Bedtime Stories

Kristun and the Bear.

In medieval times, in a country that was yet to be born, there was a small village, with less than ten small houses made of wood and dark stone. Beside, there was a dark forest, where the men from the village used to hunt.

There, lived a young boy that dreamed to be a knight someday and catch dragons with his bare hands. He was so enthusiastic about it, that he would run around the house with his father's sword. 

One day, he went out during the night, trying to make his dream come true. The problem was, that by night, all dangers were awake. He ventured through the forest all alone, with his father sword on his little hands. With each foreign sound, he would turn and yell, branding the metal wildly, trying to hit the possible danger. He yelled so loud, that a bear nearby woke up from his sleep and went searching for the boy.

The beast found him standing in the middle of a clearing, completely unaware of the danger behind him. Luckily for him, the bear was a grieving mother, that had lost her pups the week before.

She approached the courageous child silently and smelled his hair. 

It was then that Kristun knew he wasn't alone. He turned slowly, trembling with fear. The sword fell out of his hands and landed with a soft sound on the grass. The courage he was feeling when he got out of his house was gone and he looked at the big animal in front of him with terrified eyes.

He was expecting to feel her sharp teeth on his flesh or a scary growl. 

Instead, he felt her wet tongue on his cheek. The bear had realized that the boy was young, a defenseless creature that could do no harm to her. Kristun extended his small hand touching her wet snout. The bear licked it, showing she was friendly.

When he was ready to leave, he felt her mouth close around his clothes. Mama bear picked him up and dragged him with her to her cave. It was small and dark, but Kristun was no longer afraid. The ground was hard, but the soft fur of the bear was warm and comfortable.
The cold night turned into a warm one, with mama bear protecting her new cub. When morning came and the sun greeted the cave, the boy opened his eyes and realized two things. One that one of the most dangerous animals could be actually kind and protective. Second, he learned that he had been lucky and he shouldn't venture through the forest all alone by night ever again, before he was of age to do so. 

Mama bear was sad to see him leave, but she knew he was different from her somehow.

Knowing that even animals have feelings, Kristun decided to visit the bear from time to time till her new offspring was born and she was no longer alone.