As this bear went along turning over
big logs with his paws to look for
food to eat, he felt very sure of
himself. "There is nothing I cannot
do," said this bear.

"Is that so?" said a small voice.
Bear looked down.

There was a little chipmunk looking
up at Bear from its hole in the
ground.

"Yes," Bear said, "that is true
indeed." He reached out one huge
paw and rolled over a big log.
"Look at how easily I can do this.
I am the strongest of all the
animals. I can do anything. All the
other animals fear me."

"Can you stop the sun from rising
in the morning?" said the Chipmunk.

Bear thought for a moment. "I have
never tried that," he said. "Yes, I
am sure I could stop the sun from
rising."

"You are sure?" said Chipmunk.

"I am sure," said Bear. "Tomorrow
morning the sun will not rise. I,
Bear, have said so." Bear sat down
facing the east to wait.

Behind him the sun set for the
night and still he sat there.

The chipmunk went into its hole and
curled up in its snug little nest,
chuckling about how foolish Bear was.
All through the night Bear sat.
Finally the first birds started their
songs and the east glowed with the
light which comes before the sun.

"The sun will not rise today," said
Bear. He stared hard at the glowing
light. "The sun will not rise today."

However, the sun rose, just as it
always had. Bear was very upset,
but Chipmunk was delighted. He
laughed and laughed.

"Sun is stronger than Bear," said
the chipmunk, twittering with
laughter. Chipmunk was so amused
that he came out of his hole and
began running around in circles,
singing this song: "The sun came up,
The sun came up. Bear is angry,
But the sun came up."

While Bear sat there looking very
unhappy, Chipmunk ran around and
around, singing and laughing until
he was so weak that he rolled over
on his back. Then, quicker than
the leap of a fish from a stream,
Bear shot out one big paw and
pinned him to the ground.

"Perhaps I cannot stop the sun
from rising," said Bear, "but you
will never see another sunrise."

'Oh, Bear," said the chipmunk.
"oh, oh, oh, you are the strongest,
you are the quickest, you are the
best of all of the animals. I was
only joking."

But Bear did not move his paw.

"Oh, Bear," Chipmunk said, "you
are right to kill me, I deserve to
die. Just please let me say one last
prayer to Creator before you eat me."

"Say your prayer quickly," said Bear.
"Your time to walk the Sky Road has
come!"

"Oh, Bear," said Chipmunk, "I would
like to die. But you are pressing
down on me so hard I cannot breathe.
I can hardly squeak. I do not have
enough breath to say a prayer. If you
would just lift your paw a little,
just a little bit, then I could
breathe. And I could say my last
prayer to the Maker of all, to
the one who made great, wise,
powerful Bear and the foolish,
weak, little Chipmunk.

"Bear lifted up his paw. He lifted
it just a little bit. That little
bit, though, was enough.

Chipmunk squirmed free and ran for
his hole as quickly as the blinking
of an eye. Bear swung his paw at
the little chipmunk as it darted
away. He was not quick enough to
catch him, but the very tips of
his long claws scraped along
Chipmunk's back leaving three pale
scars.