Once upon a time, there was a bear named Bruce. Bruce lived all by himself in the forest, and he was a bit grumpy. He didn’t like sunny days, rainy days, or even cute little animals. But there was one thing Bruce loved: eggs! He would collect eggs from all over the forest.
Unlike other bears, Bruce didn’t eat eggs raw. He liked to cook them into fancy dishes he found on the internet. One day, he found a recipe for hard-boiled goose eggs with honey and salmon sauce. So, Bruce went on a little adventure to gather the ingredients. He caught some salmon, collected honey from a beehive, and visited Mrs. Goose’s nest for some eggs.
Back at home, Bruce was ready to cook his eggs. But when he went out to get more wood for the fire, something unexpected happened. The eggs hatched into goslings! Bruce was surprised and didn’t know what to do. He tried to return the goslings to their nest, but Mrs. Goose had already flown south for the winter.
The little goslings thought Bruce was their mother and followed him everywhere. Bruce tried to tell them to go away, but they wouldn’t listen. Even though Bruce was grumpy, he decided to take care of them. As time passed, the goslings grew into teenage geese and then adult geese.
When fall came, Bruce saw other geese flying south. He hoped his geese would join them so he could finally rest. But the geese didn’t want to leave Bruce. So, Bruce came up with a plan. He packed their bags, and they all took a bus to Miami!
Now, every winter, Bruce and his geese go to Miami together. They relax on the beach, wearing funny shirts and drinking lemonade. Bruce dreams of new recipes, but this time, he makes sure they don’t hatch!
The end.
Egg-citing Observations: Go on a nature walk with an adult and look for different types of bird nests. Can you spot any eggs or birds? Draw a picture of what you see and think about how Bruce might have felt when he found the eggs. Discuss with your friends or family why it’s important to be gentle and careful around bird nests.
Cooking with Bruce: With the help of an adult, try making a simple egg dish at home, like scrambled eggs or an omelet. Talk about the different ingredients you use and how they change when cooked. Imagine you are Bruce and think of a fun name for your dish. Share your creation with your family and describe what makes it special.
Bruce’s Travel Adventure: Pretend you are planning a trip with Bruce and the geese. Where would you like to go? Draw a map of your journey and include fun stops along the way. Think about what you would pack for the trip and what activities you would do. Share your adventure story with your class or family.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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**Mother Bruce** by Ryan T. Higgins
[Music]
Bruce was a bear who lived all by himself. He was a grump. He did not like sunny days, he did not like the rain, and he did not like cute little animals. Bruce only liked one thing: eggs. He collected them from all over the forest.
“Good morning, Mrs. Sparrow.”
But Bruce didn’t eat eggs raw like other bears; instead, he cooked them into fancy recipes that he found on the internet. One day, Bruce came across a recipe for hard-boiled goose eggs drizzled with honey and salmon sauce. So he went out to get the ingredients. First, he caught a few salmon, then he collected honey from a local beehive. He liked to support local businesses. Lastly, he went to Mrs. Goose’s nest to pay her a visit.
“Are these eggs free-range organic?”
[Music]
At home, Bruce prepared the eggs for hard boiling, but the fire and the stove fizzled, so he went out to get more wood. When Bruce came back, he was met with an unwelcome surprise.
[Music]
Bruce became the victim of mistaken identity. Bruce wanted hard-boiled eggs, not goslings. He supposed he could settle on buttered goslings on toast, but for some reason, he lost his appetite. Bruce scooped up the little geese and stomped back to their nest.
“I will have to ask Mrs. Goose about a return policy,” only to find that Mrs. Goose had flown south early and would be back in April. She left the goslings there anyway and went back home.
[Music]
But he was followed. Bruce was very stern, saying things like “Go away” and “I am not your mother,” and also “I liked you better when you were eggs.” Bruce could take it no longer and became extra grumpy with them. It didn’t work; goslings always follow their mother, even if she is a he and he is a bear.
“Mama Bruce” was stuck with them. He tried to make the best of it.
[Music]
It was hard work. The seasons passed, and Bruce watched the pesky goslings grow older: annoying baby geese, stubborn teenage geese, and boring adult geese. Then one fall afternoon, he saw other goose families flying south. Finally, he’d be rid of these geese, and he could take a long winter nap. Bruce explained migration, but they didn’t listen.
[Music]
Bruce needed the geese to leave, so he got creative. Nothing worked; the geese would not leave Bruce. So Bruce decided to pack some bags and take his geese into town. They boarded a bus.
[Music]
And migrated to Miami. Now every winter, Bruce and his geese head south together. They laze about at the beach in tacky shirts, sipping ice-cold lemonade while Bruce dreams of new recipes—recipes that don’t hatch.
[Music]
The end.
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
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This version removes any inappropriate or unclear elements while maintaining the essence of the story.
