King of the Grizzlies Page #3

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Besides, it just worked up

a whole new appetite.

But now,

joining the festivities...

the real boss bear

of these parts.

This young grizzly,

just entering his prime...

was at the peak of his power,

and, by right of might...

anything and everything

was his for the taking.

NARRATOR.' There was only one

way out, and Blackie took it.

NARRATOR.'

A squalling young'un...

was the one thing

the new king couldn't stand...

and that was bad.

But adult grizzlies

can't climb trees...

and that was good...

so he couldn't go up

and get him.

But he could do something

that was just as good...

and that was bad.

NARRATOR.' This hole

was only the groundwork.

Next thing

was to stuff that brat in...

and cover him up,

soon as he shook him down.

NARRATOR.' That swingin'trip

finally came to an end...

only because

the ground crew got tired.

As a final gesture...

the grizzly would leave

a permanent warning...

for all who trespassed

in his domain.

In the manner of bears...

he made the mark

that said he was the king...

and this was his country.

NARRATOR.' It was mid-morning

the next day...

before Wahb got up

the courage to get down.

NARRATOR.' Uh-oh. He didn't

like the look of that bush.

No telling what was behind it.

NARRATOR.' It was autumn now,

and the changing seasons...

brought a change

to Wahb's way of life.

As the fall colors

spread over the mountains...

more and more,

Wahb was drawn upward...

toward the higher country.

When Wahb found

the first snowfall...

he weighed

nearly four hundred pounds.

For some time now, he'd had

the definite feeling...

of being late

for something.

He didn't know what it was,

but one thing for certain...

he sure felt awful sleepy

these days.

In Wahb's slide for home...

he had by instinct

returned to the same den...

in which he was born.

All at once...

Wahb knew he'd found the cure

for what ailed him.

He just needed

a good long winter's nap.

Now, there already happened

to be one resident here...

a pack rat

that had staked himself...

a little quarter section.

Not far away

was a pair of wolverines...

that had been

apartment hunting.

This young couple had

decided on a certain place...

they'd staked out

last summer.

NARRATOR.'

The wolverines decided...

they'd got a lot more bear

than they'd bargained for.

He coul d just have

the whole den.

NARRATOR.' Considering

the circumstances...

the pack rat figured...

he wouldn't even

take time to pack.

There just wasn't

room enough...

for him and that bear, too.

And so, at last,

Wahb began his long sleep.

It would last

all through the storms...

of the high country winter.

The seasons changed,

and now the four-toed bear...

left his mark upon the land.

It was a pattern that

repeated again and again...

as the seasons completed

their cycles and became years.

The fourth winter came and

passed, and another spring.

This time, it was

a new awakening for Wahb.

He weighed nearly

eight hundred pounds now...

a young giant just moving

into early adulthood.

Today, the male grizzly's

instinct to wander...

told him it was time to leave

the familiar valley.

Then, on this day

in early summer, he moved...

into the Headwater Valley

of the Greybull River.

It was early

the next morning...

that Wahb began what would be

a day of learning.

Actually, he was looking

for food, not education.

This was a typical

Indian wolf-trap set...

a chunk of bait above,

a circle of traps below.

The wolves were

on their toes, though...

too smart to take the bait.

To Wahb, it sounded like

something interesting.

The wolves were more than

willing to move back...

and let this newcomer

move in on their problem.

Wahb was about to learn

that in the wilderness...

a free meal generally

has a catch to it.

To a bear, a wolf trap

is just a nuisance...

but Wahb woul d never forget

the scent of steel...

or the fact that traps

mean trouble.

COLONEL.'

Curly, eighteen seconds.

Powder face up.

Be right back.

NARRATOR.' On the long ride

home from his trapping trip...

it seems Moki's horse

had picked up a problem.

What's goin' on over there?

Oh, a little friendly war

between the Indians and us.

Threw a shoe.

There's the last

of that wolf pack.

Hmm, I'm glad we got rid of

that bunch of cattle killers.

MOKI.' Yes, sir.

But I want to have the boys

fence off...

some of that timberland,

just the same.

Oh?

Pretty wild back in there.

I saw a grizzly.

A grizzly, huh? Too bad

you couldn't get a shot at him.

Could have. But I wanted

to make sure of the wolves.

Sir?

Anyway, he was hightailing it

for the mountains.

Good. Let's hope

he keeps right on going.

If he doesn't...

I'm gonna be real disappointed

in my grandfather.

Your grandfather?

Remember that cub

we knocked in the river...

a couple of years back?

Yeah, I remember.

He had four toes

on his right hind foot.

The grizzly I saw today

left a four-toed track.

Now, how could you know

how many toes that cub had?

- We lost him in the river.

- Yes, sir...

but I found him

the next day...

and I got to thinking

about my grandfather...

and totems...

and legends...

and the first thing I knew

I had that cub hogtied...

and was heading

for high country.

Turned him loose up there.

Moki, sometimes I wonder

if you're not...

more medicine man

than cattleman.

Times I wonder myself, sir.

NARRATOR.'

A couple of days later...

Moki's fence-setting project

was well underway...

in charge of a cowhand

named Shorty Russell.

Shorty had a lot

of sterling qualities...

but hard work

wasn't one of them.

The ranch wagon wasn't due

to pick him up just yet...

and the way Shorty saw it...

wasn't any use

wasting good snoozing time.

By now, Wahb was already

deep in ranch country...

and this just happened to be

his day for pushing over trees.

So far, Wahb had downed

three pines and one aspen...

but he wasn't getting anywhere

with this bunch of birches.

Well, now, this little

single-file forest...

seemed just made to order.

Wahb had never seen

trees like these before...

but the shorter they came,

the quicker they fell.

Now, there's no denying

that all grizzlies...

are unpredictable

and potentially dangerous.

Wahb was no exception...

but today he was in

a particularly good mood...

a lot more curious

than cantankerous.

Too bad there was nobody

around to tell Shorty that.

You g-get away.

Oh... no, no.

Aah! Help!

Wahb was a little puzzled

by all these ups and downs.

Still,

Shorty's performance...

coul dn't have been

more sincere.

Maybe this critter'd stay put

if he buried it.

Looks like Shorty

got tired again.

Come on.

COWBOY.' Hey, Shorty!

Shorty! Where are you?

Here! Here!

Grizzly! Grizzly!

There's a grizzly.

There's a grizzly.

It is a grizzly.

COWBOY.'

Let's get out of here.

Hyah!

Hyah! Hyah!

Stop! Wait! Let me on!

COWBOY.'

Come on, hurry up.

SHORTY.' Wait! Stop!

Hey.

Ooh.

Ah, thanks a lot, boys. Heh.

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