The Polar Bear Cub of Svalbard

Far, far in the north lies Svalbard. Here the snow is white and the sky is blue. Dark, dark is the winter. The stars shine all day long. The sun sleeps a long, long sleep. In a soft snow den lives a little polar bear cub. His name is Nila. Mama bear lies warm beside him. Her fur is thick and fluffy. Nila peeks out through the opening. The world is quiet. The world is white. The world is so big.

Mama stands up slowly. 'Come, little Nila,' she says. 'Today we walk to the sea.' Nila pricks up his ears. The sea? He has never seen the sea. He jumps up and shakes his fur. Pad, pad, pad they go across the snow. Mama's pawprints are big and deep. Nila's pawprints are small and round. The snow creaks softly under their paws. Crunch, crunch, crunch. It is so cold that their breath turns white. Puff, puff, puff.

The sky is deep blue. The stars twinkle high above. Suddenly, light moves across the sky. Green and pink, soft and slow. It is the northern lights. 'Look, Nila,' whispers mama. Nila looks up. His eyes grow big and round. The light dances. It waves like a quiet cloth. It glides, it glides. So, so beautiful. Nila sits down in the snow. He just looks and looks. He has never seen anything so lovely.

They walk on. Soon Nila hears something new. Splash, splash, splash. It is water. A little bay opens up in front of them. The sea is dark and still. Small waves stroke the icy edge. Splash, splash, splash. Nila stops short. He looks at the water. He looks at mama. He looks at the water again. The water looks cold. Stars reflect on the surface. They glitter like tiny lamps.

Mama sits at the edge. 'Today you will learn to swim,' she says softly. Nila steps back. 'But it is so cold, mama.' Mama smiles with her eyes. 'You have a thick coat. It keeps you warm. Warm, warm, warm.' She touches his nose with her nose. 'And I am here. The whole time.' Nila looks at his big paws. Paws made for water. He breathes in. He breathes out.