The Tale Of The Rolling Meatball

Once upon a time in a land not too far from here (this is presented as a fairy tale to protect the innocent) there lived a family of bears, Papa bear, Mama bear, and 3 cubs. The lived in a den at the edge of the forest near the village Green. Papa bear worked long hours and Mama bear took care of her cubs feeding them, protecting them, and making sure they learned the ways of the world.

Now most bears absolutely love honey in a jar, in a tree, under a rock, just anyplace. Well, that's most bears. This one particular cub loved, and I mean loved meatballs. So during the school year, yes the cubs had to go to school the time came when Mama bear and her one cub were invited to school for a mother/daughter dinner with all the other bear parents and cubs. Well things were going along well, everyone was meeting and having a good time and pretty soon dinner was announced. And lo and behold, guess what they had on the menu that night; not the usual fare of honey but meatballs and spaghetti. Well the little cub was beside herself and when they sat down to eat the little cub grabbed for the coveted meatball, but alas the meatball escaped the clutches of the cub. It jumped from the plate, jumped from the table, and began its dash to freedom. The little cub wasn't about to let that happen, not with the taste of that morsel beckoning her like the call of the Sirens to Homer.

Up from the table she shot and the race was on, across the floor under the other tables rolled the meatball seeking its freedom, followed in hot pursuit by the cub. Of course Mama bear was in pursuit of the cub desperately trying to dignify the scene that was playing out.

Eventually everything came together, the cub, Mama bear, and the errant meatball, which by the way the cub was not allowed to eat despite protests.

Mama bear and cub finally came home and Papa bear made the mistake of asking how everything went. The only comment was a terse never again; and she never did.

The End