When I was a child our family liked to go camping.
As we sat around the campfire in the evening my mother would tell us stories from Indian folk lore.
It was always a favorite part of camping for me.
This story is about the big dipper which the Indians called Big Bear.
In the northern hemisphere that constellation can be seen year round but it is not always in the same position.
When it is upside down the Indians believed that the bear was dead, sleeping or hibernating, when it was standing on end it was rearing and fighting.
The story is told that Big Bear, who woke one early spring morning from her long winter nap, was very hungry so she'd lumbered off to search for berries.
A sharp-eyed chickadee flitting through the bushes spotted the bear and flew off to tell his friends.
Chickadee said, "It has been a long winter and I am hungry.
Who will come bear hunting with me?" A few of chickadee's friends decided to join chickadee and they started on their way.
There was chickadee, the smallest, but also the quickest; Robin, who was larger was chosen to lead the hunting party; Crow who was impatient got in line right behind chickadee; pigeon, blue jay and horned owl, who was actually the best hunter, all stepped into place behind crow and the party set out to find Big Bear.
Since food had been scarce that winter, everyone was hungry.
So they hurried to catch up with bear.
They were surprised to learn that something as big and awkward as bear could move so fast.
They were just not catching up with her.
All summer Big Bear crossed the land of the stars and the hungry hunters followed.
As autumn approached they were getting tired and even more hungry.
" We're getting nowhere," said crow, " I'm too tired and hungry," and Crow dropped out of the chase first.
"Where is that lazy crow?" said pigeon and he left the line to go and find his friend.
Blue jay tried to stay in the hunt, but by and by he lost his way and disappeared from sight.
That left only Robin, Chickadee and Owl to follow the trail of the bear.
At last, deep into autumn, the hunters caught her.
The cornered bear reared up on her hind legs and tried to defend herself.
She clawed and growled, but Robbins swift arrow met its mark and the bear fell over on her back, her blood coloring the leaves of Autumn and staining Robins breast forever red.
All during the winter the dead bear lay on her back in the sky country.
Her spirit, however, endured and entered another bear who was fast asleep.
When spring awakens the sleeping earth a new star bear will come out search for berries and chickadee will begin his hunt again as he does every year.