The little Otters kept looking back, hoping to see
Father Bear toss Little Bear into the river. But Mother
Bear begged him not to teach Little Bear to swim that
day, and so the little Otters missed the fun.

That night the Three Bears camped beside the deep,
swift river. After Little Bear was cuddled down in his
bed of leaves and springy boughs, Mother Bear made
Father Bear promise not to toss Little Bear into the river
unless Little Bear said he wanted him to.

The next morning Father Bear was sorry that he had
made the promise, because an honest-looking polecat
who came across the stream and went into the woods
told Father Bear and Mother Bear that the largest,
sweetest blackberries in the forest were ripe on the other
shore.

"And now," whispered Mother Bear to Father Bear,
"aren't you sorry that you told him that we wouldn't
carry him over?"

"Sure enough, I am," agreed Father Bear. And then
he laughed at the joke on himself.

"Well," suggested Mother Bear at last, "I shall coax
Little Bear to let you toss him gently into the river, and
I shall catch him if he finds he cannot swim."

"Nonsense!" grumbled Father Bear, and stopped