P.G. YMCA Indian Guides and Princesses
Bowie, Maryland

A long time ago in the days of the Indians there was a tribe, a very poor tribe.  They saved all their food for the winter.  One night a bear came along and ate all their food.  This happened many nights.  The people in the tribe were getting sick and tired of this.  They went to the wish teller and told him that something was eating their food and they didn't like it!  The wish teller discovered that a bear was eating the tribe's food.

The people of the tribe complained about not having any food to eat over the winter, so the wish teller thought and thought about what he should do.  He asked the spirits to put a spell on the bear so that the bear would sleep in the winter and not eat their food.  He discussed the plan with the tribe.  The tribe thought it was brilliant!  So one night while the tribe was sleeping the wish teller cast his spell on the bear.

That is the real reason that bears sleep during the winter.  Every winter the tribe has plenty of food to eat.