peaceful meadow. Hunters now came to the woods and stalked deer, fired their noisy rifles and ended the lives of creatures of the forest. Sarah Deer should be more careful, Ryan Bear thought. She shouldn't be standing out in full view like that.

 A flicker of red jacket alerted Ryan Bear and quickly he scanned the forest's edge; he saw a hunter peering through the bushes at Sarah Deer. Ryan Bear's heart missed a beat as he looked first at Sarah Deer and then at the hunter. He could see that the hunter was loading his rifle and it would be only a matter of seconds before he took aim at the doe, that neither heard nor saw him.

 Ryan Bear charged through the bushes, with no plan other than stopping what would happen if he didn't try to do something. The bushes snapped at him, but he kept a steady pace toward the hunter that was now raising the rifle to his shoulder.

 The hunter heard the approach of something to his left. It sounded like a herd of elephants coming through the bushes and he quickly turned to run. The bear emerged from the bushes to see the hunter hightailing it through the woods.

 Ryan Bear went into the meadow seeing that it was now safe. Sarah Deer approached him with eyes that showed fear.

 "I never heard a thing," said the doe. "It was close, wasn't it?"

 "Right there at the edge," said the bear pointing to where the hunter had stood. "He had a clear shot."

 The doe shuddered as she thought what could have been. Ryan Bear told her how she must be more careful about being in open places at this time of the day. The doe was thankful to her friend for saving her life.

 Question about the story: How did the bear save the deer?

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 Send answers to Storytime c/o Verna Dunlop, RR#1 Moser River, NS B0J 2K0 or e-mail the answer to the question to vernadunlop@yahoo.com. Prizes will be sent to those sending in the answer.

posted on 08/03/10