Country
Lithuania

Tale typology
Intercultural traditions

Age Suitability
Suitable for 4-7 years old children

Tale summary
Why the tail of the bear is short? - a Norwegian folk tale that is similar to the Lithuanian folk tale - "The wolf had his tail frozen". It's a fairy tale shows the cleverness of the fox and the credulity of the bear.

Educational potential / Learning Outcomes
After hearing the tale several times at home and in the kindergarten, children made illustrations for the tale from the natural materials - felco and wool. They illustrated the storyline, created chosen main 10 scenes to represent Norwegian harsh nature, northern bears and foxes character traits: color, characteristic posture and so on. Later children used their illustrated story to tell it to their smaller friends. Older children illustrated this tale with colored chalks on black chalk paper.

Full Plot
Once upon a time, a bear met a fox.
The fox was going down the road with a bundle of fish. The fish was stolen.

– Where did you get so many fish? – the bear asked.
– I was fishing, dear bear, - fow replied.

The bear also wanted to learn how to fish and asked the fox to teach him.

– Little science here, – the fox replied. – For you it shoul be very easy. Go on the lake ice, cut out a racket and put a tail in it.

– Keep it as long as possible. If you feel itching, don't be scared - the fish are catching. The longer you hold, the more fish you will catch. And then pull up sharply.

The bear did everything as the fox had taught him. He held his tail in the racket for a long time, and the tail froze severely.

Then all of a sudden the bear pulled up. Since then, the bear has a short tail.

One Lesson Plan
1 week
Children sit in groups on the stumps. The candle is lit. Children are inviting a fairy tale with the song: “A fairy tale, fairy tale come for a minute, dress your golden clothes today, don't miss us“ (with these words the palms of children are sweeten with a drop of the rose oil)
The teacher is telling the fairy-tale.
At the end of the tale the candle is blow out, children say goodbye to the tale with the song: „Goodbye fairy tale, visit us tomorrow, dress your golden clothes, don't miss us“.

2 week
Children create fairy tale scenes from natural materials: felco and the wool. The base is made of wool, it should be moisturized and ironed.
The characters of the tale: the bear, the fox, the fish are making (rolling) using the wool. Creating the storyboards.

3 week
Children are telling the story, looking at the storyboards. They remain the exact story plot order.

4 week
Fairy tale anchorage: children draw fairy tale scenes with colored chalk on black chalk paper.

5 week
Table Puppet Theater (compared Lithuanian folk tale - The Wolf Tail Freeze).