Alice & Kopu

There was a little girl named Alice who lived in a cottage near a huge forest. She lived with her wonderful family. She always wanted to head into the forest  as she’d never been to a forest and wanted to have an adventure and explore a new place.  However, she never had the opportunity to do so because she was sometimes outdoors camping with her family or doing household chores.

One day, it changed. After the family had been camping, she felt she needed an adventure. As they sat by the fire, poking it with a stick, she asked her parents with courage, “Can I please go out into the forest by myself. I’m a brave little girl. Please be fair on me because I think I can take care of myself.’’

The parents reacted with panic. Dad said with a sharp tone, “No way hoozai, Alice. Have you lost it? You may consider yourself an adult but it’s a dangerous world out there. I don’t wish to put you in any risk, so no! You enjoyed the camping adventures and found it equally joyful to help us with chores. Why do you want to put your life at risk?”

Her mum tried explaining, “Your father’s right, listen to him.”

Alice got up angrily. “No, I’m going. If you still don’t trust me, forget it. You just don’t understand me.” And she stormed off.

Her mum and dad tried to stop her with her dad saying, “Try and see reason please.” But Alice didn’t listen.

Once she entered the forest, she could see birds chirping so she chirped back. She then saw a pond. She liked to look at her reflection so she went closer. Suddenly she saw a grizzly bear appear behind her smiling, so she screamed and was about to run away when it stopped her.

“Hello, child,” it said. “Don’t be scared, I’m a friendly grizzly bear named Kopu. What’s your name?”

Alice replied, “Alice.”

Kopu said, “Pleasure meeting you, Alice. And don’t worry, I’ll take care of you if any creature tries to harm you.”

 Alice laughed, “As if I’m scared. I don’t need anyone.”

Kopu laughed back. “Have you gone crazy. You’re a child. Why did you leave home?”

“Because of my parents,” Alice said. “But I don’t what to talk about it.”

Kopu replied. “Whatever the reason, what you did wasn’t right. It was unfair towards them. Anyway, follow me.”

 So Alice did. After a little walk they arrived at an ice cream van with ‘Kopu’s Ice Cream Shop’ on the top.

“Wow,” said Alice. “You are the world’s coolest bear to own an ice cream shop.”

Kopu said, “Thanks, Alice. What ice cream would you like?”

She said, “Chocolate ice cream on a cone please,” to which Kopu replied, “Coming right up.”

So he prepared the ice cream cone and gave it to her and made a vanilla ice cream cone for himself. Then for fun Alice splat the ice cream on his face, which made them both laugh. Then he for a joke splat his ice cream on top of her head, not knowing she could be short tempered sometimes.

“WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?” she yelled.

Kopu became surprised at this sudden behaviour. “Chill dude, it was only banter.”

Alice became red in the face, but realised that what she had done for Kopu could have been seen as mean. And then she thought of her parents. If they had run away from her, as she had from them, she too would have been worried.

“Thanks to you,” she said to Kopu, “I’ve realised an important lesson. Sometimes you should listen to people. I am achild and any creature could have attacked me. But luckily I met you. I need to go back to aplogise to my parents.”

Kopu said, “Sorry for upsetting you but it’s a good lesson to learn.”

So Alice bid him goodbye and Kopu wept a little as he was going to miss her badly.  She walked to her parent’s house and rang the bell. When her parents opened the door, they became pleased. She held her ears apologising and saying sorry. But now she had come home she was forgiven.