Chapter 5

                                                           The Bear Story


Early Life of the Bear


1.Where did the lady find the bear cub, and in what condition was it?

Answer:The lady found the bear cub in the forest, half dead of hunger, small and helpless. It was so weak that she had to bring it home and rear it with the help of the old cook. The cub was bottle-fed and taken care of until it grew strong and healthy.


2.How did the lady and the cook bring up the bear cub?

Answer:The bear was brought up on the bottle like a human child. The lady and the cook gave it food, warmth, and care, treating it like a family member. Over the years, it grew into a big, strong bear, but it remained gentle and friendly.


3.What was the bear’s character as it grew up? Explain with examples.

Answer:The bear was amiable and never harmed anyone. He looked at cattle with friendly eyes instead of attacking them, allowed children to ride on his back, and even tolerated dogs teasing him by pulling his ears and tail.


4.How did the bear behave with the children of the house?

Answer:The children loved playing with him. They even rode on his back like a pony. Sometimes, they were found asleep in his kennel, resting safely between his two huge paws, which showed his gentle and protective nature.


5.How did the bear behave with the dogs of the manor house?

Answer:The dogs loved to play with him and often teased him by pulling his ears and tail. Instead of getting angry, the bear tolerated them patiently and joined in their playful games.


Eating Habits of the Bear


6.What kind of food did the bear eat, and how was it similar to the dogs’ diet?

Answer:The bear ate vegetarian food like bread, porridge, potato, cabbage, and turnip, often from the same plate as the dogs. He never tasted meat, proving he was a peaceful vegetarian.


7.Why did the cook take special care of the bear’s appetite?

Answer:The bear had a fine appetite, and the cook loved him like her own child. She always ensured he got enough food, especially fruits and vegetables, which he loved the most.


8.What was the bear’s favorite food, and how did he behave when apples ripened?

Answer:The bear loved apples the most. In autumn, he would sit under the orchard trees with wistful eyes, watching the apples ripen. In his younger days, he would climb the trees and pluck them, but later he learned to wait for fallen apples.


9.What difficulties arose with the beehives, and how was the bear punished?

Answer:The bear once tried to steal honey from the beehives and got badly stung. As punishment, the lady put him on the chain for two days with a bleeding nose. After that, he never repeated the mistake.


10.Why was the bear never chained except at night or Sundays?

Answer:The lady believed that keeping an animal chained all the time made it ill-tempered. So, except at night (for safety) and on Sundays (when she went to visit her sister), the bear was left free to roam in the compound.


The Sunday Incident


11.Why was the bear chained every Sunday afternoon?

Answer:On Sundays, the lady went to visit her sister across the forest. Since the forest had temptations and dangers, she chained the bear for safety, promising him an apple when she returned if he behaved well.


12.Why was the bear not allowed to accompany the lady through the forest?

Answer:The forest was dangerous, and once he had even overturned a boat in fear while crossing the lake. Hence, the lady decided it was safer to leave him chained at home whenever she visited her sister.


13.What did the bear do when he saw the lady walking away through the forest one Sunday?

Answer:He disobeyed his mistress, broke free, and followed her through the forest at great speed. Soon, he caught up with her and tried to walk at her heels like a faithful dog.


14.How did the lady react on seeing the bear following her?

Answer:The lady was extremely angry because she was late for lunch, had no time to take him back, and did not want him to come along. She scolded him harshly and ordered him to return.


15.What did the lady notice about the bear’s appearance that made her even angrier?

Answer: She noticed that the bear had lost his new collar. This made her furious, and she scolded him more severely, thinking he had been naughty and disobedient.


16.How did the lady punish the bear in the forest?

Answer: She hit him hard on the nose with her parasol (umbrella) so strongly that it broke into two pieces. She then drove him back angrily.


17.What was the bear’s reaction when the lady hit him with the parasol?

Answer: The bear stopped, shook his head, and opened his big mouth as if he wanted to say something. Finally, he turned back slowly, looking sadly at her several times before disappearing from view.


18.Why was the lady relieved after driving the bear back?

Answer: She believed she had disciplined him for his disobedience. She thought he had gone home and would be sitting outside his kennel by the time she returned.


The Evening Twist


19.What did the lady see when she returned home in the evening?

