The Bear With A Broom

Barnaby the bear didn’t want to scare anyone. He loved the cozy houses and the smell of fresh bread coming from the village at the edge of the forest. But every time he tried to visit, people shouted and ran away.

"How can I show them I'm a friendly neighbor?" Barnaby wondered. Then, he had a "bear-y" good idea.

One chilly morning, while the mist was still hugging the ground, Barnaby crept into town. He saw a man in a bright yellow vest sweeping the sidewalk with a long, straw broom. When the man set the broom down to go inside for a quick sip of cocoa, Barnaby pounced!

He didn't steal the broom to keep it. He started to sweep. Swish, swish, swish. He cleared away the crunchy autumn leaves and the stray wrappers.

A golden retriever puppy named Buster trotted up and tilted his head. "Hey there, Mr. Bear," Buster barked. "What are you doing with that broom?"

"I’m showing the humans I can help!" Barnaby puffed out his chest. "If I do the chores, maybe they’ll invite me over for a snack."

Buster let out a doggy giggle. "I don’t think it works like that, Barnaby!"

Just then, the man returned with a group of neighbors. When they saw a 500-pound bear waving a broom around, they didn't see a helper—they saw a very confused bear! They began to shout and point.

Barnaby’s ears dropped. He dropped the broom with a thud and scrambled back toward the safety of the trees.

"They didn't even notice how clean the sidewalk was!" Barnaby grumbled as he reached the forest. He felt a little grumpy, but as he looked back, he saw the man pick up the broom and look at the clean street with a puzzled smile.

Barnaby sighed. "Maybe tomorrow I'll try delivering the mail."