| Long ago
before Changer made people into animals, Bear and Crane were good
friends. The sleek and well-groomed dandy and his huge friend
made a picturesque twosome. They met by accident one day after
Changer made one into bird and the other into bear. "How
do you like your new life?" said Bear. "Very well, thank
you," answered Crane, "but I sometimes find myself thinking
back to the old times." Bear said, "We still have some
things in common. I live by a little stream. Come to dinner!" |
| Crane
arrived at Bear's home on the agreed day. Bear strolled into the
middle of the stream in front of his house and stood very still.
Soon a salmon came swimming by. With a quick cuffing, Bear flipped
the salmon up onto the bank. He carried the salmon to his house
and carefully fixed it for roasting. |
| As it roasted,
he and Crane talked about old times. Bear placed two horse clam
shells on the fire and carefully held his front paws above the
shell. Soon a drop of oil dripped into the shell, then another
drop and another. Bear continued to do this, first with one front
paw, then the other. Soon both shells were half full of oil and
the salmon was cooked to a beautiful brown. Bear divided the salmon
and set half in front of his guest. Then he placed one shell of
oil by the salmon for Crane and one for himself. They ate their
salmon, dipping each piece in the oil. |
| Not to
be out done, Crane then invited Bear to dine with him. On the
day that Bear arrived at Crane's home for dinner, Crane went into
the creek and caught a fish. He took it to his fire and fixed
it as he had seen Bear do. Then he brought two clam shells and
proceeded to heat his feet to render out oil for "fish dip."
But no oil came out and his only result was a painful" curling
of his toes. He could barely wait till Bear departed. To this
day Crane can be seen in shallow pools, soaking his feet to cool
them. |
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