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Tales from the Trails: Paul
and the Bear Cub This particular "Tale from the Trail," from Randolph's Paul Cormier, is not as much a tale from the trail as it is a reminder from the trail. This past summer, Paul was on an early evening run along Pasture Path, when, from the corner of his eye, he saw a small bear cub skitter up a tree as fast as he could climb. Thinking that this was an interesting little show of nature, Paul stopped to watch. From the corner of his other eye, he saw another movement. Turning to look, he saw a larger bear – evidently Mama Bear – that “hopped” (as Paul recalls) between him and her baby, got down on all fours, and “woofed.” At this point in the story, it would be exciting to say that upon seeing Mama Bear down on all fours and staring at Paul, that Paul also got down on all fours and woofed, staring right back at the bear in true Samurai wrestler style. Then, legend would later recall that Paul and Mama Bear had quite a tussle, with Paul “wrassling” Mama Bear off the trail – sparing the cub, of course. Truth, however, must prevail, no matter how mundane. Instead of a face-off, Paul slowly and calmly (“calmly” -- this is key) backed away – talking to the bear in reassuring tones all along – and circled far back from the trail, thus giving Mama Bear and her cub as much space as they needed to reunite. The moral of this story is, of course, a real-life example of the importance of avoiding getting between a mother bear and her cub. Do you have a story
– humorous or otherwise – from RMC's trails? Contact
Kathy Tremblay and your story may be featured in the next newsletter!
You can reach Kathy by phone at 603-466-2858, or by email.
We look forward to your tale.
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