The Swamp Bear

Chapter 1

It was the third day of their vacation down on their grandparent's farm. Candace and William had devised a plan that would make them the most famous kids in the state of Alabama. The local fishermans lodge was offering a substantial prize for anyone who could capture the elusive catfish known as Tom. Unfortunately no one had a clue as to the whereabouts of that large subterranean catfish.

Most everyone seemed to think it was living somewhere along the Choctawhatchee River. Every morning the banks of that river was adorned with anxious fishermen hoping to win the large jackpot. However Candace and William had a notion that they knew of Tom's secret hiding place. For they had heard their Grandpa tell of a secret and secluded fishing hole way back in the Highnote Swamp. The trees were tall, the water was deep, dark and cold, and no one dared fish there since that unfortunate incident between The Swamp Bear and poor Ol' Jebediah Plunkett.

Half a century ago Jebediah Plunkett had been beset upon by a very large and ferocious grizzly type bear while fishing a lonely spot way back in the Highnote Swamp. This bear was hiding out in the swamp to escape the fate that had befallen all the other bears of the region. What I mean to say is it did not wish to be hunted down and shot. It waded about in the swamp with the water up to it's chin and made it's meals of the small creatures, fishes, turtles, and an occasional fisherman or two.

The swamp bear snatched Jeb Plunkett out of his boat, chomped off his leg, and commenced to make a chewing toy out of him. But Ol' Jeb was meaner than a boiled hornet and he whipped that bear soundly with his fishing pole until it give back his leg. Then he chased it three revolutions about the swamp before it eventually eluded him. Ol' Jeb then whittled himself a wooden peg to walk on and hobbled out of the swamp into town to tell the story of the swamp bear.

His leg bone to this day is on display in the fisherman's museum down at the local fishing lodge. The imprints of the bear's teeth are clearly seen in the polished leg bone. Many times over the years rumors of the bear emerge and folks remain unwilling to venture into the swamp alone, fearing the bear is still alive.

The catfish known as Tom was originally a resident of the Mississippi River. He had survived for so many years and had grown so very large that one could only speculate on his size and weight. Only a few people had ever claimed to have snagged a hook into him and fewer still had actually gotten a look at him. He is accredited with the sinking of numerous steamships and barges along the course of that large river when they had collided with some underwater obstacle while racing upstream. Then suddenly, he mysteriously disappeared.

It was surmised that he had grown quite old in catfish years and had sought out a more peaceful place to live out his waning years. Recently a rumor surfaced that a large catfish had been seen floundering up the Choctawhatchee River into Alabama. It could be none other than Catfish Tom. Suddenly it was the dream of every fisherman along the bank of that river to catch that catfish and become a legend.

Candace and William had one piece of information that no one else had. Grandpa Roger had confided in them that he had observed the old catfish wading up the creek on his flippers toward the swamp one night not too far past, and that it was his guess that Tom was now sleeping at the bottom of that lonely fishing hole. It was to this isolated fishing hole that the two children were bound. Grandpa had drawn them a map to the place on an old candy wrapper and William carried it crumpled in his pocket, along with two pieces of bubble gum, a tootsie roll, three pennies, a rusty pocket knife, three tarnished nails, a toady frog, sixteen metamorphic rocks, and a slingshot.

Candace made six peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, while William gathered up the fishing gear. She did not wish to worry her Grandparents while they were gone so she left a note pinned to the refrigerator:

"GRANDMA. ME AND WILLIAM HAVE GONE FISHIN FOR OL' CATFISH TOM. WE HAVE GONE TO THAT SECRET FISHIN HOLE WHERE THE BEAR BIT OFF MR. PLUNKETT'S LEG BONE. WE'LL BE BACK IN TIME FOR SUPPER. UNLESS CATFISH TOM IS TOO BIG FOR US TO DRAG HOME. WE GOT SAMWICHES AND GRANDPA'S BOAT. SO DON'T WORRY."
YOUR FAVORITE GRANDDAUGHTER, CANDACE
P.S. We got Grey Wolf for pertection.

William climbed over the dog pen fence and handed out the little Rat Terrier puppy named 'Grey Wolf.' After all, Grey Wolf was his good friend and the toughest little dog on the farm. He'd be needed in case they encountered trouble, like maybe a wildcat, or a Goblin, or a Hide-Behind, or a Bloody-Bone, or a Bolly-Wog, or even a Swamp Bear that liked to bite off leg bones.

