Henry was trotting along in the twilight looking for food.
It was always twilight in the Arctic in Winter – except when it was completely dark.
But since Henry was a trickster, he was looking for both food and fun. He loved laughing – especially at other people's expense.
Suddenly he stopped, completely still, because he knew that movement could make the ptarmigan up ahead notice him. Henry’s fur was completely white in the winter, so it was hard for the bird – or anyone else – to see him.
The bird turned its head away.
Henry crouched down and quickly slunk closer.
Then froze again once the bird nervously turned back towards him.
Again and again, Henry moved closer, then froze, closer, then froze…
He was almost in reach, ready to spring, when the ptarmigan turned and looked directly into Henry's face.
Both of them froze, neither sure what to do next.
Finally, Henry decided that he was too far to pounce – the bird would escape.
So, instead, he bounded straight up in the air and yelled, "BOOO!"
The bird squawked and flew off in a mess of feathers and fuss.
Henry rolled over and over on the snow and laughed and laughed and laughed…
Then froze again. He felt as if someone was watching him. Slowly, he rolled onto his stomach and got his paws underneath him.
Using his peripheral vision, moving as little as possible, he looked as far around him as possible.
Then quietly inhaled.
“Man,” he thought to himself.
He glued himself to the ground, waiting…
… then when he heard a sudden movement, he leaped…
… backwards.
Just as the net slammed down on the ground where he had been.
The Inuit trapper scrambled up, but Henry was faster.
The Inuk got his feet beneath him and looked to reach out with his net, but Henry leaped again…
… right on top of the trapper's head!
The trapper reached up … and Henry jumped over his back, nipping his trousers as he went.
The Inuk turned to grab him, but Henry dodged through his legs and took off.
The trapper almost fell over his feet, then straightened up and started chasing Henry.
Henry easily outdistanced him…then saw a chance to play two tricks at once…
He slowed, running just fast enough that the trapper couldn't quite catch him, but not so fast that the Inuk gave up, either.
The trapper was getting winded when Henry stopped, turned, sat, and stuck his tongue out.
The trapper quickly halted, almost tripping over his feet again, growled, then raised his net.
Henry stepped neatly to one side … leaving the trapper face to face with Polar Bear, just emerging from the water, having just captured a seal.
The trapper skidded to a stop, heart suddenly pounding in his chest. Polar Bear ducked instinctively at being confronted with the one enemy who could bring him down.
They both stopped, staring at each other.
The Inuk gulped and started to back slowly away, step by step.
Bear came out of the water, shook himself, and turned to face the hunter, then dropped his head and growled, and the Inuk turned and ran as if his life depended on it.
Henry trotted towards Bear, stopping a safe distance away.
“Thank you, Brother Bear, for scaring that one away. ’Preciated.”
Bear turned to face Henry. "YOU!"
Henry smiled, letting his tongue loll out.
"Well, time for me to be getting home. Oh, by the way, you wouldn't happen to have any spare seal meat, would you? I had a ptarmigan all lined up, but that hunter scared it off."
Bear growled deep in his throat, then started to chuckle.
"Oh, hell. Look, Henry, if I give you some meat, will you stop nipping my butt when I'm sleeping?"
Henry cocked his head to one side, “I'll think about it.” And licked his nose.
Bear tore off a piece of seal meat and threw it to the fox.
“See that you do, OK? Now scram. You make my tummy ache. And next time, don't bring any hunters around, okay?”
Henry smiled, nodded his head, picked up the chunk of seal meat, turned, then mumbled over his shoulder …
“I'll think about it,” as he trotted off…
