The Bear Who Could Not Sleep

Part One · Wide Awake

Snow fell on the forest. Every bear was fast asleep. Every bear but one.

Bear lay in her dark den. Her eyes were wide open. Drip, drip, went the ice.

Bear counted ten cracks in the rock, then ten more. Still no sleep.

She rolled to the left. She rolled to the right. Her bed of leaves went crunch!

A small gray mouse poked his nose in. "Who is making all that noise?" he asked.

"It is me," said Bear. "I cannot sleep. My head is full of buzzing."

The mouse sat down by her big paw. "I know a slow story," he said. "It always works."

Part Two · The Slow Story

"Once there was a snail," said the mouse. "He wanted to climb a very tall hill."

"The snail went up one inch. Then he took a little rest. Then one more inch."

The mouse's voice got slower and slower. Then it stopped. The mouse was snoring!

Bear blinked. Now who would finish the story? She whispered it all by herself.

"Up went the snail," Bear said softly. "One inch. One more inch."

Her eyes felt heavy. Her paws felt warm. She gave a long, slow yawn.

The snail got to the top at last. But Bear did not hear it. She was fast asleep.

Outside, the snow fell soft and deep. In the den, two friends snored all winter long.

In spring, they woke up together. "Now, where was I?" said the mouse. Bear laughed.