Hello, this is Jhana, and welcome to Story Nori.

We are here with an amusing story from the Punjab in the north of India.

We know we have lots of listeners in India, so to all of you I'd just like to say,

Hamari Dwarhaar Arpa Mirsharkushadahul, meaning we wish you happiness always.

The greedy bear, once upon a time a poor woodman and his wife lived in a tiny hut close

to the orchard of a rich man, so close that the branches of a pear tree hung right over

the cottage yard.

It was agreed between the rich man and the couple that if any of the fruit fell into the

yard, the couple would be allowed to eat it.

So you may imagine with what hungry eyes they watch the pears ripening, and prayed for

a storm of wind or a flock of flying foxes or anything that would cause the fruit to fall.

Apart from the pears, the couple did not have a rich choice of foods to eat, but they

did have yellow lentils, ghee and some spices.

The wife was particularly good at making this dish called dal.

What an appetizing smell it had to be sure.

The woodman gobbled it up as soon as it was ready.

At one day his wife said, no!

Not until you fetch some dry wood off you go!

So off he went into the forest and began to hack and saw away at the wood, and with each

cut he seemed to smell the savoury dal.

Just then a bear came swinging by, with its great black nose tilted in the air and its

little keen eyes peering about.

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