23Aesop'sFablesTwoTravellersandaBearBySueReidOnecoldwinter’sdaytwofriendssetofftotraveltothetown.Theytalkedandlaughedastheystrodealong.Itwascoldandsnowwasfallingbutthetwomenhardlynoticed-theywereenjoyingeachother’scompanysomuch.Whatapleasantfellowheis,eachofthemthought.I’mgladthatwearetrav-ellingtogether.Theroadtothetownlaythroughaforest.Itwaslatebythetimethemenreachedit.‘Weshouldturnback,’oneofthemsaidtotheothernervously.‘It’llsoonbedarkandtherearebearsinthatforest.’Hisfriendwasjustasscaredashewas.Butdidn’twanthisfriendtoknow.Sohelaughed.‘Pah!Bears.That’snothingtobeafraidof.Ifoughtabearonce–andheranaway.’Theothermanfeltashamedofhimself.Iamacoward,butheisbrave,hethought.‘Thenwe’llgoon,’hesaid.Itwasverydarkinthatforest.Thetreesgrewclosetogether.Itwashardtoseetheroadclearly.Itwashardtoseeanythingatall!Butthemanwasn’tafraidanymore.Helistenedashisfriendtoldhimallabouthisfightwiththebear.‘Itwasverybig,’heboasted.‘Twiceasbigasme.ButIpickedupastickandfoughtitoff.’Allofasuddentherewasanenor-mouscrash.Andoutofthebusheslumbered-abear.Themenhadneverseensuchahugebear.Whenitsawthemenitlickeditslips.‘Atlast!’itsaid,standinguponitshindlegsandgrowling.‘Dinner!’Withacryoffright,thefriendrantothenearesttreeandhauledhim-selfupontoabranch.‘Aren’tyougoingtofightit?’themancried.‘Fightit!Youmustbemad,’saidhisfriend.‘Itwillkillus.’Themanranuptothetreewherehisfriendcrouched,trembling.‘There’sroomforusbothinthattree,’hecried.‘Helpmeup.’Buthisfriendpushedhimaway.‘Nothereisn’t.Findsomewhereelsetohide,’hesaid.‘WhatshallIdo?’themanthought.Thebearwassoclosenowhecouldhavestretchedoutahandandtouchedit.‘IfItrytorunitwillrunfaster.IfIfightit,itwillkillme.Itisbiggerandstrongerthanme.’Heflunghimselftothegroundandlaythere,asstillashecould.‘Perhapsitwillleavemealone,’hethought,‘ifitthinksIamdead.’Thebearwasveryhungry.Ithadn’teatenforalongtime.Butitwaspuzzledwhenitsawthemandroptotheground.‘Ishedead?’itwondered.‘Letmesee.’Itbentdown,soclosethatthemancouldfeelitsfurbrushhischeek.Then