The three adventurers climbed aboard Grandpa's boat and pushed away into the swamp. Both of them used an oar to paddle with. Grey Wolf stood on the bow and leaned out over the water looking for hostile natives and such.

As they paddled along, water snakes peeked around the swollen stumps and sleepy owls peered out from the hollows in the mossy trees. Snapping turtles jumped off of the logs where they sunned and resurfaced with bobbing heads to watch them pass. Bullfrogs clung to the tree trunks and stared with large glassy eyes as they paddled by. Alligators, with their cruel eyes floating on the water's surface, paused to see them pass and then followed along in the trail of the boat.

Near and far, news of the three adventurers began to spread. Many of the swamp creatures had not seen such a sight in pretty nigh onto perhaps fifty years. They congregated to watch the children pass. While behind them, where the two children could not see, the hungry alligators continued to follow the boat.

Up in a tree, way above the commotion, two large eyes peeked from a dark hollow and observed the parade that passed below. The eyes belonged to 'Boo' the Hoot Owl who spent cold winter nights in Grandpa Rogers' barn loft. Boo knew all of Grandpa Rogers' Grandchildren and he considered them friends of his. Now Boo was a wise old Hoot Owl and he knowed that it wasn't safe for two small children and a ferocious puppy dog to be traipsing alone in them backwater woods. Especially with all them distrustful alligators trailing along behind them. Being a wise and caring owl, Boo went into action. He swept down from his doorway and flapped, circled, and hooted, all to no avail. Grey Wolf raced around the boat barking and leaping into the air while Candace and William only pointed and waved, and clapped their hands together at the crazy antics of the owl.

"Woof ...Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "Boo says there is a procession of hungry alligators following on our stern."

Candace speaks: "Ol' Boo sure is happy to see us, William."

"Yea, he appears to be," says William, "or maybe he's plumb crazy."

"He isn't crazy," replies Candace. "He's just telling us he is happy we have come to visit him at his home."

"Maybe he was bit by a bat and has got hydrophobia," adds William. "Maybe he's got rabies and the sickness has attacked his nervous system and he's warning us to get away before he starts foaming at the mouth and bites us and we gits sick and starts foaming and biting everything and we gives everything we bite rabies and it spreads all over the world and everybody goes about biting each other and foaming all over the place....."

"That would be terrible," says Candace. "Do you think that is what ails him?"

"Naw," says William. "He's just glad to see us. Hey Boo!" he hollers.

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf, from the rear of the boat. "Boo is right. We is being follered by alligators."

Boo, the Hoot Owl, soon realizes that he cannot alert the children to their danger, so he darts away as swiftly as possible to alert the posse of sorts. There is only one denizen of Highnote that can be of any help in a situation such as this and Boo knows just where to find him. Hopefully they will return in time to be of assistance should assistance be called for.

Candace speaks: "Give me Grandpa's map. I've got to locate some landmarks or we'll get lost."

William rummages about in his pocket and gets the map. Candace spreads it out on the floor of the boat. "Why does it have a wet spot on it?" she asks.

"My pet toady frog must have tee-tee'd on it," answers William. "Hey Candace," he asks. "What if you get a froggy wart by touching that froggy stain? What if you get a wart on your hand and it spreads and you get two warts, and they spread and you get four warts,and they spread and you get eight, and they spread until you get them all over your hand and it looks like a toady frog? And what if your nose itches and you scratch it and you get a wart on your nose and it ......."

"You better hope not," interrupts Candace. "It pizzled in your pocket first.'

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "Listen to me please. Them alligators look hungry."

Meanwhile the alligators following the boat are swapping recipes with one another, drawing straws to see who gets to be the cook, and arguing why they even need a cook, but mainly disagreeing about how to divide up the meal once it is prepared. The only thing they could agree on was that they were going to eat the occupants of that little fishing boat before the day was done.

The map was a good guide for the astute navigator, Candace. For soon they came upon the isolated cove where lay the deep, dark fishing hole where only legend had ventured in fifty years.

"The water sure is deep here," says William. "Look. I cain't reach bottom with my fishing pole."

"Yea," replies Candace. "If there was a little more sunlight coming through the tree tops I bet we could see all the way to the bottom."

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "I wonder what has become of all them alligators?"

Chapter 2

"That would be great," adds William. "If we could see the bottom Ol' Tom wouldn't have a chance. We could just reach down and snag a hook on him and drag him home."

"That would be too easy," replies Candace. "We want to be known as Master Fishermen and we've gotta get Tom the old fashion way."

