Two men set out together on a journey; and as they were travelling on foot without
protection, they agreed that if any danger occured on the road, each would stand by the
other.As they were going along , they saw a bear coming towards them.one of them
ran off,climbed up a tree, & hid himself in the branches. the other threw himself flat on the
ground & pretended to be dead; for he had heard that bears would not touch a dead body.
the bear came up ,felt him all over wiyh his snout, & seeing no signs of life (for the man
held his breath while the bear was snuffling at him), passed on & left him. the other
traveller, when he saw that all danger was over, came down from the tree, &
congratulated his friend on his cleverness."but tell me" said he in joke "what did the bear
whisper in your ear?for he held his snout so close to your face that he seemed to be telling
you some secret.""he cautioned me,"said the other "never again to travel with a friend
who, after promising to stand by me in time of danger , leaves me in the lurch when
danger comes thinking of no one s saftey but his own".
موضوع: the bear & the two travellers 
