Dido, the Dancing Bear: His Many Adventures — Inside the Classic

ough the blazing hoop to get the apple _Frontispiece_

But Dido climbed up a tree to get away 23

Into the tub of water he jumped with a splash 43

Dido, the dancing bear and Tum Tum, the jolly elephant 65

Just as the dog was going to jump Dido stepped in between them 81

Jacko and Dido were eating cakes from the window 95

He soon had opened the cage of the dancing bear and Dido jumped out 117

DIDO, THE DANCING BEAR

In the woods, on top of a mountain, in a far-off country there once lived a family of nice bears. I call them nice bears for they were. Of course they had long claws, and sharp teeth, but they never bit any one, or scratched any one, because there were no boys or girls, or men or women, living in that part of the woods.

I suppose, though, if a boy went on top of the mountain, and began throwing stones or sticks at the nice bears, they might have run out and scratched him to make him go away. Mind, I’m not saying for sure, but maybe. But, as I have said, there were no boys in the woods to bother the bears who lived all by themselves in a den among the rocks.

A bear’s house is called a den, because it is such a nice, cozy, warm place, just as your father or brother may have a room of his own, all fixed up with the things he likes best, and he calls that his den.

Well, in this den in the woods on top of the mountain lived the five bears. There was Mr. Bear, the papa, and Mrs. Bear, the mother, and there were three little bears, called cubs, just as little dogs are called puppies.

One little bear was named Gruffo, because he had such a deep, gruff voice, though it was not at all cross. And another bear was named Muffo, because he had such big, soft furry paws that when he folded them together it looked just as if he were carrying a muff.

And besides Gruffo and Muffo there was another bear, the smallest of the three, called Dido. Now I am going to tell you some of the many adventures Dido had. Adventures, you know, are what happen to you.

“Gruffo and Muffo, you must take good care of your little brother Dido when you go off playing in the woods,” said Mrs. Bear, for though the bears could not speak in our language they had talk of their own which was just as plain to them as our A B and C talk is to us.

“Take good care of Dido,” Mrs. Bear would say. “Don’t run away from him, or he might be lost. And don’t climb big trees and leave him on the ground, or something might happen to him. And never take him too far out in the water of the lake when you go swimming, or he might be drowned.”

“We won’t, Mother,” said Gruffo and Muffo. “We’ll take good care of Dido.”

“Oh, I guess I can take care of myself,” said Dido, making a funny face with his queer, black, rubbery nose.

“Now that wasn’t a nice thing to say,” said Mrs. Bear, holding up her paw and gently shaking it at Dido. “You ought to be glad your bigger brothers will look after you.”

“Oh, so I am, Mother,” answered Dido. “I’m sorry I spoke that way. May they take me swimming now, down to the lake?”

“I guess so,” answered Mrs. Bear. “Run along, little cubs. I have to go out and see if I can find some berries or sweet roots for your dinner.”

Bears, you know, like to eat berries and the sweet roots of some trees and bushes. Bears also like fish, and honey. Say! if ever you have a pet bear, which might some day happen, you know, and you want to give him a special extra treat, just bring him some honey. He will love it so much that he will eat every bit of it up, box and all!

So while Dido, with his brothers Gruffo and Muffo, walked on along the mountain path to the lake, Mrs. Bear went off in the woods to find some roots and berries for dinner. Of course the little bears might have been able to find some for themselves, but you know how it is with children. Even though they know where the things are to eat they like their mother to get a meal for them.