"What if we catch him and he is so big we cain't pull him up? What if we pull him up and he is so big that he thinks we are grasshoppers, and he wants to eat us, and we have to run, and he chases us out of the swamp until we get clean away? And later he peeks in at us while we are asleep in bed and he tries to catch us with our own fishing poles?"

"Goodness No," answers Candace. "Do you think that could happen?"

"Naw," replies William. "Grey Wolf wouldn't let nobody eat us. Would you old boy?"

"You bet I wouldn't," snarls Grey Wolf. "Jest you show me that mean old catfish. Why I'll show him what for. That's right. I'll chew his whiskers off. Yea. That's what I'll do. I ain't afraid of no six-hunnert pound catfish. And yet, that reminds me .... where the heck is them alligators?"

Meanwhile, outside the grove of trees where lay the fishing hole a large group of alligators are having a serious discussion:

"Dadgum it," speaks one alligator. "We are gonna be deprived of our rightful meal."

"Yea," speaks another, "and it is a crying shame. Ain't nobody ever gone into that grove of trees and ever come back out again."

"What happens to them," asks a third.

"Something eats them," was the answer. "There has been a monster living in that grove for more than fifty years."

"What does this monster look like," asks that same alligator.

"Heck if I know," replies the other. "Maybe you wanna go in and get a peek at him."

"Not me," he answers. "I am not all that curious."

"Nor me," voices another.

"Me neither," says another.

"Ditto," reply the remaining ones.

"I suggest we remain right here," advises a rather wise alligator. "They might get away from that monster. After all, that little dog looks quite fierce."

"Yea, he does," adds another. "He gives me the goose bumps, that one does."

"I bet he is tasty," pipes a rather foolish alligator.

"Yea," was the response. "He is tasty like a jalepeno pepper."

Meanwhile, returning once more to the grove, there are two large and fierce eyes observing the three fishermen. The eyes belong to the notorious Swamp Bear, who lives in the cove and calls it home. He has lived in the swamp for more than fifty years, wading about with only his head above the water.

Moss, algae, and alligator weed had attached itself to his shoulders and head until he looked like any of the countless stumps that decorated the swamp. It was he who was the monster of the grove. He devoured anyone who ventured into his household, with the exception of a very large catfish who had recently moved in.

"Why," he pondered, "it must be a Thanksgiving Holiday. It has been a long time since I have been offered such a delicious meal." It was opportune for him that he was disguised as a stump. It allowed him to sneak up on his victims unobserved. All that was required of him was to float over to the boat, grab the three of them , and GOBBLE ... GOBBLE.

Way down at the bottom of the fishing hole lay the catfish known as Tom. He was watching the spectacle unfold above him and he said unto himself:

"Just look up there at those brave young fishermen. If that mean Ol' bear thinks I can allow him to eat the three of them ,then he has got another thing coming. I bet he ain't ever had a whupping like he is gonna get by a old retired Mississippi catfish, namely me."

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf from the bow of the boat. "There is a Booger hiding in that stump over there."

"Do you really want to catch Ol' Catfish Tom," asks William of Candace.

"Not really," answers Candace. "But I would like to see him maybe. Or even get a picture of him. That way we could win the prize money by catching him on film. And nobody will ever have to know where he is."

"You mean we can turn him loose," asks William. "Grandpa says he deserves to be left alone to enjoy his retired years and it would be a mighty shame if somebody caught him."

"Exactly," vociferates Candace.

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "You people better listen to me. There's a Booger hiding in that stump over there and I think it's moving closer."

"How old do you reckon Ol' Tom is," asks William.

"Maybe a Hundred years," answers Candace. "And maybe he's gained six pounds a year."

"Gosh. That would make him weigh about a million pounds," says William.

"Nope," corrects Candace. "He'd only weigh six hundred pounds."

"That ain't so big," says William.

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "I don't mean to alarm you people, but somebody better do something about that Booger. He is definitely coming this way."

"Do you reckon," asks William. "That Ol' Tom might like some peanut butter and jelly sandwich?"

"Nope," replies Candace. "Catfish don't eat peanut butter, but he would like maybe a grasshopper or maybe a frog sandwich."

"I ain't going to put my pet toady frog into no sandwich for nobody," proclaims William. "Toby and me have been buddies for a long time, and I would appreciate it if you would not alarm him with such careless remarks. Awww ... lookit that. You went and made him wet my pocket again."

