The Little Cub and The Eagle

By Brittanie Hopkins

There was a black bear cub that lived on Grandfather Mountain named Noah. Noah never played with any of his black bear friends; rather he often gazed up into the sky to watch the flight of the boldest bald eagle that Noah had ever seen. Noah envied the bird for his beautiful plumage of white and brown feathers. Every day Noah followed the eagle’s flight pattern and collected the feathers shaken from the valiant eagle’s body. As soon as the wind picked up enough and blew the feathers from the trees, Noah collected them even before they reached the ground. Each night Noah prayed for feathers of his own. One day Noah met a wizard that offered him some help. The wizard agreed to change the bear to an eagle for a small fee as long as the bear was sure about his decision in becoming a bird. “Oh I’m certain,” answered Noah. The wizard changed the bear into a bird. The spring and summer seasons went wonderfully for Noah, for the bear cub loved to fly in the cool day and nighttime breezes. Soon it became colder and became harder for Noah to fly because he was just too cold. He tried his best to keep warm at night but it seemed impossible. Noah, still a bird, soon realized that all of his new bird friends were gone. Poor Noah didn’t know how to migrate or where to go for the winter months. Noah wished that he were hibernating in his warm fur in a den somewhere. He began regretting his wishes and actions in becoming a bird. He soared above all the mountains searching for the wizard hoping that he would change him back into his old self again. Finally he found the wizard and begged for his help. The wizard looked into the shivering young face and said, “Remember this little cub, all that glitters is not gold. God made us the way we are for a reason. Be thankful and content with what you are and what you have.” And before Noah could blink he was himself again. He thanked the wizard and wobbled back to his family’s den for a nice warm winter.