after the telling of Clara Pearson
Nehalem Tillamook

She couldn't reach those tasty crabapples
that hung high in the tree
just out of reach
she thought
if only Bear would come
and pick them for me

The young man who appeared
wearing a bearskin
and dentalium shell earrings
said only
why are you afraid?
you wished for me to come

He climbed the tree
dropped the crabapples down
till she had a full basket
are you ready to come home?
he asked
if so, come with me

She did as she was told
and followed him
he circled round to make it
seem a long ways off
his home was in a hollow tree
but still
she stayed with him

Soon she was pregnant
her first child was a girl
human like her
the second child a male
a bear cub
the image of his father

Her brothers hunted sea lions
from their canoes
her husband said he would
go out with them
and bring her back sea lion meat
for all she ate
was skunk cabbage
he promised this
but it was all a lie

One day her daughter
caught a frog
thinking to give it
as a plaything
to her baby brother
but father bear said no
he is afraid of it
then her mother said
go throw it
on your father's back
it's he who is afraid
at this the bear husband
took up his son
and ran off never looking back

When he did not return
the mother said
let's see if we
can find my brothers
at the shore
she reckoned by the sun
and soon she found them
to her surprise
no great distance away

The brothers were amazed
where were you sister?
we thought you must be dead!
I went with Bear
and he became my husband
we had two children
our son a bear like him
and this our daughter
now that he's left me
there's nothing more to say