Sophie’s Native American Legend

     Once there was a bear. When he woke up from hibernation in the spring, he was very hungry, so he went out to find some food. As he was out finding his breakfast, he saw 2 Native Americans. He knew they were from the Bella Coola tribe by the kind of animal skins they were wearing. One had a spear to kill the bear with, and the other had a spoon to make soup from the bear. The bear started to run away from them. The Bella Coola People started to chase after him. The man with a spoon tripped over a stick. The other man threw his spear at the bear and did not miss. The bear lied down on the ground dead. When he died, his spirit rose to the heavens and formed a constellation. The stars that formed the bear surrounded the “Big Dipper.” Every year the bear in the sky disappears at hibernation time, and then reappears back in spring.