What Is the Moral of The Bear Story by James Hill?
The Bear Story Summary
CBSE Class 7 The Bear Story is all about a bear and the lady. The story reflects how the bear cub was found in the forest, the lady saw him and fed him with a bottle. She took the bear into her home and fed him properly. He was all grown up and inculcated many values. He was taught to obey the instruction given by the lady. He also had a good appetite and was not fed meat. Given below is the detailed summary of The Bear Story.
The Bear Story Class 7
Once there lived a lady in the manor-house of a big forest. She met a bear cub in the forest who was starving. The bear was helpless. The lady decided to help it by offering a bottle of water. The lady took care of the bear cub the same way as if it is his own son.
The bear was very caring and did not harm people around. The Bear Story also tells us how the lady took care of the bear with all care and affection needed. He was also punished for not listening to the lady. However, his punishment includes being chained for days and he did not like to be chained. He harmed none. Children used to enjoy riding on his back. There were three mountain ponies who used to live in the stable, and they were also not scared of the bear as he visited the stable.
He was a friendly bear who enjoyed catching cattle and playing with children. He had a good appetite. The cook made sure to feed him well. His diet was devoid of meat, he was fed with bread, porridge, cabbage, potatoes and turnip. He was also taught not to climb apple trees and touch the beehive. He listened to the lady and followed exactly what is being taught to him and made sure that it is not repeated.
At his young age, he used to climb the apple tree. However, he realized that it is not wise to climb up the apple tree. Rather he waited for the apple to fall down and later he used to eat it. He was also punished once for touching the beehive by being chained for two days. He is only chained during the night time with the dog.
The lady used to visit her sister who was on the other side of the mountain lake and does not wish to take the bear with her. It was not safe to accompany the bear into that forest area. So, on Sundays, the bear was chained the whole afternoon.
The lady sensed that she was being followed by the bear and got extremely angry at finding that the bear disobeyed her. There was no time to take the bear back home. She told the bear in her harsh tone to go back home and threatened him with her parasol. The bear did not agree and seemed to disobey her. Also, the lady later realized that the bear had lost his new collar. She hit the bear with a parasol so hard that it broke into two pieces. The bear opened his mouth several times as if he was wanting to convey something. After being hit by a parasol, he turned back and moved. He stopped in between to look back at the lady but realized that she had lost sight of him.
The lady returned home. She saw that the bear was sitting in the same place for so long. She realized that the bear is feeling sorry for not obeying the lady’s decision. The lady was still angry and began to scold the bear and decided that he would be punished by being chained for two more days. The cook heard the conversation and came out running. She cleared the confusion by saying that the bear was sitting here all-day. It was then that the lady realized that she saw another bear while visiting her sister.
Conclusion
CBSE English supplementary Class 7 chapter The Bear Story teaches us that no decision should be made without assessing the situation. In The Bear Story summary, the lady hurriedly decided to punish the bear by chaining him for two days. On arriving home later in the evening, she again started scolding the bear without even listening to the other side. She was mistaken by seeing the other bear and thought that his bear was following and disobeying her.
FAQs on The Bear Story Summary & Moral Lesson for Students
1. What is a brief summary of the chapter "The Bear Story"?
"The Bear Story" is about a lady who finds an orphaned bear cub in the forest and raises him in her manor house. The bear grows up to be very amiable and gentle, playing with the children and being friendly with the dogs. One Sunday, the lady leaves for her sister's house, chaining the bear as a precaution, which she had never done before. The bear, feeling upset and misunderstood, breaks the chain and follows her into the forest. The lady, seeing him, scolds him severely, believing he has been disobedient. She later learns that the bear she saw in the forest was a different, wild bear, and her own bear had been waiting sadly at home all along.
2. What is the main moral of "The Bear Story"?
The main moral of "The Bear Story" is that love and trust should not be easily broken by suspicion or misunderstanding. The story teaches us not to jump to conclusions without knowing the full facts. The lady’s hasty judgement caused both her and her beloved bear unnecessary distress, highlighting the importance of faith in those we care about.
3. How did the lady's attitude towards the bear change, and why was it a misunderstanding?
The lady's attitude changed from one of complete trust and affection to one of fear and anger. Initially, she loved the bear like a son and trusted him completely. However, after her sister told her a story about a bear, she became suspicious and decided to chain him up for the first time. The misunderstanding occurred when she saw a wild bear in the forest and mistakenly believed it was her bear who had disobeyed her. Her anger was based on a false assumption, not on the actions of her own loyal companion.
4. Why was the bear in the story considered "most amiable" despite being a wild animal?
The bear was considered "most amiable" because his behaviour was consistently gentle and friendly, contrary to the instincts of a wild animal. This was due to his upbringing by the kind lady. Examples of his amiable nature include:
He never hurt anyone, be it people or animals.
He watched the cattle grazing peacefully without any intention to harm them.
He allowed the three dogs to play with him, pull his ears, and tease him.
He was vegetarian and enjoyed eating bread, porridge, potatoes, and apples.
5. What does the incident of the bear breaking his chain reveal about his character and the situation?
The incident reveals that the bear was not disobedient but was deeply distressed and hurt by the lady's lack of trust. Breaking the chain was an act of desperation to be with her, not an act of aggression. It highlights his strong attachment to the lady and his confusion at being punished for no reason. This moment serves as the climax of the story’s central misunderstanding, showing how a simple lack of communication and trust can lead to painful situations.
6. Explain the relationship between the old lady and the bear. Was it one of a pet and its owner?
The relationship between the old lady and the bear was much deeper than that of a typical pet and owner; it was more akin to a mother-son bond. The lady had raised the half-dead cub herself, feeding him milk from a bottle. She disciplined him and taught him right from wrong, just as a mother would. The bear, in turn, showed deep affection and obedience, viewing her as his caregiver and companion. The entire conflict of the story stems from this deeply personal bond being temporarily broken by misunderstanding.
