The Story of Gummi Bear   There was a little Gummi Bear, who lived in a cave in a forest with Gummi Daddy, Gummi Mama and a little Gummi baby sister. They were a nice happy family. Daddy Bear would bring home some honey at times that Gummi loved to eat.   He loved it so much, he asked if he also could go looking for a honeycomb. “No, no” growled Daddy. “Never” said Mama in a sweet voice. As for Baby, she clapped her hands and smiled with a gurgling sound.   It so happened Gummi was sometimes a very naughty son. So one day when he was longing for some honey, he saw Mama and Baby were both asleep. Daddy was busy polishing his beautiful new shoes. In a flash he ran out of the cave with no one seeing him.   He saw the big tall trees and various kinds of shrubs around him. Where should he look for honey? Suddenly he saw two big eyes looking out of a bush. Going up to the bush he asked him, “Are you the keeper of the honey?” The eyes blinked and a voice came saying, “ Of course I am not. I am a fawn, I thought you were coming to eat me so I hid myself.” “Oh dear me No”, said Gummi “but tell me whom should I ask?” The fawn gave a quick look around and said well perhaps Uncle Fox might know; he then ran away.   So Gummi went a little distance calling out “Uncle Fox, Uncle Fox.” A sleek figure with a bushy tail ran out of the forest. “Who calls me?” he asked. “I did Uncle. Where can I find Honey?” said Gummi “Oh honey! Well I can’t find it for you. I can’t climb trees” said Uncle Fox. Thanking Uncle Fox, Gummi went around looking up at the tall trees. At least he now knew honey grew on trees.   As Gummi ran around looking up all the time he did not see ahead and banged head-on into the trunk of a huge tree. “Hist” came a weird sound. Holding on to his head he looked around but couldn’t see anything. Again there came the sound, a much longer Hisssssst. He could see now – this was a snake with gorgeous colours hanging from the tree. “I’m so sorry I didn’t see you” said Gummi. “What are you doing here?” asked the snake. “I am looking for honey but I can’t find it” said Gummi.   “There’ssss a honeyyy c-c-comb clossse byeee” hissed the snake whose name was Sshhaah. Saying which, he came down to show the way. Gummi followed him to another enormous tree, where Sshhaah stopped. Looking up the little bear saw a huge fruit like thing hanging from a branch.   “Oh thank you, thank you dear friend” he gasped, “but how can I climb up?” “Like thisss” hissed Sshhaah and hung himself like a rope for Gummi to climb up on. Gummi couldn’t contain his joy and climbing up he caught hold of the honey comb. “Buzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzz”……… what was this??? A cloud of bees came out of the hive and angrily descended on Gummi.   Poor Gummi!!! He hastily scrambled down with the help of Sshhaah and went running back to his cave pursued by the bees who still buzzing angrily, turned back to their hive. That was the last time Gummi thought of stealing honey by himself. It was best left to Daddy!!!   After some time he forgot the bees and honey. Why not go out to see what else there was. So off he set again in a different direction. As he ambled along he felt what a nice world it was. Streaks of sunlight came through the trees; other places were dark with less light coming through. Still he went on humming “Hoon – oon – oon” to himself in what he thought to be a lovely tune.   Suddenly there came a growl from some bushes ahead. He stopped and in a squeaky voice said called out “Who – who is there?” “Gummi,” came the reply “what are you doing here?” With great relief Gummi replied “Oh Daddy! Is that you? Where are you going? Can’t I come with you?” “Not at all” said Daddy, “don’t you know there are all kinds of animals here? Go back home or you shan’t have any honey the next time I bring some.”   Gummi clapped his hands with joy and squeaked “Oh you have come to find honey, oh thank you Daddy. I will be a good little boy and go home if you say so.” So turning around he set off for home. But thinking about honey he did not see where he was going and got lost. Going around in circles he wondered how he was to go home? Almost in tears he sat down under a tree.   Now this tree had a raven’s nest at the top. Cocking an eye from the nest, Raven wondered who was sobbing, for by now Gummi was shedding many a tear and sobbing away. “Pruk, pruk” went the Raven, then flew down and said “Why this is a bear child.” Gummi seeing a large black bird felt like crying even more. “Why are you weeping little one?” said Raven only to hear the whole story between hiccups. “And now I won’t get any honey ‘cos I am lost and can’t get home” wailed the little one. “Is that all?” said Raven. “I’ll show you the way, just follow where I fly.”   So Raven started to fly and Gummi ran behind him. However being in a forest sometimes Raven had to fly much higher. So then he would call out “Pruk, Pruk. This way, this way” and Gummi faithfully tried to follow. At last the cava came in sight and Raven said “There you are. I will return now to my own home.” “Thank you, thank you” squealed Gummi as he saw Gummi Daddy just nearing the cave. Rushing forward he barely managed to enter his home with Daddy Bear a few yards behind him. Putting on a big smile he said “Daddy, I am here” and Gummi Daddy being pleased to see him gave him a big pot of honey. After that Gummi never went honey-hunting.   Back to Kidz Korner