Genre: Postmodern Fairy Tale
Target Audience: Older Children & Adults
Status: Complete
Published: 5 Chapters

The Thorn Bear is a modern fairy tale.
A lost teddy bear, a mysterious egg and a hungry marten.

When Teddy ends up on a landfill, an unexpected journey back to the nursery begins.
Along the way, he discovers an egg — and bravely protects it against every obstacle.

But what will hatch from it?

A fairy tale about courage, love and sacrifice.
For older children and adults

Reading Time: approx. 40 minutes.

The Thorn Bear: Chapter I

“Is it bad?”

Tom doesn’t hear him.

“That doesn’t look good.” Taking the scissors from the tray, the boy snaps them through the air.

“That really isn’t necessary,” Teddy says. “The stomachache isn’t that bad.” In truth, he feels no pain at all. He is a toy, a teddy bear.

Tom has put on his mother’s coat and is wearing a face mask. That’s how it’s done in an operating room—at least on television. He is the doctor, and Teddy is his patient.

“I’m going to open your belly now,” the boy says, searching for a suitable spot beneath the velvety fur. Fur as cuddly and soft as it was on the very first day.

“Be careful with my stuffing,” the bear replies, holding his breath.

Little by little, the scissors cut through the fabric and reveal fluffy white cotton. Children’s hands reach into the toy and carefully feel around inside until Tom finally holds up a pebble.

“There’s the culprit. Now you’re back to how you were before.”

“Thank you,” the bear replies.

“Nurse. Needle and thread.”

Taking the supplies from the tray, he says, “The wound needs to be stitched up properly, because that’s what best friends do for each other.”

“Tom,” a voice calls from the kitchen. “Dinner!”

“In a minute,” he replies, threading the twine through the eye of the needle.

“Now,” comes the booming voice from downstairs.

Reluctantly, the boy sets everything aside and takes off the coat.

“It’s all right,” the bear replies. “I’m a loyal toy, and I’ll wait here.”

As Tom leaves the room, strength returns to the patient’s body.

“Are you going to get better? I’m so worried.” The porcelain doll in the yellow dress leans on her shepherd’s crook.

“Comrade wounded. Medic deserted,” booms the toy soldier from the corner.

“Don’t worry. Tom will make me whole again.” Furry paws feel along the cut that runs from his belly button to his neck. Clean work so far. Soon Tom will cuddle up to him again, and Teddy will give him strength and comfort against nightmares and worries. Just as best friends do for each other.

The kitchen door bangs, and the bear’s arms drop limp. Father stands in the doorway, looking at the mess. As he picks up the crumpled coat, his eyes fall on the cut-open toy.

He sighs.

“Unbelievable how that boy treats his things.” Father picks Teddy up and squeezes the tear together so roughly that the fabric groans.

“Broken.”

“No,” the bear replies. “Tom will fix me.”

“What’s happening?” The shrill voice of the doll in the yellow dress echoes unheard through the nursery as the toy soldier bellows:

“Headquarters, the enemy is attacking our wounded.”

But Father does not hear him. He hears none of their pleading cries.

Rough hands seize the teddy bear, who wants to beg and kick with his arms and legs, but he cannot. He has to endure his stuffing spilling onto the floor. The stuffing that makes him so cuddly.

His greatest pride.

Outside, Father opens the trash bin and throws the bear away. Summoning every bit of strength he has, Teddy slips from Father’s fingers.

And falls.

The lid closes, and darkness shrouds the misery surrounding him.

“Tom will come and rescue me any moment,” he thinks. “After all, we’re best friends, and I’m his favorite toy.”

But darkness remains his only companion. It offers comfort by refusing to reveal the horror he is trapped in.

“If Tom doesn’t come,” the bear thinks, “then at least the toy soldier will. He’ll launch a rescue mission, and the doll in the yellow dress will hold me in her arms again.”

Hours pass.

Or are they days?

No one comes to help him.

No human.

And no toy.

Suddenly, the trash and the bin begin to vibrate. A banana peel and rotten fruit bury the stuffed animal, and when Teddy fights his way back to the surface, an avalanche of potato peels covers him again.

Up and down switch places, and all the rubbish slides from the overturned bin. Swept along by eggshells and half-eaten broccoli, Teddy falls into the ravenous belly of the garbage truck, which hungrily swallows everything inside. Buried beneath layers of waste, the bear can do nothing but wait.

Endure until the ordeal finally comes to an end.