A Bear in a Barrell

[Perry wrote a short children's story for each of his kids. Perhaps inspired by Dale's prowess capturing wildlife in the neighborhood, he wrote this story for him.]

A Bear in a Barrel
by Perry Manwaring

David moved into a new house near the mountains. All of the houses were new. the lawns were new. The streets were new. But the mountains were old. The trees were old. And the brush that came down almost to David's house was old too.

"Do any bears live here?" David asked his sister, Mary.

"No, silly," answered Mary. "No bears live here."

"Are there any bears in the woods?" David asked his mother.

"No, dear. There are no bears in the woods," his mother answered.

"Are there any bears in the mountains?" David asked his father.

"Maybe," answered his father without looking up from his newspaper.

"I am going to catch a bear," said David. "Could I catch a bear in this box?"

"No, silly," said Mary.

"A bear is much bigger than that," said Mother.

Father looked up from his newspaper. "Maybe," he said, "if it was a baby bear."

"Tomorrow I am going to catch a bear," said David.

"All right," said Father, and he went on reading his newspaper.

The next day David walked up the street. Mrs. Saladino was trimming her roses. "Where are you going?" asked Mrs. Saladino.

"I am going to catch a bear," answered David.

"A bear in a box?" Mrs. Saladino smiled. But David kept walking up the street.

"Where are you going?" asked Mr. Bushinsky.

"I am going to catch a bear," answered David.

"A bear in a box?" Mr. Bushinsky chuckled. But David kept walking up the street.

Mr. Derryberry was planting flowers. "Where are you going?" asked Mr. Derryberry.

"I am going to catch a bear," answered David.

"A bear in a box?" Mr. Derryberry laughed. But David kept walking up to the end of the street.

Through the brush he walked until he saw some tracks. They were like this:

"Bear tracks!" David said. "I will catch a bear here."

He put some bread crumbs in the box and made the lid so that a bear could walk in. Then he hid behind some brush and watched.

Soon something moved. Something came walking through the brush. It sniffed this way. It sniffed that way. It sniffed its way right into David's box.

David ran and picked up the box. "A bear! I've caught a bear!" he shouted.

Through the brush and down the street David ran. "I've caught a bear in a box!" he shouted.

Mrs. Saladino stopped trimming her roses. "A bear in a box?" she said. And she ran down the street after David.

Into the house he ran with Mrs. Saladino right behind him. Mary was playing with her dolls. "Mary! Mary! Look what I've caught!"

Mary jumped up from her play.

"I've caught a bear in a box!" and he slipped the cover off.

Mary jumped back. "Oh, dear!" she screamed. "What is it?"

"It's not a bear," said Mrs. Saladino. "A bear is much bigger than that. It's an opossum."

"An opossum?" said Mary. "What can we do with an opossum?"

"Call the animal shelter," said Mrs. Saladino. "They will take it back up into the mountains."

So they called the animal shelter. But David said, "Tomorrow I am going to catch a bear."

The next day David walked up the road. He was carrying a sack.

"Where are you going?" asked Mrs. Saladino.

"I am going to catch a bear," David answered.

"A bear in a bag?" And Mrs. Saladino smiled a big smile. But David kept walking up the street.

Mrs. Bushinsky was painting his house. "Where are you going, David?" asked Mr. Bushinsky.

"I am going to catch a bear," David answered.

"A bear in a bag?" Mr. Bushinsky chuckled a big chuckle. But David kept walking up the street.

"Where are yo going today?" asked Mr. Derryberry.

"I am going to catch a bear," answered David.

"A bear in a bag?" Mr. Derryberry laughed a big laugh. But David kept walking up the street.

Up to the end of the street he walked, through the brush and through the bushes. Soon he saw some tracks. They were like this:

"These must be bear tracks," David said. Into the sack he put some peanut butter. He held the sack open with some branches so that a bear could jump in. Then he hid behind some bushes and watched.

Soon something moved among the bushes. It sniffed this way. It sniffed that way. It sniffed its way right into David's sack.

