Silent Night / Stille Nacht

In the dens behind the rockface in the Tierpark in East Berlin all was still, except for the gentle breathing of three Polar Bears. The silence was broken by the squeal of new life. This was followed soon after by the squeal of a second baby, no larger than a human hand.

Human ears would not have been able to follow the conversation that followed, being as it was a mixture of smells and grunts and tastes.

The old Polar Bear was known to human’s as Aika but to her fellows as “Wise and gentle one”. Actually, in Polar Bears names are much longer but are shortened by taste and grunt.

The mother, Tonja, or in the Polar Bear language “Bringer of Life”, listened with one ear to her newborn cubs and with the other to Aika.

“I must leave you shortly. But first, I must tell you of what is to come.

I have told you that our little ones are precious and fragile, and that you must know what to do when a cub is too weak to make the journey of life. I am so fortunate to see the little ones after so many years in these dens. But I am also blessed that one of them will accompany me to the icefields.” Aika’s mouth opened and closed.

Tonja mewed softly in pain at the idea of losing one of her precious cubs, but also the farewell to her nursemaid and first friend in her new country.

“Little one, you know that many of the new Ice Bears are not able to hold on to the gift of life.

But I have also told you of the miracle that awaits all of us white bears. The cubs that leave before their time are given to old bears like me to care of.

What you do not know, is that age and size do not matter in the icefields. But the cubs that do not live in this world need mothers to teach them how to be Polar Bears in the icefields and choose their journey.

Your little one will be my companion over the Rainbow Bridge. The other cub will stay with you and you must teach the cub all that you have learnt.” Aika growled with feeling.

Tonja mewed to show that she had understood. It was too much for her to grasp all at once and she held her two beautiful cubs in her paws, knowing now that one must leave her all too soon.

“Little one, do not weep. The white bears are eternal like the snow and the ice and the wind. Life takes many forms and we are all fighters.”

In time Aika, and the cub began their journey over the Rainbow Bridge.

To the keepers who loved them so much it was a tragedy in the midst of the hope of the first new Polar Bears in Berlin for ten years. But like the Polar Bear that had fought to win a chance at life all those years ago, Tonja’s cubs would both find their destiny.

The other cub’s name was Knut. His birth mother and his human rearing mother were now with him in the icefields. Aika could hear Tosca singing on the night air, a lullaby that all Polar Bear mothers mew to their newborns. But there was also a noise strange to her, the sound of a guitar playing a human lullaby. Soon she would be home.

Dearest RALPH,
Thank you for the beautiful story of the baby Polar Bear and the icefields. Many tears and many memories you have brought back. Many precious memories of our magical time with KNUTI and PAPI THOMAS. THANK YOU, RALPH, from the bottom of my heart!!!
Eva G., Super Chef of Mervi’s Fireside Cafe.

this wonderful, touching story brought the tears to my eyes.
Thank you for this heart-warming story, dear Ralph, thank you Mervi for the collages and thank you Bärgit for the translation.
I wish all of you a peaceful Christmas.
Bear hugs,
Heidi from Erlangen

I wrote this story before the tragic events of last week, so I would like to dedicate it now to the people who
live in and visit Berlin. Aika was a true Berliner.
Ich habe diese Geschichte geschrieben vor den schrechlichen Ereignissen der letzten Woche, so jetzt widme ich es an alle die Berline bewohnen oder besuchen. Aika war eine Berlinerin!

Mervi thank you for the collages, especially the bridge from the Tierpark, which is so appropriate. Danke Baergit fuer die Uebersetzung auf Deutsch.

Dear Ralph,
Yours is one of the most beautiful and touching stories I have read in my entire life … My eyes are brimming with tears, and I shall read it over and over again. Thank you so much for this exquisite Christmas gift.

Dear Mervi, as ever, your collages are so very beautiful. Many many thanks!

And dear Bärgit, thank you for an as always excellent and empathetic translation!

Dear Ralph!
You are quite a tender soul and a poet too!
I love your story; it is heartwarming, wise, sad and comforting the same time.
Just wonderful!
Thank you for this heart-touching tribute to Aika and the unnamed little one of Tonya.
I wish you a wonderful Christmas time!

Dear Mervi and Bärgit!
Thank you so much for this great team work, the collages are beautiful, simply works of art and the translation is corresponding in a delightful way.
Merry Christmas
Hugs
Anke

Dear Ralph, after reading this story, I realized that it IS true like you described it. The wise and gentle one, knowing that her time was there, learned the bringer of life to continue to care for the precious baby although the other one cannot hold on to the gift of life. A nightmare for every mother. but you have learned us, humans, how to accept what has happened.

dear Ralph, dear Mervi, dear Doro,
the story, the collages and the Video are very touching, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart that I can read and watch it. All our dear Polarbears are in my mind and in my heart for ever
dear greetings to all of you

You did a very good VOLUNTARY video-‘job’.!
It’s just perfectly done, the video – as we are used to it from your former artistical products.
When the video runs fine, the video is easy to follow:
– picure – English and German text –
– picure – English and German text – etc
acccompanied by well matching music!