Close you eyes and start counting the number of bears you have encountered in books. I bet the bears you counted numbered at least three. Bears do feature in many stories, don't they? From the nameless teddies of Enid Blyton's classic tales to the almost icon Paddington bear, this cuddly mammal simply jumps out at you. I guess the authors must have had their own little teddies sitting by their tables to act as mini muses! I've loved all the bears in the stories I've met. Somehow, they bring an element of warmth to whichever plot they choose to bounce into. Here are some of the bears I've loved throughout my childhood and beyond
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Ah, the classic children's tale of an innocent bear family robbed of their porridge by a greedy girl. When I was young (I mean really young, a child), the three bears in the picture books looked really cozy to me in their little den. Papa Bear always had a pipe, Mama Bear always had a cap and apron and Baby Bear was always in overalls. Do you remember the same? I thought it would be so wonderful to live with them! I remember asking my mother (who read me the book) what's Baby bear going to sit on (because Goldilocks had broken his chair).
As an adult, I, like many of you read several 'twisted' versions of the tale. My favourite was the one where Goldilocks was eaten by the Bears for breakfast (ha!). Most recently, I read Roald Dahl's version of the tale and found it darkly humorous. In it, he stated all her crimes - breaking and entering, stealing, damaging private property and creating a mess. Of course she ends up being eaten. Kudos to you, Mr Dahl!
Pooh Bear
I graduated from the Three Bears to Pooh. The thought of Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood was sheer joy for a child of wild imaginations! To be honest, Pooh wasn't my favorite character. I actually preferred Tigger. The happy tiger was a lot more appeal then than an honest bear. It was only later that I realized the animals in the Wood were actually TOYS in Christopher Robin's room. That's when I started wondering if MY own toys had a life of their own when I wasn't around!
Winnie the Pooh cartoons were much loved too. Even today I still love the pastel colours and idyllic story-line of these cartoons. They simply transport one to a time where everything was so much more innocent. So much more relaxing than watching a violent anime, don't you think?
Paddington Bear
The first time I laid eyes on a Paddington book was when I was about 10. one day, at the library, I was searching for the last book to fill my quota of four (we were allowed to take out four books at a time) when I espied a water colour-ish picture of a bear peeking from the tattered jacket of a hardcover book. Immediately I grabbed the book and was transported to London. I think that was the very first time I was ever introduced to London although it was only many years later that I actually stood in Paddington Station myself. Again my imagination grabbed me by the collar. I found myself wondering if I found a bear, how would I keep it a secret? How would I feed it?
I couldn't get enough of Paddington! I was such a voracious reader of his adventures that I scanned the shelves for them each time I went to the library and even made my brother borrow them (after I had finished the series) so I could re-read them. Even now I fondly recall the hat, duffle coat and suitcase, his love for marmalade and his arch-nemesis, Mr Curry. It's no wonder that Michael Bond's creation which started so whimsically (he wrote stories for fun about a bear he bought one Christmas season for his wife) has spawned such a multitude of television series, cartoons and merchandise (I own a Paddington keychain and diary).
Baloo
The first time I heard of Baloo was when I was 17 years young and in college. We had to do a sort of singing skit on stage. Somehow we ended up singing 'The Bare Necessities' (and a few other songs) from The Jungle Book. I'm never much impressed by musicals, cartoons or otherwise. I'm too impatient to sit through song after song when all I wanted to know was how the plot would progress. However, the idea of a bear raising a boy did intrigue me a little (due in part to my obsession for bears ha!).
I almost did the book as part of an English module as a graduate, however our lecturer decided that Kim (another Kipling book) was more suitable for the course we were pursuing.
For the longest time, I did nothing more to learn about Baloo until the cartoon series Talespin started its run on television. I suppose the loud and funny grey bear on tv made yet another impression on me. But once again I procrastinated. It is only recently when I finally bought myself a copy of The Jungle Book. What do I think of Baloo in the book? Well, you'll find out as soon as I read the book :)
Author Joan C is a bear collector and host a website for bear lovers to share pictures. For more information visit [http://www.picmybear.com]
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