| Category: | American Tall Tales |
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One evening, Johnny Appleseed found himself deep in the forest as the sun began to set. He'd been walking for miles, planting apple seeds along streams and meadows, when he realized he was far from any town or farmhouse. The shadows of the tall trees stretched out around him, and a hush fell over the woods as the creatures of the night began to stir.
Johnny decided it was time to set up camp. He found a large, sturdy oak tree and leaned his pack against its trunk. As was his habit, he spread a few apple seeds around the clearing before settling down. "These little trees will grow tall and strong someday," he murmured, imagining the forest filled with apple blossoms and fruit. As he was getting comfortable, unrolling his blanket and taking out a couple of apples for his supper, he heard a rustling sound nearby.
Peering into the twilight, Johnny saw a pair of glowing eyes watching him from behind a bush. Then, slowly, a mother bear and her two cubs emerged from the underbrush, drawn by the sweet scent of the apples. Johnny could see their noses twitching as they sniffed the air, and the cubs stumbled forward, curious and hungry.
Instead of being afraid, Johnny smiled warmly. "Good evening, friends," he greeted them, his voice calm and gentle. "I'm just here to plant a few apple seeds. I hope you don't mind sharing your forest with me for the night."
The mother bear regarded him carefully, and the cubs stayed close by her side. But Johnny, feeling a sense of peace, took one of his apples and, with a soft underhand toss, rolled it gently towards the cubs. They looked up at their mother, and when she gave a low huff of approval, they shuffled forward and sniffed at the apple before taking tentative bites. The juicy fruit seemed to delight them, and before long, they were happily munching away.
Johnny chuckled softly and took out another apple, then another, rolling them towards the bears, who gobbled them up eagerly. As he sat there, Johnny began to hum a tune, and then he sang softly, a gentle lullaby about the stars in the sky and the trees in the woods. To his amazement, the mother bear seemed to relax, lying down near the edge of the clearing while the cubs tumbled around playfully.
"Well now, aren't you a fine bunch," Johnny said quietly, feeling almost as though he were sitting with old friends. He told the bears stories of his travels, of the people he'd met and the seeds he'd planted. As he talked, the bears settled down, the cubs curling up against their mother's side, their ears twitching at the sound of his voice. It was as if they understood every word he said.
As the night wore on, Johnny shared more of his apples, watching as the cubs chewed and nuzzled against each other contentedly. The moon rose high, casting a silver light over the peaceful scene. Johnny eventually stretched out on his blanket, using his pack as a pillow, and closed his eyes. The last thing he saw before drifting off to sleep was the mother bear, standing sentinel, her eyes watching over him as if he were one of her own.
When morning light filtered through the trees, Johnny woke to find the bears still there. The mother bear nudged him gently with her nose, as if to say goodbye, and the cubs bounded forward, sniffing at his pack. Johnny laughed and pulled out the last of his apples. "One for the road, little ones," he said, tossing each cub a bright red apple. The mother bear gave a soft growl, almost like a purr, and then turned, leading her cubs back into the forest.
From that day on, whenever Johnny passed through that part of the forest, the bears would come out to greet him. Johnny always had apples in his pack for his furry friends, and the people of the nearby towns marveled at how Johnny could befriend even the wildest of creatures. "How do you do it, Johnny?" they would ask. "How do you keep from being eaten by those big, scary bears?"
Johnny would just smile and shrug. "It's easy," he would say. "Just show them kindness, and they'll show it right back. All creatures understand that, if you take the time to listen."
And so the story of Johnny Appleseed and the bears became part of his legend—a tale of how he could charm not just people, but the very beasts of the forest, with nothing more than a kind word and a few sweet apples.