NE DAY after Filament and his bear friend, Flagyl, had built a snowbear in the back yard, Filament stood at the back door looking out at the new fallen snow.

     "Oh Flagyl!" Filament called to his friend. "Look how the new snow has fallen on our snowbear. It's all covered with fresh snow!"

     "It looks so pretty" said Flagyl, "and look how deep the snow is now!"

     Filament turned excitedly to Flagyl and said "Let's get our parkas on and go out to play in the snow!"

     "Well, I don't know. . ." Flagyl said rather thoughtfully, ". . .it is kind of cold and snowy out there."

     "Nonsense!" Filament answered, "Get our things from the bear box" (that's where all the bear clothes are kept) " . . .and don't forget our hats!"

     So, Flagyl trudged on over to the bear box (hoping that if he was slow about it, maybe Filament would suddenly think of something else to do.) But, Filament wasn't about to be distracted this time . . .he knew exactly what he'd like to do outside in the snow.

     Flagyl brought the parkas, hats and mittens (all from L.L. Bean, you know!) over to Filament and they helped each other get dressed. Finally, they were ready.

     "Last one out the door is a Frog!" cried Filament as he dashed out the door.

     Flagyl jumped for the door at the same moment and the two bears ended up kerpoof in a snow drift just off the back porch!

     Filament got up, brushed the snow off himself and said "Let's get the sleigh Dad made for us and go sleigh-riding!"

     "Does Dad know we're taking it?" Flagyl always was a worrier.

     "No." Filament said ". . . but he won't mind. He made it just for bears." Filament reached under the porch, pulled on a thin rope and . . . out came the most handsome sleigh Flagyl had ever seen. (Actually, it was the first sleigh he had ever seen!)

     "Wow! That's wonderful!" Flagyl practically jumped up and down.

     "Come in, let's go up to the top of this hill." Filament said as he started up, pulling the sleigh behind him. Flagyl followed behind him, his short little legs slipping and sliding through the snow.

     At last they reached the top of what seemed to our bear friends as a very high, steep hill. It really was a big pile of snow left from the digging out done earlier by their Mom and Dad.

     "Get on the sleigh, Flagyl. I'll sit behind you." Filament held the sleigh at the very edge of the steep slope as Flagyl sat towards the front of the sleigh. Filament sat down behind Flagyl, held on to him and the steering rope, and yelled "Push off!!"

     Down they went, lickity split! Flagyl yelled "Oh . . . Oh . . . OH!"

     "Aaaarrrggghhh!" Hollered Filament! Ka–POOF! Went the sleigh . . . and the bears . . . right into the tummy of the snowbear!

     "Oh my gosh . . . oh my gosh!" Flagyl said breathlessly.

     "That was GREAT! What a ride!" exclaimed Filament. "Let's do that again!"

     "Well . . . OK . . . but, maybe we could go down the other side and not run into anything?" Flagyl wondered.

     "I suppose so." Filament said, already halfway up the hill.

     The rest of the morning the joyous shouts and laughter of the bears could heard as they enjoyed ride after ride on Filament's new sleigh.