Quickly David ran and grabbed the sack. "A bear! I've caught a bear!" he shouted. Through the bushes, through the brush, and down the street he ran shouting. "A bear! I've caught a bear!"

Mr. Bushinsky stopped painting his house. "A bear in a bag!" he exclaimed. And he ran after David.

Into the house David ran with Mr. Bushinsky right behind. "Mother! Look what I've caught!:

Mother jumped up from her sewing.

"I've caught a bear in a bag!" he shouted. And he opened up the bag.

His mother jumped back. "My goodness! What is it?"

"It's not a bear," said Mr. Bushinsky. "A bear is much bigger than that. It's a raccoon."

"What can we do with a raccoon?" asked David's mother.

"Call the pet store," said Mr. Bushinsky. "Raccoons make fine pets."

So they called the pet store. But David said, "Tomorrow I am going to catch a bear."

The next day David walked up the street. He was rolling a barrel.

"Where are you going, David?" asked Mrs. Saladino.

"I am going to catch a bear," answered David.

"A bear in a barrel?" she asked. And she smiled all over her face. But David kept walking up the street.

"Where are you going today, David?" asked Mr. Bushinsky.

"I am going to catch a bear," David answered.

"A bear in a barrel?" asked Mr. Bushinsky. And he chuckled right out loud. But David kept walking up the street.

Mr. Derryberry was planting petunias. "Where are you going with the barrel?" asked Mr. Derryberry.

"I am going to catch a bear," David answered.

"A bear in a barrel?" And Mr. Derryberry laughed so hard that he dropped his petunias. But David kept walking up the street.

Up to the end of the street he walked. Through the brush, through the bushes and into the trees he walked. Soon he saw some tracks. They looked like this:

"These are bear tracks," said David. "I will catch a bear here." He rolled the barrel against a tree and put some honey in it. Then he walked away so that a bear could walk right in.

Soon something moved among the trees. It sniffed this way. It sniffed that way. It sniffed its way right into the barrel.

"A bear! I've caught a bear!" David shouted and he ran toward the barrel.

But just then the barrel began to roll. Away from the tree it rolled, through the bushes, through the brush. Down the street it rolled with David running behind shouting, "A bear! I've caught a bear!"

"A bear in a barrel!" exclaimed Mr. Derryberry. He dropped his petunias and ran after David.

Down the street the barrel rolled, down past Mr. Bushinsky's and Mrs. Saladino's. "A bear in a barrel!" called David.

Mr. Bushinsky dropped his paint brush and ran after them. Mrs. Saladino dropped her trimming shears and ran after them. They all ran down the street after David, and David ran after the barrel.

Round and round the barrel rolled, faster and faster. Down the street and past the houses it went. Across the new lawn it went until it came BUMP right up against David's house.

"Daddy! Daddy! I've caught a bear!" David yelled.

His father jumped up from the lawn he had been weeding.

"Look!" David called. "A bear in a barrel!"

Just then something came staggering out of the barrel. It walked in circles round and round.

"It's a bear!" said Mr. Derryberry.

"It's a bear!" said Mr. Bushinsky.

"It is a bear!" said Mrs. Saladino. "He is dizzy."

"What shall we do?" said David's father.

"Call the zoo!" said Mr. Derryberry.

"Call the newspaper!" said Mr. Bushinsky.

"Call the mayor!" said Mrs. Saladino.

WHISH! They all came at once.

The bear was so dizzy he just lay on the grass, but his eyes were still going round and round.

"An American Black Bear!" said Mr. Derryberry.

"Ursus americanus!" corrected the zoo keeper. "What an addition to our zoo."

"BOY CATCHES BEAR IN A BARREL!" said the major. "What a story I will have to tell at the next council meeting."

"BOY CATCHES BEAR WITH BARE HANDS!" said the newspaperman. "What a headline for my newspaper." His camera flashed while David stood beside the bear. He stood tall and straight, but the bear's eyes were still going round and round.