Answer: To her shock, she saw the bear sitting quietly outside his kennel in his usual place, looking very sorry for himself, as if waiting for her.


20.Why was the lady still angry in the evening, and what punishment did she plan?

Answer: She thought the bear had followed her disobediently into the forest. She scolded him severely and decided to keep him chained for two extra days.


21.How did the old cook defend the bear?

Answer: The cook angrily told the lady that the bear had been “as good as gold” the whole day. He had sat meekly outside his kennel, patiently waiting for her to return.


22.What truth did the cook’s words reveal?

Answer:The cook’s words revealed that the bear in the forest was not their pet but a wild bear. The lady had unknowingly scolded, threatened, and even beaten a strange wild bear with her umbrella!


Character & Moral Understanding


23.What qualities of the bear made him a unique pet?

Answer: He was gentle, obedient, playful with children, tolerant of teasing dogs, and content with vegetarian food. Unlike most wild bears, he never harmed cattle or people.


24.Why is the bear described as “amiable”?

Answer: Because he never harmed anyone, was friendly with other animals, tolerated mischief from children and dogs, and ate simple vegetarian food without fuss.


25.What mistake did the lady make about the bear in the forest?

Answer: She mistook a wild bear for her own pet and scolded and hit him, not realizing it wasn’t her bear at all.


26.Why did the wild bear not attack the lady?

Answer: Possibly because he was taken aback by her boldness, her scolding, and the umbrella beating. He may have been more surprised than angry, so he quietly retreated.


27.What lesson does the story teach about judging situations?

Answer: The story teaches us not to jump to conclusions too quickly. The lady misjudged the bear in the forest, and her overconfidence nearly put her in danger.


28.What does the cook’s reaction reveal about her love for the bear?

Answer: The cook loved the bear like her own son. She got angry when the lady unjustly scolded him, showing her affection and protective nature towards the bear.


29.How does the story highlight loyalty and misunderstanding?

Answer: The bear was always loyal and well-behaved, but the lady misunderstood him because she thought he had disobeyed. The real culprit was a wild bear, but the pet suffered her anger.


30.Why do you think the author included the twist ending?

Answer: The twist ending makes the story humorous and memorable. It also highlights how easily humans can misinterpret animal behavior and situations.


Analytical & Discussion Questions


31.Do you think the lady was too harsh on the bear? Why or why not?

Answer: Yes, she was too harsh. Instead of understanding why the bear followed her, she immediately punished him. Her anger blinded her to the truth, and her loyal pet suffered unjustly.


32.How does the story show the difference between appearance and reality?

Answer: The bear in the forest appeared to be her pet, but in reality, it was a wild one. The lady’s inability to see the truth led to a misunderstanding, showing that appearances can be deceptive.


33.What role does the forest setting play in the story?

Answer: The forest adds danger, suspense, and the possibility of wild encounters. It is the place where the twist occurs — where the lady mistakes a wild bear for her pet.


34.Do you think the lady trusted her bear too little?

Answer: Yes, she doubted him unnecessarily. Though he was always obedient, she assumed he had disobeyed, without giving him a chance to prove his innocence.


35.How does the bear’s vegetarian diet add to his gentle image?

Answer: Most bears are thought to be ferocious meat-eaters. But this bear, who ate only porridge, bread, and apples, symbolized peace, gentleness, and innocence.


36.What impression do you get of the lady’s personality?

Answer: She was affectionate but also strict and sometimes impulsive. She loved the bear but easily lost her temper and judged without verifying facts.


37.What impression do you get of the cook’s personality?

Answer: The cook was kind, motherly, and protective of the bear. She was loyal to him and brave enough to scold her mistress when she saw injustice.


38.How is humor created in the story?

Answer: Humor is created by the dramatic irony — the lady unknowingly beats a wild bear, while her real bear waits patiently at home. Readers enjoy the twist at her expense.


39.What does the story tell us about the bond between humans and animals?

Answer: It shows that with love and care, even a wild animal like a bear can become gentle, loyal, and friendly, forming a deep bond with humans.


40.Summarize the moral of “The Bear Story.”

Answer: The moral is that kindness can tame even wild creatures, but humans must also learn not to jump to conclusions. Appearances can be deceptive, and true loyalty should never be doubted.


Answer by Mrinmoee