Once upon a time, during a still, quiet morning, a beautiful little girl was born in a dense forest. Her mother had been traversing alone to a neighboring town, one of the few that housed a doctor, in anticipation for her impending birth. Yet, as the woman walked, her baby came sooner than expected, and the unfortunate surprise left the mother unable to carry on...
The baby miraculously survived, but without a mother to sustain her, she was still within death's clutches. However, by yet another grace from God, a mother bear stumbled upon her -- one without the desire for flesh and blood. Dear reader, this bear had recently given birth to two cubs, and her maternal nature overpowered her instinctual one.
(Image created using an AI art generator on NightCafe)
And so, the girl was raised as a bear. She nursed from her Mama Bear, along with her two brother bears, and nuzzled into their warm furs during the chilly evenings. The girl grew with such formidable speed and strength that by the time she was a year old, she could already climb a tree with her bare hands! By 2-years-old, she could run on all four legs like the rest of her family, and by the time she was nearly 3-years-old, the young girl could hunt and devour small prey.
Life continued on this way, merrily, until one day a hunter ventured into the deep, dark woods where the family dwelled. Only armed with bow and arrows, he silently prayed that he may find some type of animal to bring home to the family of his own.
"I have traveled for quite a long time," the hunter said to himself, "and although I am unfamiliar with these parts, surely this forest will yield a bountiful catch."
Meanwhile, the family of bears were on a journey of their own through the woods, blissfully unaware of the event that was yet to unfold. For not but moments later, the hunter and the bears crossed paths.
The hunter, filled with unfathomable dread, immediately locked eyes with the mother bear. Being the skilled tracker that he was with years of experience, he knew that this was the end. "Even if I had my bow in time, my arrows are not enough to take down a fully grown bear. And I can't outrun it..."
It was then that the hunter caught sight of the cubs, sending a fresh wave of fear through his being... But it was not until he saw a naked human girl behind them that he ceased to breathe. A little girl, with a family of bears... Were his eyes deceiving him? How was such a thing possible?...
The mother bear, who was focused on the hunter for all this time, let out a low growl in defense. She could recognize that the man bore a resemblance to the little girl, but she also knew that these beings were not to be trusted.
Suddenly the hunter threw himself onto his knees, and Mama Bear stomped a paw to the ground in protest. Finally, the hunter's words broke the silence. "That child," his voice shook with fright, "she is human. She cannot live in the wild. She needs to be taken care of by her own kind." Mama Bear shed her teeth at him, but listened nonetheless. "I have a family," the man continued. "We can take care of her." He reached out his hand towards them. "Please..."
Everyone waited in anticipation, especially the young ones, who watched to see if their mother might devour the man. Instead, they watched as her teeth slowly vanished, and she looked on at the hunter with caution. Then, they watched as Mama Bear turned to the girl, picked her up by a clump of her long hair in her teeth, and took the child over to the hunter.
The girl howled and screamed, but it deterred neither hunter nor Mama. She tried kicking and thrashing in an attempt to escape, but Mama's hold was far too great. The girl could not understand what was happening -- only that she was terrified of the stranger before her.
The girl's feelings made no difference. The mother bear and hunter exchanged a silent understanding together, and with curious cubs looking on and a screaming child, he took off once more into the strange forest.
Along the way to their home, as he tried carrying her in his arms, the hunter attempted to console the child. "You do not understand what I am saying, and you do not understand what is occurring. I know this can be a very frightening thing. But I assure you, my wife and I shall take good care of you! And our daughter -- the two of you shall be the best of friends!" The little girl, unable to understand the hunter, continued to scream.
The two arrived home after a long day of traveling, where his wife and daughter were true to the hunter's word. The family welcomed the feral child as their own and taught her the way of mankind. In time, the girl began to speak words. She learned to sit and eat at the table. Soon, she and her sister began to play together, with dolls and dresses.
No one could look at the girl and even DREAM that she had been raised as a bear. Yet, when the townsfolk ask why she was named Ursula (Bear Cub), she will tell them herself, "I was raised as a bear." And, at this, they tend to just laugh in reply.
