I sure hope this works

Ahh my self defined project is finished, I say with not a little trepidation. Printing it out didn't bring much happiness, so I made a digital, webcomicish kind of thingy for it.

Anyone want a read of it?
Just unzip the file and click on the file named "Bearskin"

If anyone could let me know if it does or doesn't work, they shall be repaid with love.

So close...

One morning, Bearskin stretched and woke
while laid upon a stump of oak.
But what was this? There must be more,
he realised he'd been here before.
"Seven years!" He cried in glee
"Seven years of misery!
But I've done it, and now I know,
this is where it started, years ago.
Come out, demon! I'm done with sleeping,
there's a bargain that you must be keeping!"


A grumble came between the trees,
and out came Mephisophiles.
"Alright, you win." He mumbled, pouting
"But that's no reason to be shouting.
You have lived for seven years
with furry face and fuzzy ears,
and so a rich man you shall be,
take your gold, begone, leave me."


"Not so fast!" Bearskin declared,
"There's a duty which you can't be spared.
Seven years I've filthy been,
now come over here and make me clean!"
The demon stomped his feet and cursed.
"Clean you man? Now that's the worst!"
But Bearskin said: "Don't be absurd,
be a man who keeps your word.
Fetch some water if you please,
and clean me, Mephistophiles."

And that is how it passed, a man
washed up by a demon's hand.
And Bearskin's filth was so unique,
to clean it off, it took a week!
His hair was clipped, and too his beard,
and soon his odour disappeared.
And when his bearskin coat had been torn
off, he felt he'd been reborn!
An ugly man he was no more
but sweet, and wiser than before.


And at last, done with his chores,
the demon washed his filthy claws.
He dusted down the bearskin coat,
picked it up, and then he spoke.
"Reach in this pocket just once more,
and all the gold you can carry is yours."

His pockets filled, Bearskin left,
to find the girl he'd left bereft.
The demon didn't get his toll,
and Bearskin kept his kindly soul.

Definitely the final furlong now.

It's some kind of montaaage

Bearskin's sadness disappeared,
a smile broke out behind the beard!
His heard did lift from off the floor
Oh this lass he did adore!
But three more years of filth remained,
and he couldn't let this girl be stained.
He snapped a golden wedlock band
and slipped one half into her hand.
"Keep this safe, and pray for me.
In three years I'll make a bride of thee."
And when he left, the young girl sighed.
She looked sad, but felt quite warm inside.


But from that day she dressed in black.
Her sisters laughed and cried "alack!
Little sister, that's no good!
Your honeymoon will be in the wood!
And mind that you don't give him cause,
to scratch you with his pointy claws!"
The young girl hid her face and sobbed,
It felt as though her heart were robbed.
Her sisters grinned "Oh shush, it's funny,
he'll eat you up, 'cause you're his honey!


Bearskin wandered, doing good,
if he found a place he could.
But every day he stopped and sighed,
"How long before I see my bride?"



Three years is one long time to last,
But time you see, will always pass.
And through it all, he soldiered on.
The days passed by...


one..


by...


one.

I'm thinking I might end up presenting these digitally as I don't really have time to draw up all the text as I originally planned, and then get it printed. Maybe one day.

Bears need love too

With this, the man turned red in shame
and sobbed "Oh I'm the one to blame!
Sir I swear to mend my ways,
and tend to all my girls, always."
Bearskin smiled, and then produced
enough gold to give the man a boost.
"Oh thank you sir," The man did grin,
"I've had enough of drinking gin.
I shall work, this I've vowed,
work hard to make my daughters proud."
The man insisted Bearskin came
along with him, because he claimed
that Bearskin had been such an aid,
that his debt must be repaid.

"Father!" All three daughters cried,
when their father home did stride.
"Where on earth have you been?
Please don't say it's drinking gin!"
"Oh no my girls, I say at last,
all those troubles are in the past.
No longer shall I be a cad,
but work to be again your dad."
On hearing that he would avoid
the drink, the girls were overjoyed.
"Now then." Their father coughed and said.
"A rich man helped me mend my head.
And because he came and saved my life,
I've promised him one of you...as a wife."

Rich? In wedlock to be matched?
The girls all smiled, what a catch!
but all their faces hit the floor
when Bearskin shuffled in the door.

The eldest yelped, and off she fled,
the second frowned, and cocked her head.
"Is this a joke?" she then began,
"it's a bear pretending to be a man!"
Bearskin's heart did deeply sink,
he knew he was ugly, and did stink.

But the youngest one, to his surprise,
walked up close and looked him in the eyes.
"If this man is owed a maid,
then his debt must be repaid.
I shall marry him, besides,
I see there's goodness in his eyes."

Not 100% happy with all of these, but I'd prefer to get the story done and then go back and correct anything that needs it. Feeling like it's nearing the home stretch now...