The little bear and the bath

In a round house at the edge of the forest lived a little bear called Bruno. He had spent the day rolling in the leaves and digging for sweet roots. His paws were black with dirt, and a twig was poking out of his ear.

"Bath time," said Mama Bear. Bruno folded his arms. "No bath for Bruno!" And off he went to hide behind the armchair.

Mama Bear didn't get cross. She ran warm water into the big wooden tub and added a drop of honey soap. Bubbles rose up, white and light, like floating snow.

Behind the armchair, Bruno sniffed. It smelled nice. "No bath for Bruno," he said again, but not quite so loudly.

Mama Bear set a little bark boat on the water. "What a shame," she said. "This boat wanted to sail around the lake, and it has no captain." Bruno poked out one ear, then the tip of his nose, then the rest of him.

He dipped in a toe. The water was warm like a stone in the sun. He dipped in one paw, then the other, and there he was, sitting in the tub, pushing the boat between the bubbles. "Captain Bruno!" he announced. The dirt slid off his paws, and the twig floated away behind the boat.

Afterward, Mama Bear wrapped him in a thick towel and rubbed his back in little circles. Bruno smelled of honey from head to toe. She carried him to his bed of moss, and the bark boat dried on the windowsill. "Another bath for Bruno tomorrow," he mumbled, eyes already closed. Mama Bear blew out the candle.