Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Ted Garvin

and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.

[Illustration: Little Bear walked up and shook hands with Grandpa
Tortoise ]

LITTLE BEARAT WORK AND AT PLAY

By

FRANCES MARGARET FOX

Author of "Doings of Little Bear," "Adventures of Sonny Bear"and "The Kinderkins"

Illustrated by

WARNER CARR

Lovingly dedicated to the
FIRST GIRLS

Who lived in the Martha Cook Dormitory,
Ann Arbor, Michigan, because they loved

LITTLE BEAR

CONTENTS

WHEN LITTLE BEAR BRAGGED

WHEN MOTHER SKUNK HELPED LITTLE BEAR

WHEN LITTLE BEAR WOULD NOT WORK

HOW LITTLE BEAR LEARNED TO SWIM

LITTLE BEAR AND THE LOST OTTER BABY

WHEN LITTLE BEAR VISITED SCHOOL

LITTLE BEAR GETS HIS WISH

THREE BEARS COME TO BREAKFAST

LITTLE BEAR'S PROMISE

LITTLE BEAR'S SURPRISE PARTY

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks are extended to the Youth's Companion forpermission to reprint the following stories: "WhenLittle Bear Bragged," "When Mother Skunk Helped LittleBear," "When Little Bear Would Not Work," "How LittleBear Learned to Swim," "Little Bear and the Lost OtterBaby," "When Little Bear Visited School," "Little BearGets His Wish," and "Little Bear's Surprise Party"; andto the Christian Observer for permission to reprintthe following stories: "Three Bears Come to Breakfast"and "Little Bear's Promise."

[Illustration: Between times Little Bear asked questions ]

LITTLE BEARAT WORK AND AT PLAY

WHEN LITTLE BEAR BRAGGED

One rainy day the three bears were sitting by the firein their comfortable house in the woods, telling stories.First Father Bear would tell a story, and then MotherBear would tell a story, and then Father Bear wouldhave a turn again. Between times Little Bear askedquestions.

The three were happy and merry until Mother Beartold the old story about the race between the hare andthe tortoise, and how the slow-going tortoise was thefirst to reach the goal because the hare took a nap anddid not wake up until after the tortoise had passed himand had won the race.

"You see," Mother Bear explained, "the hare was sosure he could win that he did not even try to reach thegoal quickly. He was so swift-footed that he thoughthe could go to sleep if he chose and still come out aheadof the patient tortoise."

"Wasn't he silly!" exclaimed Little Bear. "If I weregoing to run a race with Grandpa Tortoise, I should gothis way until I reached the goal!" And Little Bearpranced up and down the room until he made even theporridge bowls rattle in the cupboard. "I guess I shouldknow enough to know that Grandpa Tortoise wouldkeep stepping ahead and stepping ahead and get tothe goal in time! You would not catch me taking anynaps if I started out to run a race with anyone! No,sir-ree!"

Mother Bear laughed heartily, but Father Bear lookedvery solemn. He did not like to hear Little Bear bragat all.

"So you think, Son Bear," said he, "that, if youshould run a race with Grandpa Tortoise, you would bewiser than our old friend, Peter Hare? Is that whatyou mean?"

...