Chapter 18

“So,” Scottie asked still not sure of what such a big bear’s intentions might be, “if you’re not going to eat us then what are you going to do.

Everyone was very quiet and focused on Peppermint. Merlin stood shivering close by Scottie’s side. Peppermint looked at Merlin and Scottie for just a moment, smiled, nodded his head, winked his left eye, then began dancing and singing,

“My name is Peppermint,
I’m a red and white bear
sweeter than candy
with sweetness to spare.
I sing and I dance,
and I dance and I sing
‘cause my name is Peppermint
and dancing’s my thing.

When I was a young bear
I lived in a zoo
then I worked for the circus
more years than a few,
but now that I’m older
and I don’t have to work,
I sing all day long
and dance in the dirt.

So come along friends,
I’ll teach you to dance.
What fun it will be
when we get the chance,
We’ll laugh and we’ll giggle
‘til we fall to the ground
and dream of such fun
with our new friends we’ve found.”

Even before Peppermint finished singing his song, Scottie and Merlin were up dancing around and around with Peppermint in the grassy field where they had been sleeping only moments before. It was if it were by some magic spell that Peppermint got them up to dance as neither had ever danced before and it was but a little while before Scottie and Merlin (and the hopping box) were dancing and singing too,

“My name is Scottie,
I dance and I sing.
I don’t have no worries,
I don’t have a thing,
but I’ve got my Merlin
and Peppermint too,
and I’ve got a box
that hops with me too.”

“Quack-quack, quack-quack,
quack-quack, quack-quack,
quack-quack-quack, quack-quack-quack,
quack-quack-quack-quack-quack.”

“My name is Peppermint,
I’m a red and white bear
sweeter than candy
with sweetness to spare.
I sing and I dance,
and I dance and I sing
‘cause my name is Peppermint
and dancing’s my thing.”

And so it was the four of them, Scottie, Merlin, Peppermint T. Bear, and the hopping box spent the remainder of the day-- all afternoon and well into the evening-- singing, dancing, and filling their hearts with joy ‘cause when you sing and dance you can’t help but fill your heart with joy. And finally, after the sun set low and the moon beamed bright in the sky, the four of them all laid down to sleep and dream the night away.

I wonder what they dreamed about, don’t you?

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