Grizzly Bear's Change Of Heart

Long, long ago, on a silent night, Rabbit was awakened by a scuffling, and a rustling outside his burrow.
"Bother", he yawned,"Who can that be, outside on a night like this? I had better take a look". And he scrambled out of his cosy bed, and threw open the door.Rabbit was surprised to see that it was his dear friend Squirrel, who was causing all the fuss.
"Squirrel, what on earth are you doing here, aren't you supposed to be sleeping until spring?"
"That's right Rabbit, and I was, but then suddenly I woke up, I tried to go back to sleep, but I have a strange bubbly feeling in my tummy, as if something wonderful is about to happen. I didn't want you to miss it Rabbit,so I came to get you"
Rabbit was wide awake now, so he made two big mugs full of Dandelion tea, and cut some thick wedges of Carrot Cake. Then the two friends went outside together, to wait for the wonderful something to happen.

Rabbit and Squirrel huddled together, beneath the snowy branches of a Christmas tree, that grew on the side of the hill ,overlooking the sleepy town, and kept watch.
The town was in darkness, save for an oil lamp which glowed softly in the stable that belonged to the inn keeper .

< After a while, poor Rabbit began to shiver, so Squirrel curled his thick bushy tail around him, to help him to stay warm.

 

The two friends had just started to drift into sleep, when the inky sky was suddenly bathed in the glow of a huge golden star.It shone so bright that it seemed as if night time had ended early, and day had begun. Now Rabbit had the bubbly feeling too, and he hopped up and down, and turned cartwheels. The special something must be getting closer.

Then in the distance coming from the little town, a bleating sound carried on the wind.
"There must be a lamb separated from its mother" said Rabbit, and he and Squirrel began to search around in the freezing grass.
"It's not a lamb you hear calling." Rabbit and Squirrel stopped what they were doing, they were timid creatures, and the tinkling little voice frightened them.
"Do not be scared, God sent me, to tell you something important"
The voice was coming from the branches above them, there in the tree, sat a tiny Cherub Angel, he smiled kindly at the animals, who fell to the ground and covered their eyes.For they were not used to seeing Cherub Angels sitting in the branches of trees. They knew that the Angel was a special friend of God, perhaps he was angry at them. Perhaps it was because they had not been kind enough to Grizzly Bear. After all, they did forget to invite him to Squirrels hibernation party."
" Follow me," the Angel called to them,for the sound you heard was that of a new born baby, a special boy, the little Son Of God. You must go and worship him."
Now the little Angel had been joined by hundreds of others, and they sang out joyfully into the night.

"But why us, why have you told us the news first, we are just ordinary animals, we are not rich or powerful?" "The little baby is a Gift to mankind, a sign of God's love, he loves all his people, he does not care about money or power, you are all special in God's eyes."

Rabbit and Squirrel, full of wonder ran back to their homes ,to find gifts for the baby, and the Angels followed them, their voices growing louder and louder, as they became more and more excited.

< On the other side of the hill, Grizzly Bear was sleeping the winter away. Grizzly Bear was always cross. In the summer he was cross at the Bees, who would not share their honey.In the winter he dreamed cross dreams. The sound of happy Angels singing, and waking him up, on a cold cold night made him even more cross.He tossed and turned, and tried to go back to sleep.But now even, Grizzly Bear had the bubbly feeling in his tummy So he got up, and lumbered over to the other side of the hill,grumbling and grizzling all the way, to see who was making all the noise.
"What on earth is going on?" he growled, when he saw Rabbit and Squirrel, dancing along behind the Angels."Is a little quiet too much to ask for, in the middle of the night?"Bear was not afraid of the Angels, he was not afraid of anything, h was the most powerful animal in the forest, and he was used to the other animals doing as he said. He growled his loudest growl at the Angel. The Angel looked sad, and his blue eyes shimmered with tears,for a minute, this was not how it was meant to be, God wanted his people to love each other, not be full of anger.
"Don't tell him anything," whispered Rabbit,"he has a heart as cold as a snowman."
But then Cherub Angel fluttered down from the tree, and sat gently on Grizzly Bear's burly shoulder he stroked his fur, and whispered something in his ear.Grizzly Bear was not used to being touched like that, or hearing kind words, and he forgot all about being cross ,and ambled along, behind Rabbit and Squirrel, on their way to visit the special baby boy. By the time they reached the town, all three animals were singing along with the angels. The special something was so close, that they felt as if their hearts would burst with joy.

< The Angels came to rest, above the stable, which was illuminated by the light of the huge golden star."The animals were shocked, surely this was not the place, where he Son Of God would be found. Shouldn't he be in a splendid palace.
Rabbit knocked timidly on the door, even Grizzly bear  was a little nervous.
A man, who said his name was Joseph opened the door, and ushered the animals inside. There, kneeling beside the manger, was his wife, a young girl named Mary, she looked pale and tired, after all her hard work, but stil, she sang a gentle lullaby.
She showed the animals the manger, and there wrapped in swaddling robes, and snuggled in straw, was a sleeping infant.
"His name is Jesus," Mary said proudly

< "We brought gifts," whispered Squirrel "I have nuts, they will give you strength to feed the baby."
"I have a bag of soft fur," muttered Rabbit,"It will help to keep the baby warm."
Then squirrel and Rabbit fell to their knees to worship the infant, who was God's special gift to the world.They knew that on this wonderful night, there lives had changed forever, the wonderful something was deep in their hearts,

< A tear rolled down Grizzly Bear's furry cheek."Why are you weeping?" asked Mary kindly.
"I was so busy grizzling, I forgot to bring a gift" sobbed Bear.

Just then, the baby awoke, and smiled. His smile was so beautiful, and a warmth went right through Bear, and melted his cold and grizzly heart.Now Bear too fell to his knees, and adored the little king.
" You are the Son Of God" he whispered tenderly "I give you my heart".For the first time in his life Grizzly bear felt the joy of loving.

 

< The baby Jesus smiled again, and this time his smile became the light of all the world.