Polar Bear Lament

Once upon a time a happy family lived on the ice-covered waters of the Arctic Sea. It was a kind of paradise with caribou, wolves, fox and many other mammals. Baby bear, Erika, and her older brother and sister, Thor and Astrid, frolicked on the ice that stretched endlessly to the horizon.

The elder bears told the children stories about a great ship with more than 2000 humans on board that had struck an iceberg some distance away in the North Atlantic more than 100 years ago, then disappeared. “The iceberg didn’t budge,” Grandpa said with pride,adding “Before the ship set sail from Ireland, the ship’s owner had warned the captain to look out for icebergs, but the captain ignored the warning. By the time he spotted the iceberg, it was too late.” “Still,” said Grandma, “it was sad.”

One day an enormous metal bird with a whirling paddle on top swooped down on the ice. Astrid, Thor and Erika watched from a safe distance as the humans came out of the helicopter, took measurements and then left. Mama said they were scientists.

As Erika, Thor and Astrid grew older, they went farther and farther afield. They made friends with birds who were very wise, having flown many millions of miles in the sky above the earth. The birds told the polar bear kids that the air over the Arctic was warmer than in years gone by and the icebergs less solid. The birds said, “Polar ice caps and Arctic Sea ice are melting. Even the glaciers are shrinking!”

Back home, Erika, Thor and Astrid had many questions. Papa said, “Leave such things to the grown-ups.” Mama said. “The birds were just trying to scare you.” “We polar bears are intelligent,” Papa said, “We can handle things. We don’t need any advice from scientists.” And Mama said, “We can adjust. We always have and we always will.”

Erika began to whimper. Thor and Astrid put their paws around her. They were worried. As the days passed, worry turned into fear. And fear turned into terror.

In Celebration of National Mother Goose Day

A Fable; By Ava's Very Own Gran'ma, Serena Howlett