"I apologize," responds Candace. "I certainly do not wish to upset Toby."

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "I do hope to scare you people. There is a mighty ugly looking Booger hiding in that stump ...... and I think I just wet myself."

"Listen to Grey Wolf bark," says William. "Do you reckon he can smell catfish Tom on the bottom of the pond?"

"No." Says Candace. "I think he is barking at that stump over there."

"Do you mean," asks William, "that he is barking at that algae covered, mossy old stump, with the alligator weed clinging to it?"

"That's the one."

"Why you reckon?"

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "Because there is a Booger hiding in it, you dummy. A Booger with big, dark, slanty eyes and big, sharp, pointy teeth. Ain't you people got eyes? Ain't you people got a nose, even? I swear, what would you do without me?"

"Maybe there is a lizard hiding in the moss," answers Candace. "Or perhaps a nest of baby birds."

"Maybe," begins William, "that ain't no stump at all ..."

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "Finally somebody listens."

"Maybe," continues William," that ain't no stump at all, but maybe it is the old Swamp Bear. And he is swimming about with his head above water, dressed like a stump, so he can sneak up on us and eat us."

"Oh my goodness," replies Candace. "Could it really be?"

"Naw," answers William. "It ain't likely. That sort of thing only happens in stories."

"Have you noticed," adds Candace, "how that stump keeps getting closer ... and closer?"

"Well, yeah," answers William. "Maybe it is a floating stump."

"And ... maybe it is a floating Grizzly Bear," points out Candace.

"Look," says William, "would a Grizzly Bear let me hang a fish hook in his hair, like this? And would it let me drag him toward the boat, like this?"

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "I think I wet myself again."

"To be truthful," answers Candace. "I think it would. If it would help with it's objective. I mean, if it gets him close enough to eat us, he wouldn't mind your pulling him along."

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "Keep your distance Booger. I'm a big bad puppy dog. Woof ... Woof ... Woof."

"That stump has got eyeballs," exclaims Candace. "I think you do got a bear by the hair."

"Grab your camera, Candace," hollers William. "I done caught the swamp bear. You better hurry. I don't know how long I can keep him on."

Meanwhile the swamp bear rises to his full height above the water. He throws wide his armored paws, opens his cavernous jaws, and growls:

"ROWRRR!!! ....... WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE. IT'S CHOW TIME."

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "Step back Booger Man. I'm a big bad puppy dog. Woof ... Woof ... Woof."

Candace acquires a quick snapshot of the Grizzly, with Grey Wolf, hackles raised, holding him at bay from the rim of the boat. William realizing he cannot hold on to such a prize with only a bream buster, drops the cane pole and grabs up the anchor attached to thirty foot of rope. Lifting the anchor above his head, he hurls it into the jaws of the menacing bear.

"That wasn't half bad," growls the bear as he swallows the anchor, "but ... BURP ... I wish maybe I'd chewed first."

I've got you now," hollers William, snatching up the anchor rope that is now firmly attached to the bears mouth. Help me hold onto him Candace. He cain't get away from us now."

But Candace has an oar in her hands and is attempting to paddle away. Grey Wolf has grabbed the other oar and is trying to get it in the water as well. William has a grip on the rope and the rope has a grip on the bear.

The bear is in the process of snatching up William and eating him ... when ... a very large catfish stands upright out of the water, directly behind the bear, and taps him on the shoulder. He taps quite roughly and whispers ever so tenderly into his ear ........"ROWRRR!!! ...WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE. IT'S CHOW TIME." The bear literally jumps out of his skin.

Candace grabs her trusty 35 millimeter camera and acquires a hasty snapshot of the large catfish Tom. The swamp bear is not in the picture because he is leaping sixty feet into the air. There is only thirty foot of rope attaching him to the boat and the boat promptly follows the bear. Candace, William, and Grey Wolf are spilled out into the water.

Candace, being ever diligent, keeps the camera above the water. William, not releasing the rope soon enough is carried high into the air only to come down atop of Tom's head, which being slippery like a fish spills him off into the water. Grey Wolf paddles back to the surface and barks: "WOOF ... WOOF." "I think I wet myself again," says he.

The swamp bear makes a grab for a tree limb while at the hiatus of his rise, but misses. He soars slowly over the limb and falls more rapidly beyond, dragging the rope and boat behind. Thirty feet behind him the boat strikes the limb and snags, giving the bear such a yank that he swings back upwards once more.

