Chapter 4: Pans, a Bear, and a Garden

A midnight scratching at the window turns Benjamin’s quiet island home into a full-blown bear scare. We follow the family from pan-banging bravery to morning cleanup, muddy teamwork, and a warm kitchen reset with pancakes. 
• Benjamin waking up in the dark and spotting a moving shape in the garden 
• Benjamin alerting his parents and Dad rushing out to chase the bear away 
• The bear fleeing into the lake and the family settling back to sleep 
• Morning inspection of the potato garden and deciding how to repair the holes 
• Miss Hound helping dig dirt while Benjamin fills buckets and patches the damage 
• Getting filthy, talking about learning to swim, and setting a “not today” boundary 
• The wash barrel bath chaos and ending with breakfast and school 

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Transcript

Midnight Wake And A Mystery Sound

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Benjamin, the boy who lived on an island on a lake below a mountain, woke up slowly. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. It was dark. Why is it dark? he wondered. Benjamin looked outside his little window, and the reason for the darkness became clearly apparent. It was till nighttime. Hm why'd I wake up? he asked himself. He rolled over and pulled the covers up to his chin. He drifted to the edge of sleep again, but was snapped wide awake by a sudden noise. A scratching and groveling noise was coming through the window from outside. Benjamin slid out of the bed and quietly walked to the window to look for the source of the noise. His head peeked over the windowsill. At first Benjamin did not see anything except the fog on the window from his own breath. He wiped it away, and then he saw a black, unmoving shape in the garden. Then he heard the noise again and saw that the dark shape was, in fact, actually moving. Benjamin thought it was a bear. Its snout was snuffling in a fresh hole.

Telling Dad About The Bear

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Benjamin walked away from the window and out of his room. He walked to his parents' room and knocked softly. What is it, buddy? He heard his father ask after a few moments. Still sleepy and barely awake, Benjamin mumbled, Um there's a bear in the garden. There was a moment of silence, and then the door swung open with a rush. Did you say bear? His dad said from the open doorway with understandable urgency. Benjamin nodded. His dad rushed to the kitchen. There was some clanging, and then the back door opened. Benjamin ran to his window to look outside. His mother joined him. What is it? she whispered. Benjamin answered, A bear. A bear? his mother managed to half yell and whisper at the same time. She ran out of the room just as Benjamin saw his dad come around the corner of the house.

Pan-Banging Chase To The Lake

SPEAKER_00 2:04

He was yelling rather musically, hey there, bear, there bear, get away here there bear. All the while he banged the pans together with loud clangs and bangs. Surprised, the bear's head shot up and looked at the source of the commotion. The bear wasted no time after seeing the source and ran away towards the beach, and with a big splash the bear charged into the water and started swimming into the lake. Benjamin's father chased the bear to the edge of the water and kept banging the pans for a few seconds before heading back towards the house. Back in the house a few moments later, Benjamin's father walked back into the kitchen. His bare feet were covered in mud and dirt. Honey, your feet, his mother said, throwing his father a towel. Sorry, dear. Didn't have time to put on shoes. The bear was getting your potatoes, he replied. His father sat down and cleaned his feet. I'm afraid this towel's ruined. You're probably going to have to just burn it. After several minutes, everyone went back to bed. Benjamin dreamt of bears, digging holes and swimming laps around the lake.

Morning Damage And A Garden Check

SPEAKER_00 3:08

The next day, everyone went out to the garden to look at the damage the bear had caused. Miss Hound, nose to the ground, circled the large holes the bear had dug. Look here and here, she howled. There were a few small holes and two larger holes. Benjamin's mother kneeled down and examined the holes one by one. Finally, she pronounced Most of the potatoes are okay, but we need to fill in these holes with some good dirt. Benjamin's father said, Yeah, could have been worse. I'm gonna go look for signs of the bear on the rest of the island. He gave kisses and hugs to everyone and headed into the woods with his bow and arrow.

Digging Dirt With Miss Hound

SPEAKER_00 3:46

Benjamin's mother picked up a small shovel and a bucket and handed them to Benjamin. Benjamin, go get us some good dirt where we dump the ashes out. Benjamin took the bucket and shovel. Can Miss Hound go with me? he asked. Well of course she can, if she wants, his mother answered. Miss Hound barked, Yes, I'd love to go with Benjamin. She trotted over to Benjamin, tail wagging. They walked until they reached a spot behind the chicken coop, covered in very green clover and grass, with dark soil patches scattered about. Miss Hound, you're good at digging. Can you help me? Benjamin asked as he sat the bucket down. Of course I'll help. Let me dig up some dirt, and then you can shovel it into the bucket, she replied. Miss Hound pawed the dirt vigorously into small piles behind her. Dirt was going everywhere. Benjamin laughed and covered his eyes to keep the dirt out. Benjamin took the loose dirt in his little shovel and put it in the bucket until it was full. Then he walked it back to the garden. They did this over and over again until all the holes the bear had made were full. When they were finished, Benjamin's mom looked over at them. Oh my Miss Hound, you're absolutely filthy, Benjamin's mother exclaimed. You need to go jump in the lake and wash off. She then turned her attention to her son. Benjamin, you aren't much better. Looks like you need a bath too, his mother continued. Benjamin's hands and face were brown with dirt, and his hair was matted with mud. Miss Hound gave a bark, ran to the lake and jumped in with a big splash. Water went everywhere as she jumped

Muddy Kids Talk Swimming And Bath

SPEAKER_00 5:24

in. Mom, can I jump in the lake too? Benjamin asked. Not today, but when it warms up. It might be time for you to learn how to swim anyways. I think that will be really fun, his mom answered. She gave him a smile. I can learn to swim like a fish, Benjamin asked. Yes, just like a fish, she answered, before adding. But until then, you can go fill up the water barrel for your bath. The wash barrel was a large wooden oak barrel near a fire, and it took Benjamin eight full buckets to fill it enough for his bath. His little sister yelled, Benjamin, take a bath, as Benjamin jumped into the barrel with a big splash. Water went all over his mother, his sister, and Mr. Cat, who was lying near the fire. Adeline yelled splash. His mother yelled Benjamin, and Mr Kat just ran away from the front porch of the house. Benjamin's mother scrubbed him from head to toe. When Benjamin climbed out of the bath, the water was filthy. Okay,

Breakfast Pancakes And Back To School

SPEAKER_00 6:22

you two, his mother said to him and his sister. Time to go inside and make some breakfast. Benjamin had a big fluffy towel wrapped around him. Are we done playing outside? Benjamin asked. For now, yes. You need to eat and do some school, his mom answered. They went inside to the warm kitchen, where they had pancakes and hash browns. Thanks for listening.