The Life Story of a Black Bear

A black bear tells his own story, beginning with the simple pleasures of cubhood in a pristine mountain forest. He remembers his parents’ massive presence, the playful scuffles with his sister Wahka, and the soothing ritual of his mother’s lick that left a glossy black coat in its wake. Life revolves around the rhythm of seasons, the quiet rule the bears have held over coyotes, deer and beavers for generations.

Then the silence is shattered by the clatter of axes and the rush of men drawn by gold. New paths are cut through the trees, and the bears, curious rather than angry, encounter strangers armed with rifles. The narrator watches the first uneasy meeting, feeling both bewilderment and a lingering sense of loss as the familiar world begins to change.