Keloglan and the Bear's Bargain

Once upon a time, Keloglan had a small field at the foot of a mountain. But he had no ox to plough it. One day a big, strong bear came down from the mountain. The bear looked at the field, then at Keloglan: "Keloglan, this field is at the foot of my mountain. If you sow it without my permission, I'll eat you."

Keloglan was frightened, but he used his head: "Brother Bear, let's not fight. Let's be partners. You're strong, so you'll plough the field. I'll sow it and look after it. We'll share the harvest half and half." The bear thought about it: "All right, but I'll choose. The tops of the crop are mine, and the bottoms are yours." "Agreed," said Keloglan.

The bear ploughed the field, and Keloglan sowed turnips. All summer Keloglan watered the turnips and hoed them. At harvest time the bear came: "The tops are mine!" Keloglan cut off the green turnip leaves and gave them to the bear, and he kept the big, sweet turnips for himself. The bear chewed the leaves and pulled a sour face. "These leaves have no taste! Yours look delicious!"

The bear was cross: "Next year the bottoms are mine and the tops are yours!" "Agreed, Brother Bear," said Keloglan. This time he sowed wheat. The wheat grew tall and golden, and its heavy ears bowed down. At harvest time the bear came: "The bottoms are mine!" Keloglan cut the ears of wheat and took them, and left the bear the roots and stubble in the ground. The bear gnawed the roots: "These are dry and tasteless too!"

The bear was furious and roared: "Keloglan, you're tricking me! Next year the tops and the bottoms are both mine. You get the middle!" Keloglan laughed: "All right, Brother Bear, let it be so." This time he sowed maize. The maize grew tall; at the top were its tassels, at the bottom its roots, and in the middle, tucked against the stalk, were plump yellow cobs.

At harvest time the bear came: "The tops and the bottoms are mine!" Keloglan gave the bear the tassels and the roots, and kept the sweet corn cobs from the middle for himself. The bear looked at the tassels, then at the roots, then at the corn in Keloglan's arms. The bear was so confused that he sat down to think.

At last the bear scratched his head and laughed: "Keloglan, every time I asked for the biggest share, and every time I got the worst. It seems greed blinds people, and even bears." Keloglan laughed too and sat down beside the bear: "Brother Bear, I tricked you a little too. I'm sorry. Let's share fairly from now on. You plough the field and I'll look after it, and whatever grows, we'll split it half and half. And we'll keep bees as well."

The next year Keloglan set beehives along the edge of the field. He sowed turnips, wheat and maize, a bit of everything. At harvest time they split everything right down the middle. The bear also got jars and jars of honey. He was so happy that he went into his winter sleep with a full belly.

This tale tells us: greed makes you lose, but sharing fairly wins you friendship. Three apples fell from the sky: one for the one who told this tale, one for the one who listened, and one for the bear in his honey-sweet winter sleep.