and the three bears

From Minto


Three Athabaskan brothers, out winter hunting, temperature 40 - 50 below, near village of Minto.

See vapor rising from a snow hill.

Bear's den. Bear's breath condensing above the den. Vapor rising.

Two older brother say to young brother: "Hey! Bear's winter sleeping inside den. Now you kill your first bear! We'll help carry meat back to village."

Younger brother say: "No way! You two go I'm scared."

Older brothers: "You go kill bear, get meat for the whole village or we'll beat the shit out of you!"

Younger brother more scared of older brothers so he crawls in to bear den.

He mover slow . Feels around. Feels fur. Lightly runs hand to backbone right behind the head. Draws his knife back behind his side but

hand brushes more fur!

Another bear!

He backs off, feels lighty lightly around. Finds 3 bears in den.

Doesn't want to crawl back out, fears brothers beat him.

Kneels in the den. Thinks. Thinks.

Feels and finds spine on 1st and second bear. Keeping feet in place feels lightly 3rd bear.

Thinks. 'Strike spine 1st bear break spine, reach back strike 2nd bear same way, 2 steps hand on 3rd bear's head push knife hard!'

Breathe. Breaths. Breaths. Moves! Strike strike strike!!

Crawls runs like hell out of den!

Brother say; What for you run out baby?"

"3 bears!" he tells them.

They laugh; "No way you baby, never 3 bears in den!"

He looks back at den, nobody coming out, so he tell them: "It's OK they all dead."

They laugh more.

He says: "OK by golly you go look!"

They push him in snow but then see his bloody knife and wonder. So...

They go beat on den with log. Nothing happens. They shout and yell. Nothing happens.

So they light torch, push it ahead and slow, very slow, crawl in to den.

Find 3 dead bears.

Village have plenty of meat that winter.

Older brothers never ever pick on younger brother again.

So! Remember. Be quick! Be smart!