Mother Hua and the Den Father

One of the stories found the the Book of Trees commonly associated with the Ten Hundred Tales, Mother Hua is an ursa fable from before the Age of Fire.

The Tale
Mother Hua of the Eyes lived in a warm and welcoming home, but the den father was cruel and wicked and lazy, demanding all in his den hunt and farm and gather for his glut. Twisting her leg, she pleads to the den father to let her rest four days back to health, and if let alone, den father will find the greatest feast.

The den father knew Mother Hua was sharp and wise and always kept her word true as jewel, but after one day and one night, he saw her curled up and sleeping during the day and flew into a rage. Slashing her back and biting her arms and legs, he drove Mother Hua out into the woods and fields, demanding the greatest feast she had promised him. Mother Hua Saw the den father’s greatest feast, and then died from his attacks, falling in a pile of twigs and crisp leaves into a quiet, bloodied heap.

Two nights passed and the others of the den asked began asking where Mother hua was, Was she not still hurt? The den father barked that she had gone off into the woods to hunt rather than laze about, and that they should all follow her example. A young cub, Buadan of the Eyes, Saw her bloodied path and came upon the dead Mother Hua. Returning to the den, Buadan roared for all the den to gather, Mother Hua had provided as promised, even after her unjust death at the den father’s paws, and brought them their home the Greatest, Fattest feast. Then, Buadan and all others fell upon the den father, slashing open his back, biting off his arms and legs, and finally ripping open the den father’s belly as all in the den ate. Thus, Mother Hua fulfilled her last promise.