TIGER'S COURAGE

By Rea Kelsie  ©2001

   Lucy, the duck, swooped low through the forest quacking delightedly.  Zipping toward Lazy Meadows, she heard the rushing water of Bubbling Brook.  She felt the wind at her face as she streaked up toward Mighty Oak and her very best friend, Tiger, the bear cub.  She  closed her eyes and excitedly did a flip in mid-air; but when she opened her eyes, she found herself crashing through the branches of the Mighty Oak.  Quacking and flapping she caught hold of one of the limbs, finally stopping her fall near the top of the great tree.

Back at Timber Caves, Tiger was startled awake by Lucy's alarming quacks.  He fell out of the bed and stumbled over the nightstand, sending the lamp smashing to the floor.  Blinded by the bright sunlight shining through the door, he crashed into the table, all the dishes shattering on the floor around him.  He shuddered at the noise.

"Whew!" he exclaimed when he saw that Mother was still asleep.  He tried to stand but stepped into the honey pot.  Crash!  Bang!  Tiger went rolling across the floor!  As he sat down hard in the middle of the fireplace, a great puff of ashes swirled around him, covering him in soot.

Mother rolled one sleepy eye toward her clumsy son.  He shrugged, grinning sheepishly.

"Oh, Tiger!  You are a silly bear!"

"Aw, I'm sorry, Mama."  Tiger mumbled as he stood to dust himself off.  The bright orange stripe running across his brown back was now a dirty gray.

"Tiger, you get yourself down to the brook right now… and try not to take the whole village down with you."  Her voice was stern but the corners of her mouth quivered with a barely concealed laugh.

"Yes, Mama."  Tiger sighed.  He turned to leave when, suddenly, Lucy began to squawk again.  Mother jumped and poor Tiger tripped right out the door.  Leaning on her cane, Mother ambled after him.

"Tiger," she called from the doorway, "be careful out th…" she cringed as he stumbled over a fallen log. 

Tiger raced clumsily toward the sound of Lucy's voice.  He tumbled into the clearing at Mighty Oak and saw Wicker, the porcupine, at the base of the tree staring up at her.

"What in the world is she doing up there?"  Tiger said as he followed Wicker's gaze toward Lucy.

"That silly goose wasn't watching where she was going and now she's crashed right into the tree!"  Wicker snickered, "She's afraid to fly down." 

"Duck!  I'm a duck you oversized pin-cushion!"  Lucy cried.

"Afraid to fly down?  A duck, afraid to fly!  Who ever heard of that?"  Tiger giggled.

"Yes!  Who ever heard of a duck afraid to fly," Wicker grinned, "It's almost as funny as a bear afraid to climb a tree!"

Tiger looked down thoughtfully at Wicker.  "Why don't you climb up there to get her?" 

"She's your best friend!  Besides, porcupines do not climb trees you foolish bear."

"I can't climb up there; she's too high!"

"Are you sure you're a bear and not a chicken?"  Wicker snorted.

"Are you two going to stand down there and argue or is somebody going to help me?"  Lucy shouted from her branch.

"Okay, okay!  Just give us a few minutes," Tiger shouted at her.  He sat down on a nearby rock with his head in his paws, thinking harder than ever before.

"I know!" said Wicker for the tenth time.

"What?  This one better be good!"

"We can hurl a rock up there and knock her right out of that tr…"

"Wicker!" yelled Tiger.  Wicker waddled and Lucy mumbled at them under her breath.

Tiger shed just a single tear, knowing he had to climb that tree for Lucy.  He stumbled up to the base of the tree and Wicker started laughing.

"Shut up, you sticker bush!"  Tiger glared at him.

He looked up and met Lucy's pleading eyes.  He trembled at the thought of climbing so high, but Lucy needed him.  Tiger gathered every ounce of courage he could find and began scooting carefully up the Mighty Oak.

Wicker watched, silently surprised, as Tiger inched up and gently scooped Lucy out of the branches.  He held her above him to keep her safe.  Even when the lowest branch broke under their weight and they went sliding the last two feet to the ground, Tiger bravely held her high. 

Later that afternoon, the three sat at the edge of Bubbling Brook among their other friends.  All of the animals of Lazy Meadows were amazed at the story of Tiger's courage.

"So tell us again, Lucy Goosey, just how does a goose get stuck up in a tree?"  Wicker chided.

"Duck, you prickly cactus, duck!  NOT goose!"  Lucy shouted.

"Fluff bucket!"

"Needle nose!"

"Feather duster!"

"Pencil toes!"

Tiger howled with laughter at his friends.  He laughed so hard that he fell over backwards… right into the brook!  Life was good!

THE END

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