This is Ria.
Welcome to Little Stories for Tiny People.
So something funny happened right before I started recording.
My guest today was supposed to be Sebastian the bear.
He's this sweet little eastern black bear who lives up in Maine.
His uncle is some kind of big shot and has a helicopter.
So he flew down this morning and met me at my studio.
Our story today is about a bear getting ready for hibernation.
So I was hoping Sebastian could tell us how he gets ready to hibernate.
But he fell asleep.
He is currently sleeping on the floor of my studio.
Let me try one more time to wake him up.
Can you guys just help me?
We're going to whisper his name.
Sebastian.
Sebastian.
Wake up.
Guys, are you saying it too?
Come on.
One more time.
Sebastian.
Ugh.
Guys, he is down for the count.
I don't think he's going to wake up.
I should have recorded this in September because at this point...
I think he just started his winter hibernation in my studio.
Okay, let me just get some background for you.
Whoa.
Okay, apparently black bears hibernate for between three and eight months out of the year.
To prepare for that, they have to eat a lot of food and put on a lot of weight, because during their hibernation They don't eat at all.
Pretty cool, huh?
Well, our story today is called Bear's Big Sleep.
Remember, there are no pictures.
You have to imagine the pictures in your mind.
You can imagine them however you want.
Okay, here we go.
It was November.
Tiny, crisp canoes sailed from branches to the ground, tracing pirouettes twirling round.
Red, orange, yellow leaves falling down, hitting the forest floor without a sound.
A crinkly brown leaf touched upon Bear's nose.
He flicked it away.
He was busy today.
For weeks he'd been in a tizzy foraging munching, filling his tummy, stuffing himself with everything yummy.
The best time to forage was at dusk, twilight, that time of day that's on the cusp of night.
Yes, twilight was the best, but these days, the ones right before his big sleep, Bear couldn't afford to have a schedule to keep.
Now he was out at all hours, even at noon, eating and eating, for his big sleep would come soon.
No more picnics with rabbit, no more parties with fox, no more jumping with deer down on the rocks.
It had been weeks since Bear had romped through the wood with his friends, his dear friends, because soon the season would end.
And Bear wasn't sure they understood.
Rabbit, fox, gray squirrel, owl, deer.
No, they weren't quite clear on why Bear couldn't attend their shindigs and why he spent every moment eating berries and twigs.
They certainly gathered.
They beefed up their foodstocks.
But they weren't quite as concerned by the time on their clocks of the shift in the weather, the new chill in each breeze.
No, they took it in stride.
They adjusted with ease.
But Bear worried and felt hurried.
And he missed the parties and he missed his friends and he wished he could find time to spend, to romp in the wood before season's end.
Meanwhile, in a nearby hole, Rabbit began to call roll.
Squirrel, here.
Owl, hoo-hoo.
Deer, here.
Fox, here.
Friends, I've called you here to plan an event.
You've all seen Bear.
You can see he's spent.
He's been so busy eating.
He barely lifts his head in greeting.
Our time with him is fleeting.
Soon he'll enter his big sleep.
And from him we won't hear a peep.
For three months, five months, maybe more.
We won't be welcome at his door.
We'll have to leave him there to snore.
So let's throw a party soon before he slips into his cocoon.
Rabbit looked to all his friends.
Yes, Fox said, a party before the season ends.
Owl hooted, a party with lots of food to eat so Bear can take a load off his feet.
The friends all nodded, excited to prepare this harvest party for their friend Bear.
The next few days were blurr, as bear hurried about and fox caught some trout, and squirrel gathered acorns, and rabbit picked berries while avoiding the thorns, and deer made a salad of fresh grasses, while owl cooked some sugar beets to make molasses.
The friends then met to assemble their cash, and delighted in having such an abundant stash.
They danced around, giving high fives.
It was more food than they'd seen in all their lives.
It's time, Rabbit said.
Let's go get Bear and show him this spread.
Owl was sent as the go-between, for he was both persuasive and keen.
The others knew he'd put Bear at ease and convince him to follow through the trees and leave his foraging for a spell, something the others knew they wouldn't do as well.
So Owl flew off and swiftly found Bear, who looked forlorn and tired and the worse for wear.
But Bear had succeeded in putting on weight, and Owl was impressed by his heavier state.
Bear, he cried as he perched on a stump.
Your hard work has paid off.
You're looking quite plump.
Bear cracked a smile and said, Thank you, friend, but I must eat even more before season's end.
My big sleep is nearly here and I'm getting quite sleepy, but I must keep going.
Must always eat another bite.
Then Bear turned to lumber away, knowing he had no spare time to play.
But Owl flew down and perched in his way.
Bear, I come to you with news of a wonderful feast.
A collection of treats that could feed many a beast.
I came upon it just today.
I'll show it to you.
Come right this way.
Bear eyed Owl and furrowed his brow.
Oh, Bear, Owl said gently.
Come now, let's go.
You can rest while you eat your last meal.
Come on, don't make me come up with a spiel.
Let's go, dear friend.
You can savor your last hours before season's end.
Bear thought for a moment, then shrugged his big shoulders, then followed Owl over fallen trees and boulders, yawning all the while and panting a bit mile after mile.
Finally, they reached a clearing, not far from Bear's den.
Owl gave a loud, And then... Fox bolted out, dragging trout after trout.
Squirrel brought the acorns, rabbit the berries.
Deer brought the grasses, and Owl fetched the molasses.
They all started singing.
And Bear just stood there, grinning.
Bear felt a tear slide down his cheek.
He was so happy he could hardly speak.
All this for me, he finally said.
All this for me, this wonder spread.
Well, Squirrel joked, we thought you might share it.
Yes, Bear laughed.
I think I can spare it.
There were hugs all around, and they all ate with zeal.
What a lovely, scrumptious, friendly meal.
But they hadn't even started in on Rabbit's Berry Pie when Deer said, Hey, look at our guy.
They all turned to see Bear, their tired friend, with eyes both closed, snoring at season's end.
Together, the friends combined their might, and they lifted Bear and carried him home that night.
The stars shone brightly as they reached his den, and because they knew they wouldn't see him again, they whispered goodbyes and promised to fill him in on everything.
Then they set his alarm clock for spring and went out into the forest to see what winter would bring.
Sebastian is still asleep, guys.
But as I was telling the story, he must have been having a good dream, because he got this little smile on his furry face and he was rubbing his tummy like he was thinking back to his last meal.
I'm tired too.
I think I'm ready for bed.
You know, I'm not a huge fan of winter, so hibernation sounds pretty awesome to me.
And you may not be able to hibernate, but you can pretend to hibernate when you go to sleep tonight.
So make sure you fill your belly up at dinner so you can sleep all winter.
I mean, night long.
Special thanks today go out to Paola the Pig who brought me some warm fuzzy socks when my feet got cold.
Little Stories for Tiny People is written, performed, and produced by me, Rhea Pector.
As always, thank you so much for listening in.
