Those Three Bears

#Ruskin Bond Stories

Most villages in the Himalaya mountains are in valleys. Valleys have little streams, some places to grow food, and they’re safe from the super cold winds that blow through the mountains in winter. The houses are usually built with big rocks and have slanted roofs made of stone, so the heavy rain can slide right off. When it’s sunny in the fall, you’ll often see pumpkins on the roofs, getting all nice and ripe in the sun.

Watercolor illustration of a traditional Himalayan village nestled deep in a verdant valley. Golden sunlight bathes the scene, casting long shadows from the towering peaks surrounding the village. Stone houses with intricately carved wooden window frames and slanted slate roofs are visible, some adorned with bright orange pumpkins overflowing from woven baskets. A crystal-clear, gurgling stream runs through the village, reflecting the blue sky. It is a crisp, sunny autumn day. The air is filled with the scent of woodsmoke and pine. Textures: Rough stone walls, weathered wooden planks, glistening water. Color palette: Warm yellows, oranges, reds, contrasted with cool blues and greens. Emotional tone: Peaceful, serene, idyllic.

One night in October, I was sleeping over at my friend’s house in a village. I woke up because I heard a rumbling and bumping noise on the roof. I poked my friend and asked, “What’s going on?”

“It’s just a bear,” he said.

“Is it trying to get inside?”

“Nope. It wants the pumpkins!”

Watercolor illustration of two young boys, Tenzin and Sonam, peeking wide-eyed out of a window of a rustic stone house at night. Their faces are illuminated by the soft glow of an oil lamp inside, highlighting their apprehensive expressions. A large, black Himalayan bear, thick fur glistening in the moonlight, is precariously balanced on the slate roof, surrounded by scattered, smashed pumpkins. The air is crisp and cold. Moonlight illuminates the scene with a silvery glow, casting long, dramatic shadows. Textures: Smooth, cold glass, rough stone wall, thick bear fur, splintered pumpkin. Color palette: Deep blues, blacks, and grays punctuated by warm yellows from the lamplight. Emotional tone: Suspenseful, slightly fearful, curious.

A little later, we peeked out the window. We saw a big black bear running through a field, leaving a trail of half-eaten pumpkins behind.

In the winter, when snow covers the high mountains, the Himalayan bears come down lower to find food. Sometimes they look for food in fields. They can’t see very well, and they’re scared of anything that moves, so they can be a little dangerous. But like most wild animals, they try to stay away from people.

The villagers always tell me to run downhill if a bear chases me. They say bears can run uphill easier than downhill. I haven’t been chased by a bear yet, and I’m okay with that! But I’ve seen some of these mountain bears in India, and they’re always really cool to watch.

Himalayan bears love pumpkins, corn, plums, and apricots. Once, I was sitting in an oak tree, hoping to see some pine martens that lived nearby. I heard a whiny grumble, and then a little bear walked into the open space under the tree.

Watercolor illustration of a small, solitary Himalayan bear cub sitting under the sprawling branches of an ancient oak tree, diligently sniffing at an anthill. Soft, late afternoon sunlight filters through the leaves, dappling the forest floor. Dust is swirling gently around the cub, illuminated by sunbeams, creating a hazy atmosphere. The cub is a juvenile, with soft, shaggy fur, and appears alone, its expression a mix of curiosity and vulnerability. Texture: Coarse bark of the oak tree, fine dust particles, soft fur of the cub. Color palette: Earthy browns, greens, and muted golds, with highlights of sunlit dust. Emotional tone: Lonely, curious, innocent.

He was just a cub, so I wasn’t worried. I stayed very still and watched what he would do.

He put his nose on the ground and sniffed around until he found a big ant hill. He started huffing and puffing, blowing air in and out of his nose really fast. The dust from the anthill flew everywhere! But the anthill was empty, so the bear grumbled and climbed up a plum tree. Soon he was way up in the branches. That’s when he saw me.

Watercolor illustration of a small Himalayan bear cub clinging precariously to a plum tree branch, its eyes wide with surprised delight. A young boy, Kunga, is partially visible, lower down in the tree, reaching for a ripe plum. Bright red and purple plums are scattered around the bear on the branch and on the ground below. The leaves of the plum tree are a vibrant green. The scene is bathed in the warm light of a summer afternoon. Textures: Smooth, juicy plums, rough bark of the plum tree, soft fur of the cub, worn cotton clothing. Color palette: Vibrant greens, reds, purples, and browns. Emotional tone: Playful, joyful, mischievous.

The bear quickly scrambled higher up the tree and laid flat on a branch. The branch wasn’t very big, so a lot of the bear was hanging off the sides. He tucked his head behind another branch. He couldn’t see me anymore, so he thought he was hidden, even though he was still grumbling.

Like all bears, this one was super curious. So, slowly, little by little, his black nose peeked over the edge of the branch. As soon as he saw me, he pulled his head back and hid his face.

He did this a few times. I waited until he wasn’t looking, then I moved down the tree a little bit. When the bear looked over and saw that I was gone, he was so happy that he stretched all the way to another branch and grabbed a plum! I couldn’t help but laugh.

The startled young bear fell out of the tree! He dropped through the branches for about fifteen feet and landed with a thump in a pile of dry leaves. He wasn’t hurt, but he ran away from the clearing, grunting and squealing the whole time.

Another time, my friend Prem told me that a bear was messing around in his cornfield. We stayed up all night in an old barn, where we could see the field in the moonlight.

A little after midnight, a mother bear came to the edge of the field. She seemed to think someone was there. But she was hungry! So, she stood on her back legs and looked around to make sure the field was empty. Then she carefully walked out of the forest.

Watercolor illustration of a mother Himalayan bear standing at the edge of a moonlit cornfield at night. Her large frame is silhouetted against the silver sky. Tall, rustling stalks of corn surround her. Tibetan prayer flags are hanging between two weathered trees, their faded colors fluttering gently in the cold wind. The bear is looking at them cautiously, her eyes reflecting the moonlight. Textures: Rustling corn stalks, faded prayer flags, coarse bear fur, rough bark. Color palette: Silvery blues, blacks, grays, and muted reds and oranges from the prayer flags. Emotional tone: Wary, watchful, mysterious.

Something shiny caught her eye! It was some Tibetan prayer flags hanging between two trees. She grunted like she didn’t like them and started to back away. But the flags fluttering in the wind were a puzzle she wanted to figure out. So she stopped and watched them.

The bear walked up to the flags and looked at them from different angles. Then, she realized they weren’t dangerous, so she went right up to them and pulled them down! She grunted like she was happy and walked into the cornfield.

Prem didn’t want to lose any more corn, so he started shouting! His kids woke up and ran out of the house, banging on empty cans.

Watercolor illustration of a mother Himalayan bear stomping away from a cornfield downhill, her massive paws kicking up dust. She appears frustrated. In the background, a young boy, Tenzin, his friend Prem, and two smaller children are standing outside a traditional stone house with a wooden porch, banging on empty tin cans. The clatter echoes through the valley. The sun is setting, casting long shadows and painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. The house has a weathered wooden door and small, square windows. Textures: Dusty ground, dented tin cans, weathered wood, coarse bear fur. Color palette: Warm oranges, purples, and browns contrasting with the dark silhouette of the bear. Emotional tone: Frustrated, determined, noisy.

The bear didn’t get her dinner, so she stomped off in a bad mood. She ran downhill really fast, and I was glad I wasn’t in her way!

Uphill or downhill, it’s always best to give an angry bear lots of space!

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Tiger My Friend

Thief and Brahmins

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