They needed iron for everything. There was iron in the plough
that broke up the field, in the axe that felled the tree for building
houses, in the scythe that mowed the grain, and in the knife, which
could be turned to all sorts of uses. There was iron in the horse's bit,
in the lock on the door, in the nails that held furniture together, in
the sheathing that covered the roof. The rifle which drove away wild
beasts was made of iron, also the pick that had broken up the mine. Iron
covered the men-of-war he had seen at Karlskrona; the locomotives
steamed through the country on iron rails; the needle that had stitched
his coat was of iron; the shears that clipped the sheep and the kettle
that cooked the food. Big and little alike--much that was indispensable
was made from iron. Father Bear was perfectly right in saying that it
was the iron that had given men their mastery over the bears.
"Now will you or won't you?" Father Bear repeated.
The boy was startled from his musing. Here he stood thinking of matters
that were entirely unnecessary, and had not yet found a way to save
himself!
"You mustn't be so impatient," he said. "This is a serious matter for
me, and I've got to have time to consider."
"Well, then, consider another moment," said Father Bear. "But let me
tell you that it's because of the iron that men have become so much
wiser than we bears.
Pages:
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402