Library: The hunter and the bear

Once upon a time there was a hunter who was well known in his skills both tracking and archery. He had hunted keenly and for a long time for food for himself, his immediate family and occasionally also for other residents of his village. He was proud and maybe even a little cocky about his skills and achievements. Due to his self-sufficient nature, the hunter did not enjoy great popularity among the local community, but he was tolerated and even respected because he and his skills were often helpful to the villagers. One fall, a large grizzly bear happened to wander near the village, and in addition to berries, mushrooms, and game, the villagers' sheep and goats ended up in its belly as it was collecting a layer of fat for the winter. The bear was not evil or mean, but carried out his bear instincts as winter approached, gathering as much strength as possible with as little effort as possible. The presence of the bear scared and upset the villagers. Cattle could not be kept safely outside, even when fenced, cattle had to be collected from the surrounding forest every now and then, scared by the bear. That scoundrel would manage to kill an animal every now and then as well. Naturally, the villagers were scared by the bear's presence and the final straw was when the bear destroyed the village elder?s and most profitable beehive, eating sweet honey in its mouth. Disturbance caused by the bear was so great that the villagers asked the hunter for help to kill the bear or at least drive it back further into the forest to avoid damage and alleviate fear. At first, the hunter was reluctant to the villagers' requests. Bear hunting was slow, very unproductive and also very dangerous compared to other game in general. However, after the village elder promised to pay hefty price, the hunter agreed to the task. So, next autumn morning, the hunter went on a bear hunt. He packed his equipment, his bow and took his best dog with him, with which he believed he would find the bear easily. However, the smell of the bear scared the dog and the hunter had to return home after the first day without seeing a glimpse of the bear, because the dog had just run after him whining quietly after getting the first smell of the bear. The next day, the hunter set off alone, regretting his dog's timidity, but at the same time understanding the animal normally used to hunting hare and deer. He, the best hunter in the county, would find the bear by tracking it alone and kill that troublesome beast. As true as he was an experienced woodsman. On the same day, the hunter also encountered a bear for the first time. By chance, the hunter and the bear circled the same hill as the evening fell and finally collided when both were picking blueberries from the ground. The hunter and the bear spotted each other at the same time about 60 feet apart. Both eyed each other with their mouths full of blueberries and both cursed their own carelessness in fear. The hunter drew a bow with one hand next to him and an arrow from the quiver on his back with the other. The bear, on the other hand, was staring at the hunter, silently striving and at the same time thinking about possible routes to move forward in a difficult situation. In the end, both of them ended up retreating quietly to each other. The hunter retreated to his home when the evening got dark, and the bear to lie down and digest his blueberry catch of the day. Both fell asleep contemplating on the day's encounter. In the following weeks, the hunt continued with the hunter tracking the bear by himself and the bear dodging the hunter to the best of his ability. The hunter and the bear met each other in the forest several times, but always in such a way that the bear either easily ran away from the hunter or that the hunter did not dare to shoot the big bear with a bow, fearing that the bear would attack him before he could knock it down. As autumn progresses, winter approaches and the hunt continues, both get to know and appreciate each other's skills through many encounters and situations. Hunter was impressed of the cunning and ability to evade his plans and traps, and the bear the persistence and indomitability of the hunter. One late evening, with winter already approaching, after a long day of fruitless hunting, the hunter found himself at home. As he was resting and thinking about the day his dog quickly retreated to him. The dog stared at the door of the hut at his feet, whining quietly. After that, there was a fairly strong knock on the door. The hunter was puzzled at the situation, carefully walking to the door and opening it calmly. The hunter's eyes quickly got used to the darkness outside as he watched the unknown person coming to his hut. He flinched violently as he realized a large grizzly bear was watching him in the yard about 30 feet away. The bear slowely got up on two legs in front of the hunter, sniffing the air and growling quietly. Soon the bear landed back on all fours, growled again and slogged its way as the hunter looked on in confusion. The next night, no sleep came to the hunter's eye as he thought about what had happened. After thinking about it all night, he came up with no other explanation than that the bear had decided to go into hibernation and came to him and say goodbye to his two-legged fighting pair before the coming winter. The next morning, the hunter packed his bag and bow for the now fresh bear tracks. After walking for almost a day, with the tracks still continuing directly away from the village, the hunter finally believed that the idea he had received during the night was correct and decided to return home and not to tell anyone about the bear's visit last evening. The next day, he visited the village elder, saying that the bear had now been banished, collecting the promised reward money, saying that he would return it if the bear ever returned near the village. The bear was not ever seen again near the village, and the villagers were able to continue their peaceful lives without worrying about the bear and the damage it had caused. The hunter didn't blurt out the bear's farewell visit to anyone until he told me the story, backed up by a few beers, as he spent his well-deserved retirement days. He still wonders about the incident to this day and believes that he will meet the bear one more time when his days come to pass.

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Library: The hunter and the bear