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Daily 
Warm-Up
1
Fiction: Fairy Tales/Folklore
Bearskin
A soldier discharged from the war found himself in dire 
straits. As he bemoaned his fate, a stranger with a cloven 
foot appeared. He offered the warrior wealth if he 
demonstrated his courage. After the soldier shot a bear, 
another condition was required. “You must not bathe or 
groom yourself for seven years. If you die, you are mine.
If you survive, you will be wealthy and free all your life 
long.” They concurred, and the soldier acquired the 
bearskin as a cloak. From that moment forward, the 
soldier was known as Bearskin. Bearskin wandered the 
countryside, providing liberally for the poor and requesting 
their prayers for his life. Each year, his countenance 
became more monstrous so that people were terrified.
Alone one evening, Bearskin heard awful groaning.
A decrepit man wept violently outside. Bearskin’s 
compassion persuaded the man to tell his story.
Impoverished, the man had lost all his property and 
now feared he and his daughters would starve.
Bearskin satisfied the man’s debts, and out of gratitude, 
the man offered one of his daughters in marriage.
The eldest daughter ran shrieking in fright at Bearskin’s 
appearance. The next oldest insisted she would rather 
wed their recent visitor, a bear masquerading as a 
human. The youngest daughter said, “Father, this 
benevolent man assisted you in your trouble. If you 
promised him a bride, your word must be kept.”
Bearskin removed a ring from his finger and separated it 
into two pieces, giving half to the bride. “Preserve it 
carefully,” he instructed. “If I return in three years, we will 
marry. If not, you are released, for I will have perished.”
At the end of the seven years, Bearskin gladly received 
his garment and a satchel of gold from the stranger.
Bearskin and his bride joined their halves of the ring.
Upon learning this was the same Bearskin and that 
their youngest sister would be his bride, the two older 
sisters ran from the house in rage and jealousy.
Text Questions
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 1 . What did Bearskin ask of the poor people?
a. that they repay him when their circumstances improved
b. that they pray he would survive the seven years
c. that they give generously to others
d. that they wander the countryside with him
 2 . What role does the scene with the old man and his daughters play in the development of the story?
a. It shows that Bearskin had courage and compassion regardless of what people thought of him.
b. It shows another example of Bearskin giving money away.
c. It surprises the reader to learn the man had daughters.
d. It shows the stranger trying to catch Bearskin in a trap.