The Real Charlie Bear

March 8, 1968

One day little Charlie Bear was out playing with his friend Ethel the Elf, when they heard a rustling sound in the leaves underneath the tree.

Little Charlie said, “Oh, I wonder if that’s our little friend Mr. Squiggly?”

“I wonder,” said Ethel. “Let’s call to him. Hi Squiggly! Is that you?”

Little Squiggly didn’t answer so Ethel thought he was just playing. She said, “Squiggly, if it’s you, come on out and play.”

But they only heard more rustle. And they heard a rattle!

Little Charlie asked, “What is that funny noise?”

Ethel answered, “Oh that’s not Mr. Squiggly. That’s a Mr. Rattlesnake. We don’t like him.”

“What’s the matter with him?” asked little Charlie.

“Oh he bites. He kills people.”

“People like you and me?” asked little Charlie.

“Well, he makes them so sick they might die.”

“What should we do now?” asked little Charlie.

“I think we better just run home as fast as we can,” replied Ethel the Elf. “I know my Papa would want to kill him, but I don’t dare.”

“I don’t either,” said little Charlie.

With that they ran off as fast as their little legs could carry them to little Charlie’s house. As they ran up the path they saw Papa Charlie out in the yard working around the flower beds. And little Charlie said, “Papa, Papa, we found a rattlesnake.”

“Oh, a rattlesnake?” said Papa Charlie Bear. “Where was it?”

“Over there,” said little Charlie pointing to the place from which they had just come.

Papa Charlie said, “Well, he’s not one of our friends. Let’s go get him.”

“You mean you want to kill him?” said little Charlie.

“Why I think that is the thing to do. When we have little children around playing I don’t think it is the place for rattlesnakes.”

With that Papa Charlie picked up a shovel and the little children led him back to where they had heard the rattle in the leaves.
As they approached the spot they were very very cautious. They looked before every step they took because they didn’t want to come on Mr. Rattlesnake by surprise. In just a few minutes they heard a rustling noise in the leaves again, and little Ethel the Elf said, “Oh there he is.”

And Papa Charlie said, “Is that you Mr. Rattlesnake?”

Mr. Rattlesnake didn’t answer. He knew from the tone of the voice that they were after him, so he rustled back to a pile of rocks.
Papa Charlie said, “I guess he knew we were after him and he will stay out of our way for a while. But, children, always be very careful to look where you step. Rattlesnakes don’t always rattle before they bite.”