Old Grizz
OLD GRIZZ
Written By: Matt Storm
This is the story of an old grizzly bear and a young wolf, who thought he was big and bad. We have often heard how the three bears returned to their home (den) to find that someone had been sitting in their respective chairs, eating their porridge, and they eventually found that someone was in fact sleeping in Baby Bear's bed.
Well, this story isn't anything like that. This story is about the wolf who thought he was so smart, that he could have some sport and take on a hungry bear. WRONG!!
The old Grizzly had lived a long time up in the high country. He was getting long in the tooth and he had fished this stream all of his life. It was the first place he headed for when he wakened each spring from hibernation. His biological clock wakened him, telling him that spring had come to the high mountain range, and it was time to get up. He knew the salmon came up the river and into the stream the same time every year and he was quite fond of salmon, especially when he was hungry after a long winter's hibernation.
He stretched himself and rolled around on the ground for a few minutes to limber up. Then he headed for the stream and his favourite meal. He wasn't in the stream very long, when a young wolf came to the edge of the water. He crouched at the waters edge and watched as the old bear fished and ate. The old grizz would catch a fish, bite a huge chunk out of it and throw the rest back into the stream. This annoyed the wolf to no end, he wanted the bear to throw him those pieces to eat.
The wolf raised up from his haunches and started parading back and forth along the edge of the water, making snarling threatening sounds at the old grizz. The bear looked towards the wolf a number of times and he tried to ignore him, while he continued to fish and eat. However, the wolf was determined he would get the bear to provide him with his morning meal and so he continued with his antics, hoping the grizz would eventually comply with his demands.
He was WRONG AGAIN!!
The old grizz was clearly annoyed with this young wolf and he told him so with a guttural growl, that would send shivers running up the spine of any sensible animal. That is, any animal except this young wolf, who seemingly didn't know any better. The wolf continued to parade up and down the water's edge snarling at the grizz and threatening him. He finally stopped and threw his head back and started to howl. This was more than the old grizz was prepared to take, he threw a chunk of salmon and hit the wolf in the head sending him reeling head over heels, nearly knocking him unconscious.
Then the old grizz came thundering out of the water and he was standing very near the wolf. The wolf quickly got to his feet recognizing the danger he was in. The old bear reached out and tried to swat the wolf with his huge paw, but the wily young wolf moved at the very last second, causing the old bear to miss. The wolf regained his senses and some of his bravado, and he wanted to inflict some torture on this giant creature. He went round and round in circles, nipping at the heels of the old bear driving him to utter distraction. The old bear tried to get at the wolf, but he couldn't manage to catch him with his youthful speed and agility.
This sport seemed to go on for hours, although in fact, it was only a few minutes. The old bear was getting tired and he knew he would be no match for the young wolf, when he couldn't move any longer. So, he decided it was time to play an old game of possum, to see if it would give him the edge he needed. He had to win this battle and teach this young pup a lesson.
The old bear sat on the ground, hunched and rounded his huge shoulders and gave himself a look of defeat. The young wolf seeing this was convinced he had won, the old bear was beaten and the only thing left, was for him to enjoy the rest of the game. His desire to project pain on the old bear was heightened dramatically, and his sense of danger was replaced by carelessness. He started to attack the grizz from the front. He went in nipping at the paws and not backing away as quickly, as he had in the beginning. The old bear waited and waited, giving the wolf the sense of false security he wanted him to have. Then, as swiftly as a grizzly is capable of moving, he swung his forearm out and caught the young wolf under the stomach with his large paw. He threw the wolf fifty feet in the air, and he landed in the middle of the stream. The breath had been knocked out of him and his rib cage was extremely sore as he limped away. The young wolf learned a valuable lesson that day, and he was lucky to have lived to tell about it. This proves once again, the age old adage that says:
"Old age and Treachery, will overcome youth and speed every time."
