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THE BEAR WHO WENT INSIDE OUT
(Handed down for many years and finally recorded by Paul Smith)
“Once upon a time…” And, you know that could be anytime, including a long time ago, Mr. Clever Coyote lived in the desert at what is now Joshua
Tree National Park.
He was very responsible, had married at a young age, and raised many families in the desert wilderness.
His wife was busy at home in their cave at Queen Mountain. They had three babies and it was the Clever Coyote’s highest duty to protect the family.
During the day Clever Coyote caught rabbits and squirrels. He brought them home for his family. His lovely wife took care of the kids.
Way to the west, in the mountains of Big Bear Lake, a young and Surly Black Bear was causing trouble.
He never did anything his mother wanted him to do. And worst of all, he picked fights with his younger sister and frequently punched her out.
Whenever the bear family had dinner, Surly Black Bear would throw his food around, steal dessert from the other nice bears, and growl at
everybody. He always elbowed his way to the front of the line for food and never did the dishes.
The bear family put up with Surly Black Bear for several years, but eventually their patience ran out. The entire bear family gathered
around for an important meeting to decide what they should do with the jerk.
By unanimous vote, they all decided that Surly Black Bear should leave Big Bear Lake and give them some peace and quiet.
The very next morning, after breakfast of honey and leftover hot dogs, they took Surly Black Bear to Morongo Canyon and told him never to come back.
Oh, I forgot to mention that Surly Black Bear was a thief and never believed in earning an honest living.
For the next six weeks, he traveled through the foothills and mountains headed east. In Yucca Valley he growled at the other animals
and grabbed their food when they weren’t looking. Eventually the other animals told him to leave.
So, he headed toward 29 Palms. Way in the distance he saw a grove of palm trees at the Oasis.
He suspected there would be food and water at the Oasis and Surly Black Bear was going to take as much as he wanted. Nobody was going to stand in his way. He traveled 15 miles through the mountains and wandered down into the Oasis at 29 Palms.
It was very early in the morning and nobody was awake. Surly Black Bear grabbed leftover hot dogs from here and there, drank as much water as
he wanted from the pond, and finally just sat there on a tree in the Oasis.
Pretty soon, everybody just came around and looked at him. He felt very uncomfortable with everybody there but Surly Black Bear was
hungry and grabbed a New York steak when he had the chance. They all became angry and the Sheriff ordered Surly Black Bear to leave.
Surly Black Bear decided to go to Queen Mountain to see what he could steal from Clever Coyote.
He ran up an old trail which goes way into the mountains.
Clever Coyote heard him coming and knew that he would have to keep the bear away from the cave with all of his family huddled inside.
He knew that whenever danger approached, it was best to face it head on so he decided to go and dance with Surly Black Bear and lead him away.
Clever Coyote sat right in the middle of the path. Surly Black Bear charged at him, growling insults and throwing things. Clever
Coyote turned and ran, but away from the cave so that the terrible and dangerous bear would never find his coyote family. The bear chased him for many miles.
Finally they came to Pinto Mountain. They were running faster and faster. Surly Black Bear was catching up. But, Clever
Coyote was getting smarter and smarter.
Clever Coyote reached the top of the mountain and hid behind a big rock. The bear was coming at him, faster and faster.
As Surly Black Bear came racing within 30 feet of the rock where Clever Coyote was hiding, he came out from behind the rock and charged right
at the bear, as fast as he could go. And that was plenty fast!
When Clever Coyote got to the bear he veered left and raced right on by him. Surly Black Bear was going so fast that he could not stop,
but he wanted to catch the Clever Coyote so badly that he turned around to run after the coyote.
The turn around was so sudden, and he was going so fast, that Surly Black Bear turned himself inside out.
The chase was over. Clever Coyote went home and Surly Black Bear never caused anybody any more trouble.
Paul F. Smith is a desert history writer and co-owner of the 29 Palms Inn in Twentynine Palms, CA.
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