Little Charlie Bear and the Deer Children Get Lost

January 1, 1963

One day little Charlie Bear was in the woods picking berries. The berries were very low on the ground and little Charlie was just looking at what he was doing and kept getting farther and farther away from home as he kept picking and picking.

After a while he looked up and – He didn’t know where he was. He looked ahead of him he didn’t recognize any of the trees. He looked to the right of him and he didn’t recognize any of the trees. He looked to the left of him and he didn’t recognize any of those trees. So, he looked in the back of him and – nope – he didn’t recognize any of those trees either. He just didn’t know which way was home. So, he started walking back the way he thought he’d come, but he got mixed up because he didn’t recognize any of the bushes or the trees.

“Well,” little Charlie bear I thought, “this can’t go on. I don’t know whether I’m going back home or going farther away. Let me see now. What was it Mr. Ranger told me to do? ‘Look at the sun and find out which direction is which.’ OK the sun is over there on my right and it’s afternoon. So that way much be west. The other side must be east. That means I’m facing south, and north is behind me. Now I know which direction is which, what way do I go? Oh, yippee. There’s Mr. Deer. I’ll ask him”

“Yoohoo, Mr. Deer! Mr. Deer!” called little Charlie Bear. Mr. Deer looked up at little Charlie Bear and said, “who are you?”

“Oh,” said little Charlie. “I thought you were my friend Mr. Bob Deer. Do you know Mr. Bob Deer?”
“Yes, I do,” said the new Mr. Deer. “He’s one of my very good friends. I am Mr. Rex Deer.”

“How do you do Mr. Rex Deer, I am little Charlie Bear. I was picking berries and got so far away from home I didn’t know which way to go. If you can tell me where Mr. Bob Deer lives, then I can find my way home from there.”

“Why certainly. Mr. Bob Deer lives over on the other side of that hill. Now, maybe you can help me. My two little children were supposed to be home a long time ago and I’m afraid they’re lost too. If you see them on your way, would you mind taking them over to Mr. Bob Deer’s house? I’ll look for them there if I can’t find them on this side of the hill.”

“I’ll be glad to. What are their names?” asked little Charlie Bear.

“Davey and Danny” answered Mr. Deer.

“Goodbye, Mr. Deer. Thank you very much for helping me. I’ll try to find your children,” called little Charlie.

Little Charlie Bear went down the hill and across the valley and up the other side. Every so often he’d call, “Danny! Davey!” but no answer.

Then he walked on and on and on and finally he came to the top of the hill. He looked all around but he couldn’t see Danny and Davey.

As he started down the hill he recognized the trees and the bushes and was so happy to be nearly home… but, he didn’t forget to call “Danny! “Davey!”

At last when he called “Danny! Davey!” for the last time before he turned down the path that led to his house, a little deer came running from behind a thick clump of bushes – and then came another little deer. When they saw a little Charlie Bear, whom, of course, they didn’t know, they stopped just where they were. They had never seen Charlie Bear and didn’t know how friendly he was.

“Are you Danny and Davey?” asked little Charlie Bear.

“Yes,” they said together in such a little voice they could hardly hear themselves say it. Then “how do you know?” Danny dared to ask.

“Oh, I’m little Charlie Bear and I met your father over on the other side of that hill. He told me you were supposed to be home long ago – and that, if I saw you, we should all go to Mr. Bob Deer’s house,” answered little Charlie Bear.

By this time, Little Danny and Davey deer were not afraid anymore. They said, “which way do we go?”

Little Charlie Bear said, “over this way.” And off they went down the hill.

They hadn’t gone very far when they saw Mr. Charlie Bear coming through the woods. “Hello there,” called papa Charlie Bear. “About time you were getting home. Where have you been, little Charlie, and who are these new friends of yours?”

“They’re Danny and Davey Deer, papa,” answered little Charlie. “They were lost and I’m taking them to Mr. Bob Deer’s house. Their father is Mr. Rex Deer.”

“Well, now, what’s this all about. Come, tell me,” requested Charlie Bear.

Little Charlie told his papa all about picking the berries – getting lost – meeting Mr. Rex Deer – and then finding Danny and Davey. Mr. Charlie Bear patted little Charlie on the head and told him to go onto Mr. Bob Deer’s and that he’d take the berries home.

Little Charlie and Danny and Davey went off to Mr. Bob Deer’s house. When they got there, Mrs. Bob Deer was in the front yard. When she saw them come through the woods, she said, “Land’s sake what are you three children doing over here?”

All three children said at once, “we were lost” and then little Charlie told her the story about picking berries – meeting Mr. Rex Deer – finding the Deer children – and then he told her that Mr. Rex Deer would come by to get Danny and Davey this afternoon.

When Mrs. Deer had heard the long story, she said, “come into the kitchen. I have something for you.”

As they went in they smelled freshly Baked cookies. Yes – that’s just what Mrs. Deere gave them – some cookies and a glass of milk.

When they were finished, little Charlie said, “thank you” to Mrs. Deer and “goodbye” to Danny and Davey and went home. As soon as little Charlie was back home he said to his papa, “can we go traveling now?”

Papa Charlie said, “traveling now! Why, it’s almost dinner time. I think you’ve had enough excitement for one day. Maybe someday soon we can take a trip to far away.”

“Real soon, please, papa.”

“Yes, real soon, my little bear-kin.”