Claire, The Bear, and the Rare Pear

By Susan J. Berger
Reader Secret. Every word sounds like ‘air’.

Claire was fair beyond compare. The village called her Fair Claire.
Claire was aware she was fair. Claire didn’t care.
Claire combed her hair. Claire skipped down the stair.
“Where are you going, Fair Claire?” asked her Mère.
I’m going to the fair, cher Mère,” said Claire.
“Take care,” said Mère. “Beware the bear.”
Claire stared at her Mère. “Beware the bear? Where?”
“Somewhere over there,” said Mère.
“I’m not scared of bears,” Claire declared.
“You err,” said her Mère.

Claire passed a pair of hares.
“Beware the bear, Fair Claire,” said the hares.
“Where is the bear” asked Claire.
“Somewhere over there,” said the hares.
“I’m not scared of bears,” Claire declared.
“You err,” said the hares.

Claire passed a mare.
“Beware the bear, Fair Claire,” said the mare.
“Where is the bear” asked Claire.
“Somewhere over there,” said the mare.
“I’m not scared of bears,” Claire declared.
“You err,” said the mare.

Claire sniffed the air. “I smell bear."
Claire dared to go in the bear’s lair.
“What is your name, Bear?” asked Claire.

“My name is Pierre,” said the bear.
“My name is Claire,” said Claire.
“I like your hair,” said the bear.
“Oui. I am very fair,” said Claire. “Pierre, why are you so bare?”
(The bear has fur, but no clothes)

“That’s my affair,” said the bear.

“Would you like a pear, Fair Claire,” asked the bear.
“A pear? Where?” asked Claire.
“There!” The bear snared a pear. “I have one to spare.
“This pear is very rare,” said Pierre, the bear.

“Claire pared the pear with care.
“We share,” said Claire. “That’s fair.”
Claire and the bear ate the rare pear.
The bear turned into Prince Pierre.
Claire turned into a bear.
“Not fair,” growled Claire.
“Don’t care,” said Prince Pierre. “Goodbye, Bear Claire. I’m off to the fair. Take care of the pears.”

The moral: Beware of bears bearing pears.

Buck and Duck

By Susan J. Berger

This is Buck.
This is Duck.
(Carnival game)
This is Puck.
Buck chucks the puck.
“No luck,” says Buck.
Duck chucks the puck.
(Strikes the bull’s eyes)
“Look,” says Buck. “The puck struck!”
“You win the truck!” says Tuck.
“Cluck, cluck,” says Duck. “What luck!”

(Duck’s truck)
Buck and Duck are in the truck.
“Good luck,” says Buck.
The truck runs amok.
The truck runs into the muck.
The muck sucks in the truck.
The truck is stuck in the muck.
“Cluck, cluck,” says Duck. “What luck!”

“Shucks,” says Buck. “We are stuck.”
“Bad luck,” says Buck.
“Can you butt the truck, Buck?”
Buck jumps out of the truck.
Buck butts the truck out of the muck.
“The truck is unstuck,” says Buck.
“Cluck, cluck,” says Duck. “What luck!”
“Good luck,” says Buck.
Buck jumps into the truck.

Buck and Duck are in the truck.
“Stop!” says Buck. “Potluck!”
(A diner)
“Cluck, cluck,” says Duck. “What luck!”
“Bad luck,” says Buck.

(The cook chases them with a cleaver)
Buck and Duck run to the truck.
Good luck, Buck and Duck.