He was trying to look invisible, but that was nearly impossible, because all the animals that lived nearby knew about Dog. He chased them across fields, and barked at them up in their trees. He dug into their burrows trying to find them, and made a real mess of their homes.

The only good thing about Dog, as far as the forest folks were concerned, is that he was not very smart. He couldn't run very fast, and he was very noisy, so that he never caught anyone. However, he was a nuisance, and they surely didn't view him as a friend. He lived on the farm where Cow lived.

"Oh, Moo!" said Cow. "Dog must have followed me here. Go home, Dog. Go right this minute!"

Dog raised his head, and looked so forlorn that PearBear felt sorry or him. On the other hand, any dog that chased PearBear was usually sorry about it, because PearBear just growled. That always gave dogs a different idea about chasing bears. PearBear had no fear of Dog.

"Dog, why are you spoiling the End of Summer Concert?" he asked. "You frighten most of the forest folk because you chase them. Now they won't want to sing and dance any longer."

Dog sat up, and wagged his tail slowly to show he was friendly.

"But I never catch any of them," he said. "I could if I wanted to. I'm not as stupid as you think I am. I'm only playing. I heard the music, and followed Cow when she pushed the fence down again. The music made me happy and I wanted to come closer to listen. Please, all of you, play and sing some more. I'll be very good, and promise not to chase or bark."

"What about tomorrow?" asked a rabbit. "You just ruined the entry way to our rock den."

"Yes, and your barking and chasing us all over the forest makes us very tired," said Deer, who was ready to run in an instant, if Dog so much as looked as though he might chase them now.

"Well, I enjoy the game so much, that I thought you did too. I won't chase any of you any more. I'd really like to be friends. Tell them, Cow. I'm not a bad dog, am I?"

"Truly, he is a good companion," replied Cow. "He could bark to tell Farmer I am going through the fence again, but he never does. I think he means well. He chases Farmer's chickens now and then, and could easily catch the silly things, but he never does. Why not let him stay?"

There was silence among the animals. Finally, PearBear picked up his banjo and said, "I have a new song you all might like."

He started to play and sing.

Slowly the crickets picked up the rhythm. And then the bullfrogs began to sing, "Guroonk, Guroonk." One by one, all the Forest Folk sang along with PearBear. Dog sat quietly, but thumped his tail along with the foxes.

The dancing began again, and the concert continued until the moon decided it was time to settle behind a hill, so as not to interfere with sunrise. PearBear's paws were quite tired from playing his banjo. Cow thought she ought to wander down to the barn, before Farmer found her gone again.

PearBear put his banjo over his shoulder, and started home. He thought that music made everyone friends because they all were part of making the music. He hoped he had a ripe pear left from yesterday. He was hungry again.

End of story.

This story tells about the autumn equinox, a time when the sun crosses the equator, making day and night the same length all over the world.

The moon is always full at this time. The autumn equinox occurs about September 22 each year. It marks the day summer ends and autumn begins. In many countries, including America, the occasion is often celebrated by Autumn or Harvest Festivals. This is a time when summer crops have been harvested and put away, preparing for the winter to come.

How many fruit and vegetable crops that are harvested in late summer or autumn can you name?

Unlike many fruits that grow in orchards, pears do not ripen well on the tree. They are more sweet and juicy if picked just before they are ripe. Then they are chilled for a while in big cold storage rooms. After that they are moved from the cold rooms, and allowed to ripen at room temperature. PearBear keeps a basket of pears ripening all the time, so that he always has a ripe pear ready to eat.