The Brown Bear of the Green Glen facts for kids

The Brown Bear of the Green Glen is a fun Scottish fairy tale. It was collected by a man named John Francis Campbell. He wrote it down in his book, Popular Tales of the West Highlands. The story was told to him by John MacDonald, who was a Traveling Tinker. This tale is a bit like another story called The Water of Life.

The Brown Bear of the Green Glen Story

What Happens in the Story?

John's Journey Begins

Once, there was a king who was very sick. He was losing his sight and could not walk. His two oldest sons decided to go find special water to make him well again.

The youngest son was named John. Everyone thought he was a bit foolish. But John also decided to go on the quest. He found his older brothers in the first town they reached. Then, he continued his journey alone.

Meeting the Bear

One night, John climbed a tree to sleep safely. But a large bear came along. This bear had a glowing ember in its mouth! The bear threatened to climb the tree if John did not come down. So, John climbed down.

The bear then caught a deer. It cooked the meat and shared it with John. In the morning, the bear told John to ride on its back. They traveled together.

Every night, the bear told John to stay with a giant. John had to say that the brown bear of the green glen had sent him. The first two giants were fine. But the third giant was different. He wrestled with John.

The bear had told John what to do. When the giant had him pinned down, John shouted, "If the brown bear of the green glen were here, it would not go well with you!" Just as he said this, the bear appeared!

Magical Gifts and Betrayal

The giant then ordered a sheep to be placed outside his door. He told John that an eagle would come to eat it. John's task was to cut a wart from the eagle's ear without spilling any blood. John did it perfectly.

The eagle then carried John to the Green Island. This was where the special water to cure his father was. John got the water. He also found some amazing magical items. He found a whiskey bottle that never emptied. There was also a loaf of bread that never got smaller. And a cheese that was always full. While there, he also kissed a beautiful sleeping woman.

The eagle carried John back. He showed the giant the magical whiskey bottle. The giant offered him money, a saddle, and a bridle for it. John agreed, but only if the giant promised to give the bottle to his sweetheart if she ever came looking for it. The giant agreed. John sold the magical bread and cheese to the next two giants under the same conditions.

John met his brothers again in the town. He told them to come home. But his brothers attacked him! They tried to kill him and stole the special water. John was badly hurt.

The Truth Comes Out

Luckily, a smith was traveling by. John called out to him. The smith helped John into his cart. But the iron in the cart got into John's wounds. This made his skin rough and he lost his hair.

Meanwhile, the woman John had kissed gave birth to a son. A henwife gave her a special bird. This bird would jump onto the head of the baby's father when it saw him.

The woman set out to find John. She got the whiskey, the cheese, and the bread back from the giants. She finally reached the king's castle. She told the king everything that had happened.

The king had every man in the kingdom come before her. But the bird did not jump on anyone. The king asked if there was anyone else. The smith then told him about his rough-skinned servant, John. John was brought in. The bird immediately jumped onto John's head!

The king knew John was his son. He asked John what should happen to his brothers for what they did. John described how they had hurt him. In the end, John married the princess, and they lived happily ever after.