Bucky Bear was making a lot of noise and happily playing with his Toys, until- Mama Bear said, “It’s time to take a bath, brush you teeth and go to bed.”

Bucky put on quite a show as he yelled “No, no, no, I will not go!” But since he was sent, up the stairs and into the bathroom he went.

Mama got the water ready, complete with rubber ducky and bubbles. She smiled merrily and told Bucky, “Now you can soak away all of your troubles”.

Mama left and shut the door, while Bucky cried and sat on the floor.

Then he looked up and he saw the open window and to him he heard it call. “Come outside and bring rubber ducky, run far away from baths that are yucky.”

As this idea danced in his head, he thought it much grander than going to bed. He pulled himself up onto the window ledge, tipped over a flower pot as he jumped over the edge. On the floor he heard it crash, as he skedaddled away with a dash.

He ran and he jumped and he skipped and he played, while deeper into the woods and off the path he strayed. Now poor Bucky was lost out there on his own, He didn’t know how to find his way home.

The sun had set, it was dark and he was cold, how he wished he would have done what he was told.He sat down and leaned against a tree and tried to think his problem through, but he couldn’t you see.

Because…

His tummy began to rumble and his thoughts were all a jumble. He missed his mama’s warm biscuits and apple pie, when he thought of them a tear came to his eye. He lay down on the ground and tried to pretend it was his soft warm bed, but the soft and warm only existed in his head.

The ground was hard, cold and lumpy he never imagined it could be so bumpy. He hugged rubber ducky and heaved a big sigh, there was nothing left to do but cry.

Then he saw flashes of light and he heard familiar voices calling in the night.

“Oh no, he thought I must keep on the run, how could they still call me their son?” “I broke mama’s flower pot and acted so badly, they’ll never take me back,” as he hung his head sadly.

But he knew far from home is where he could not stay, Because it was there he was loved every day. Now Daddy, Mama and Sister were all by his side. “Oh Bucky we are so happy we found you,” they cried.

His warm bath felt good that night and as he played with rubber ducky, he couldn’t remember why he thought baths were so yucky. With his tummy full of mama’s biscuits and honey, he snuggled in his soft bed until it was sunny.

He bought Mama a new flower pot with his allowance that he saved and from that day forward Bucky was much better behaved.