The Shadow of the Bear: A Fairy Tale Retold Read Free Page A

babbling away on the arm of the sofa.
    “This is our first year of regular school. Our parents taught us at home ever since we were babies. Mom always said it was a more natural way to learn. She must be right, because Blanche and I are way ahead of the other kids at school in everything except science and health studies. Blanche almost didn’t have to go to high school at all—but the state required that she have one more year of English—even though she didn’t really need it, so Mom thought it would be best for us to go to school for at least one year. I don’t mind the work, but I don’t like the kids, generally. Some of them are okay, but the popular girls like to pick on my sister, and almost all the guys are gross. I don’t know why guys are like that. Do you?”
    “Simple immaturity, usually,” Bear said. He didn’t seem to mind Rose’s chatter.
    “So you think they’ll grow out of it?” Rose asked.
    “Oh, it’s possible,” Bear said.
    “Well, there’s a sign of hope. The boys at school are so degenerate that it makes one feel pessimistic about the future of the male gender in general. Some of the senior boys are nice enough, although I’ve had to yell at them when they make fun of my sister.”
    Bear looked at Blanche. “What do they make fun of you for?”
    Does Rose have to discuss my problems with him?  Provoked, Blanche shrugged her shoulders .  “Something to do, I guess,” she said.
    He seemed irritated. “Yeah, I used to get picked on myself in school. It’s not fun.”
    Yet another odd feeling came over Blanche. It was hard to picture a guy as burly and muscular as Bear being teased. But maybe he’s just saying that to get my sympathy, she thought.
    Mother had gotten the warm water from the kitchen stove and was pouring it into Bear’s basin. He leaned over. “Are you getting tired of rubbing my feet? I can rub them myself. Come on, let me. I feel strange sitting up here just watching.”
    “Well, if you want to. Rub slowly and gently. You won’t gain anything by doing it faster. Yes, that’s the way.”
    After he took over, Mother sat back on her heels. Slowly she began to take off her coat.
    “What were you doing outside for so long?” Rose wasn’t done with questions.
    “Personal business,” Bear said briefly, without looking up from his rubbing.
    “Too private to explain?” Rose asked.
    “Yes,” Bear said in a forbidding voice that made Blanche feel justified for her continuing doubts. Even Rose got the hint and changed the subject.
    “So — how are your feet?”
    “They hurt, but it’s bearable now. How soon can I go, Mrs.—? I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”
    “Brier,” Mother said. “Jean Brier. You should probably stay inside until you’ve recovered total feeling. I’m going to have some dinner. Would you like a sandwich? There’s one already made up in the refrigerator.”
    Bear’s resolution seemed to waver. “Well, okay.” He straightened up, lifted up a foot from the basin, and hesitantly began to dry it with his dirty sock.
    “Here, I’ll get you a towel,” Rose said as she hopped up and headed towards the bathroom. She returned with one of their good blue company towels. As she handed it to Bear, she caught her sister’s disapproving eye and grinned, as if to say, well, what other company do we have?
    “Thanks,” Bear said gratefully.
    “Just relax and sit still for a while. And keep your feet wrapped up,” Mother said from the kitchen. “Blanche, let him use your quilt.”
    Reluctantly, Blanche handed him the quilt that Mother had made her when she was seven years old.
    Bear wrapped his feet in it carefully enough, and began to look around him. His eyes gravitated towards the wall-to-wall bookshelf at one end of the room. “You folks like books, I see.”
    “That’s only half of our books,” Rose informed him. “When we moved here, we had more books than anything else. The rest are upstairs in the hallway and our