Have you ever wondered Why The Bear Has a Short Tail? and all the other animals have long tails? well, fear not for you have come to the right place.
This tale has been told to many First Nations and non-First Nations people for many years passed down from generation to generation.
Do you remember being told this story? I sure do.
A long, long time ago the bear used to have a long tail. During the time of his hibernation, the bear woke up way too early and began to get super hungry. The bear then began to go look around for something to eat.
He then came upon a fox eating a fish, the bear said: ” ah, at last, I can eat, a fox and a fish I’m so lucky!” the scared fox said, ” wait don’t eat me I can teach you how to fish and you can get all the fish you want!”. The bear reluctantly said ” okay but don’t try anything because I know you’re a trickster” “Okay come with me” said the fox.
Then they walked towards a frozen lake that was nearby. “So first thing you have to do is make a hole in the ice and put your tail inside, sit there and wait.” said the fox ” Okay sounds easy enough,” said the bear. ” Don’t worry about if it stings a little it’s just the fish bitting your tail” said the fox, then fox ran off to go finish his fish.
The bear forgot to ask how long he should put his tail into the water and thought to himself “well the longer I put my tail in the water then the more fish I will have, then I can go back to sleep for the rest of the winter!” exclaimed the bear.
So he waited and waited until it started to get really cold and dark then the bear said: ” I think that should be good I better go home before it gets too cold”. So the bear went to walk away but he couldn’t move. So he tried again yet nothing. He said to himself “Wow! I must have a lot of fish on my tail for I can’t even get up it’s too heavy” not realizing the water where the hole was actually turned into ice and froze his tail.
So the bear used all his might and pulled himself free. “Ha ha! I’m free, time to feast” said the bear, he turned around and seen nothing but a short tail in place of where he thought a dozen or so fish would be. ” Oh, that trickster fox! I should have never trusted him”screamed the bear. So the bear went back to sleep and that’s why the bear has a short tail.