Once again the bear grabs for the limb and misses. He passes over and falls, until he is snatched upwards once more by the rope. When he comes to rest, the rope is wrapped six times around the tree limb and he is hanging, by the mouth, at the end of the rope.

"Look Candace," Exclaims William. "We have captured the swamp bear. We are going to be famous. They will put our pictures in the paper and we will get a humongous reward.

"I got a picture of Catfish Tom, too," says Candace. "We are double rich and famous."

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "I am a big bad puppy dog."

Meanwhile, Catfish Tom settles back down onto the bottom of the pond, feeling quite pleased with himself. While elsewhere, a large group of alligators peek into the glade from it's outskirts.

"What is that hanging from that tree," asks an alligator.

"I guess that is the monster that we have been scared of all of these years," replies another.

"Do you reckon he is unable to get down," asks another.

"It does look that way," another replies.

"Well let us not dally here ... time is a'wasting and our supper is getting cold," speaks up another.

"Wee Doggie," say the remainder in unison.

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "There is a big bunch of alligators swimming towards us, and we is in the water."

Chapter 3

"Candace," asks William.

"Yes, brother dear," she replies.

"What is Grey Wolf so excited about?"

"I do not know, brother dear. Perhaps it is that legion of alligator reptiles encircling us."

Sixty-three alligators lift wide their jaws and speak, as only alligators can speak: "ROWRRR! ... WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE. IT IS TIME TO CHOW." And sixty-three alligators push their chairs up close to the table.

"Woof ... Woof," barks Grey Wolf. "Stand back you lily-livered reptiles. I'm a big bad puppy dog. Woof ... Woof ... Woof."

"Sister dear," asks William.

"Yes, brother dear," she responds.

"Is there a reward offered for the capture of these sixty-three alligators?"

"I do not think so, brother dear," she replies.

"Awww Pooh," says he. "I guess success will hold it's own reward."

"That is a very astute and wise observation, brother dear," she adds.

"Thank you, sister dear," he replies.

Sixty-four alligators tighten the circle about the three adventurers. .... Now hold it a second ..... there were only sixty-three alligators a moment ago. Now where the ...... OH LORDY BE PRAISED .... That is none other than Ol' George the Alligator ... and that is Boo, the Hoot owl sitting in the tree above him. And if you know anything about the stories of Ol' Highnote you will know who George the Alligator is.

He is the Grandaddy of all the alligators in them swamps and he doesn't allow any harm to come to little children when he is around. He only eats wildcats, Goblins, Bloody-Bones, Hide-Behinds, Bollywogs, and an occasional Swamp bear, but never, ever has he considered eating a Child or even a grownup for that matter. One thing I can assure you of, sixty-three naughty alligators are going to get their bottoms whupped when they get home.

Those sixty-three alligators cried out in unison: "Uncle George. You have it all wrong. We have only come to escort these young children home." That is exactly what they did. Candace, William, and Grey Wolf rode back to shore on the broad back of George the Alligator, and a grand ride it was too. The other alligators followed sadly alongside. They knew Uncle George would not forget what they had intended.

Candace and William raced home to tell of their exploits. No one believed them until the one hour photo booth developed the legendary prints for all to see. There was a hurried rush into the swamp to retrieve the bear. Candace and William went along as guides. However, once they got to the scene, the tree was empty. Empty, save for a humongous pair of false teeth hanging from the end of the rope.

The swamp bear had shaken loose from his dentures and escaped once more into the swamp. Disguised as a tree stump, he would be impossible to locate. The search party made a hasty retreat.

The false teeth were matched up against the toothmarks in Old Jeb Plunkett's leg bone and found to be the authentic swamp bear teeth. They were promptly placed on display behind the museum window of the local fishing lodge, with an engraved plaque beneath telling of the exploits of the brave trio. The photos taken by Candace were published worldwide and became quite legendary in themselves. Later that same year they won the Pulitzer prize.

Candace and William were given handsome rewards, as well as being paid for public appearances and product endorsements. The money was used to establish the Highnote Swamp as a historic game reserve, a Haven to all of God's creatures who dwell there. Candace never revealed the whereabouts of Catfish Tom, and it is believed that he lives to this day.

It should be noted. One dark and stormy night, soon after the adventure, that a thief stole into the local fishing lodge. He broke the Museum's glass window and removed the false teeth from it's stand. Alligator weed was strewn along the floor of the lodge. No one knows who could have stolen the teeth, but a trail of wet footprints led away from the crime scene, in the direction of Highnote Swamp.


THE END