Grandpa Dean's Wishing Well Stories

"The Wish-Granting Bear"

Yes, his name is Herman.

Most animals don’t have human names, but the animals with special gifts do. It would be difficult, say in a family of bears, to call everybody ‘Bear’. Special animals get first names to go with their family names.

This is the story of just such an animal, and he had a gift for granting wishes during hibernating season.

His name was Herman Bear.

One winter, Herman Bear went to his cave in the forest after he had eaten about twenty pounds of nuts and honey. He crawled into his bed of grass and went to sleep.

Not far from Herman’s cave lived Joey Bender and his mom and dad. They lived modestly. Little Joey wanted a bicycle for Christmas. His parents knew this, but did not know if they could afford one. Joey’s mom was very ill and he was afraid she might not make it through the winter. To keep busy, Joey often went to the edge of the forest to pick chestnuts and pecans and edible mushrooms when he could find them.

One cold day, Joey ventured farther into the forest and got himself lost. It was freezing outside. Fortunately, he found a cave and went in to get out of the cold. He didn’t know who lived in the cave or that the bear living there was awake.

Herman Bear said, “Make a wish boy, for I’m sleepy.”

At first, Joey did not believe him, but it would not do harm to wish for his mother to get well.

Herman Bear looked into Joey’s heart and saw how unselfish Joey was to wish for his mother to be well. “Your wish is granted, boy, now let’s get you home,” said Herman as he stretched into a new position on the warm cave floor.

“How can I get back when I don’t know where I am?”

Herman yawned. “The bicycle will take you,” he growled. “It’s magic, so just get on and you’ll get home.”

Joey asked, “What magic bicycle?”

“The one behind you,” replied Herman.

When Joey turned around, a brand new bicycle leaned against the cave entrance. Joey was confused. “I didn’t wish for this,” he said to the bear.

Herman opened one eye and said, “Your mother is well, and the bicycle is my gift to you for being such a good boy this year. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” said Joey. He jumped on the new bicycle, and just as the bear said, it took him home. He almost cried when he saw his mother cooking dinner in the kitchen.

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