Chuckles the Bear: Lend a Helping Hand

Once there was a small forest called Oakridge. And in that forest lived a very positive, very happy little brown bear. In fact, the bear was always laughing and chuckling that he was named Chuckles the bear.

One morning Chuckles the bear decided to go into town to buy himself some honey. He had just got paid, and so he decided that he was going to go get something for everyone in the town.

“Morning, Chuckles,” said Fox, as Chuckles passed by Fox’s house.

“Morning, Fox,” said Chuckles. He chuckled softly. “Today is a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

“Why yes, it is,” said Fox. “Where are you off to this morning?”

“I’m headed into town to get honey,” Chuckles said. “Would you like to come?”

“No thank you,” Fox said, “but I was going to ask you, do you mind helping me with my mailbox? It won’t take long, and you are really good at fixing your mailbox.”

“Of course,” Chuckles replied. “As long as it doesn’t take too long. I have to head into town and get my honey before all of the shops close up.”

“It won’t take too long,” Fox said, “and with the way that you fix things, it won’t take that long at all! Thank you so so very much!”

“It’s no problem at all,” replied Chuckles, chuckling. “I love to help others!”

So Chuckles helped Fox fix his mailbox, and then he went on his way.

“Bye, Chuckles,” said Fox. “Thanks again!”

Chuckles waved bye and headed out. Then as he was walking, he saw Lisa the hen walking by.

“Hello Lisa,” he said.

“Hello, Chuckles,” Lisa replied, carrying multiple bags in her hands. “Would you mind helping me? My baby chicks are waiting for me to make them their food and I just got back from town. Can you help me make the bread?”

“Of course,” Chuckles replied, “I’ll even help you carry the bags.”

“Thank you,” Lisa the hen replied, “as she handed some of the bags to Chuckles. I’m so thankful for you!”

So Chuckles and Lisa went inside and Chuckles helped Lisa cook the bread. Then he went on his way.

“Thanks again,” Lisa replied.

“It’s no trouble,” chuckled Chuckles.

So he started back on his journey into town, when a small snail named Bernie was traveling along. He noticed Chuckles and said hello to him. But all Chuckles could hear was a small little voice. He began to look around.

“I’m down here. It’s me, Bernie.”

“Oh, hello Bernie,” replied Chuckles, “where are you headed off to?”

“I’m headed to see Priscilla,” he said. “We have been dating for quite a while now. But it is going to take me forever to get to her house. Would you mind picking me up and taking me? It will be sunset by the time I get there.”

“Of course,” Chuckles replied. “I don’t mind.”

So Chuckles scooped Bernie up in his hands and decided to take him to go and see Priscilla and Bernie was amazed as to how fast he walked.

“Thank you, Chuckles,” Bernie the snail said.

“No problem,” Chuckles replied, and he went on his way.

“Okay, no more stops,” said Chuckles, “I need to get into town.”

Then as Chuckles was walking, he stopped, when he saw Maribel the squirrel, trying to mow her lawn.

“Hello Chuckles,” said Maribel. “How are you doing? Where are you going?”

“I’m headed into town,” he replied.

“Oh, wow. I wish that I could go into town, but I have too much yardwork to do.”

“I can help you with mowing the lawn. You look like you are struggling,” Chuckles said.

“Really, thanks!” Maribel said.

“No problem,” Chuckles said.

So Chuckles mowed the lawn and then went on his way.

“Thank you!” Maribel shouted to him.

“No problem!” Chuckles said. “I’m happy to help!”

So Chuckles started to head into town. He walked and walked and walked. He got hungry, but there was no way that he was going to stop. He wanted his honey.

When he finally made his way into town, it was late, and the shops were all closed. Chuckles felt sad. He was really looking forward to getting his honey.

“Oh well, guess I will get it tomorrow,” he said, and started to head back to the forest.

The next morning Chuckles woke up. “I’ve got to get to town today,” he said. “I need that honey!”

He got out of bed, made his bed, brushed his teeth and put on his clothes.

“Can’t be late,” he thought.

He was walking along the trail when he saw a little bird crying. He walked up to her.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I fell out of my nest and I can’t get back up,” the bird replied. “Do you think that you can help me?”

“Sure,” Chuckles said. “This tree is not that high. I can put you back up.”

“Really!” the little bird replied. “Thank you!”

So Chuckles lifted the bird up and put the bird back in the nest. Then he went on his way.

“I only helped one person today, and it is still early, so hopefully nobody else asks for help,” he thought.

“Hello, Chuckles,” said Kallie the kangaroo, as she was hopping along. “Where are you headed off to?”

“I’m headed into town,” said Chuckles.

“Before you go, can you help me look for my little one? She is always wondering off, when I take her out of my pouch, and now I can’t find her.”

“I’ll be happy to help,” said Chuckles.

“Thank you!” said Kallie.

So Chuckles and Kallie went to look for the baby kangaroo, and finally, Chuckles found her behind a tree, looking at a butterfly.

“Pretty,” she said. “Colorful.”

“There you are,” Chuckles said. “Let’s get you to your mom.”

“Mama!” the baby kangaroo said, as she hopped to Kallie.

“Thank you Chuckles,” said Kallie.

“No problem,” Chuckles said. “I’m happy to help!”

By the end of the day, Chuckles had helped so many other animals, and the town shops were closed again.

“Oh well, guess I will just go tomorrow,” he said.

That very night all of the animals had a meeting.

“Chuckles does so much for us. We need to do something for him,” Kallie said.

“Yes we should,” Fox said. “We should surprise him tomorrow with a party. And we should give him honey. I know that he has been trying to go into town but he always gets stopped by one of us.”

“He helped me mow my lawn,” Maribel said. “He needs us to help him now.”

“We should each give him honey. Who has honey?”

“I do,” said Fox.

“Me too,” said Lisa.

So they planned a surprise party for Chuckles. Then next morning they set it up at Lisa the hen’s house, and they all waited for Chuckles to walk by.

Chuckles woke up that morning determined to get his honey. He was walking along the road when he saw Maribel collecting acorns.

“Hi, Chuckles,” she said.

“Hello, Maribel,” he said, “beautiful day today, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it really is,” Maribel said. “Can you help me carry these acorns? They are kind of heavy.”

“Well, I really need to get into town today, but I guess that helping you won’t hurt,” said Chuckles.

Chuckles picked up some of the acorns.

“Lead the way,” he said.

“Okay!” Maribel said.

Maribel walked over to Lisa’s house and put the acorns down.  “I have to stop off for a second to give some to Lisa. She is making acorn soup.”

“Okay,” replied Chuckles.

Maribel knocked on the door, and Lisa opened it. Maribel ran inside, leaving the door open. Chuckles looked puzzled.

“Hello?” he said. “Is anyone home?”

“Surprise!” everyone yelled.

“Wow, for me?” Chuckles said.

“Yes,” Kallie said. “You do so much for us in this forest. Now we want to do something for you!”

“We saved you a trip into town,” Bernie said. “Some of us who had honey decided to give it to you, so that way you don’t have to take that long trip into town. I know how that feels.”

Chuckles smiled. “You guys, I can’t take your honey.”

“You can and you will,” Lisa said. “You help us all the time. Think of it as a thank you gift.”

“Well thank you! This is a great day! I have such great friends, and I am so thankful for each and every one of you.” Chuckles said.

Chuckles the bear let out a soft chuckle, and then everyone danced and had a good time at the party.

–END–