The Bear Skin
Ben and Pete went out bear hunting. For four days they saw nothing. Each night they slept in a nearby village, bragging about how they were going to shoot a trophy bear and pledging part of the bear’s skin against the cost of their hotel room and food. On the fifth day a huge bear appeared, and Ben said nervously to his friend, “I don’t mind confessing that I’m afraid to take a shot at this bear.” Pete laughed, “Just leave it to me.” So Ben scrambled like lightning up the nearest tree, and Pete stood with his gun at the ready. The bear came lumbering on, and Pete began to grow more and more scared. At length he raised his gun to his shoulder, but by now he was trembling so much that, before he could take proper aim, his gun went off and missed the target. Pete, remembering that bears never touch a dead body, threw himself flat and held his breath. The bear came up real close to Pete, sniffed all around him and finally took off. Ben, who had been watching the whole affair from his tree, now came down and, congratulating Pete on his amazing escape asked him, “What did the bear whisper in your year?”, asked Ben; to which Pete sheepishly replied “Don’t sell the bearskin before you catch the bear” Talk is cheap.
