Brave Coyote Saves Sleeping Bear from Fiery Death

Once upon a time in a mountain range far from any civilisation, lived a ginormous bear that lived in the biggest and most comfortable cave during the winter.

All the other animals new that the cave belonged to this bear and there was no doubt that if anyone tried to steal his cave for a winter nap, they would probably wake up in his stomach.

However, a wiley coyote had an idea. He approached the bear and suggested that if they could all hunker down together, they would not only keep each other warm but also protect each other while the bear slept through the winter.

Now, while the bear had a fiercesome reputation, he was actually very kind hearted and a gentle giant. Well, most of the time anyway.

The bear agreed but also said that if he was awoken before spring then someone was going to get eaten.

The coyote agreed and him and his family moved into the cave with the bear. The bear slept soundly while the coyotes went hunting at night and slept safely and warmly next to the big bear.

Always careful not to make too much noise or disturb him. However one day, despite it being winter there was a raging forest fire coming up the mountain towards the cave.

The animals where dashing around, trying to find safety. It was very unusual but a fiery rock had crashed into the earth from the sky and caused the large fire.

As the fire destructively rushed up the mountainside, crackling and hissing, the giant bear slept soundly on.

The coyote's family had fled but the coyote himself remembered his promise to the bear. He had kept them warm during the winter so far and it was his duty to wake up and warn the bear, despite the risks.

He also knew the bear would be weak and starving when he awoke from his slumber and so he managed to catch a fleeing rabbit. He took this into the cave as an offering and dumped it close by.

The fire was growing closer and more fierce and while the coyote's family was urging him to run away with them, he had made a promise and he wasn't about to go back on that.

Even if the bear died, he would haunt him for the rest of the coyote's days on earth. After trying for a few minutes to wake the bear, he finally had to bite the bear on the bum.

The bear stirred but did not move and so the coyote had to bite him again. This time the bear groaned and growled. The coyote yapped at him and whined.

The bear was confused and groggy with sleep and was about to get angry when he felt the heat from the fire. He recognised that sound he had heard only a few times before.

The sound of death and destruction. The stench of fire and smoke. But despite the danger, he was weak and tired. Then he noticed the rabbit that the coyote had left for him and he wolfed it down.

The coyote was still nipping him and trying to get him to move. Finally, they both managed to get out the cave. They made it just in time.

If they had remained in the cave, it would have filled with smoke and they would have both died in a painful fit of coughing and lack of oxygen.

The coyote sprinted up the slope with the giant bear lumbering after him. The were a few other animals desperately trying to get out of the path of the deadly fire as well but they were not as fast including a giant snake.

As the bear lumbered past, he picked up the snake and put it on his back. The snake bit him which was his natural instinct but the bear didn't feel it through his thick fur. The snake hung on as he realised he was being rescued.

Another snake suddenly joined him as she too was thrown onto his back. Then a porcupine found himself hanging on for death life to the bears fur.

Despite not feeling his best having just woken up, the bear raced up the slope with great speed.

They eventually reached a large rocky outcrop at the top. The fire would not reach them here.

From this day forth, the bear was always seen the protector of other animals. And the coyote has always been intelligent and trustworthy.