Imagine yourself to be a big brown bear for a moment. Your favourite dish of the day is obviously fresh fish. Wouldn’t it be great to be sitting at the harbour watching the catch of the day hauled in before your very eyes ? Well, that’s exactly where our bears are this morning, and believe me, their mouths are watering! However they are not destined to sample the delicious delights of the sea just yet because they are waiting for their sightseeing bus which had just pulled in to pick them up. Actually it is more like a luxury coach than a bus, with air-conditioning, tapestry curtains, tinted windows and a tour guide at the front explaining all the exciting experiences that await them.

Their first stop was at a bull-fighting arena but the Paws pact agreed on principle that they would not go in with the others and support such needless violence. Instead they would enjoy a snack at a nearby cafe and meet the bus again at the time scheduled for departure.

But Puff wanted to go in and see the action with the other passengers. Not twice but three times Papa had to say ‘no’ in his gruff grisly voice. Eventually Puff got the message as she read the furrows on his brow.

‘I know how it all works anyway’ said Puff in a huff!

‘Me too’ added Padders and the two of them decided to act the roles. ‘You can be the bull’ said Padders to Puff ‘ and I’ll be the matador ( the bull-fighter).’ He pulled off his red T shirt and started flapping it flamboyantly in the air to attract his ‘bull’. Puff put her head down as if she had horns and came charging straight at the red T-shirt flattening poor Padders against the table and chairs.

‘Sit down at once or we’ll get thrown out’ shouted Mama .

‘ At least they had captured the right idea’ said Papa. ‘ They say that a bull gets angry when he sees red and because he is angry he gets himself into trouble. He charges at the bull-fighter who normally manages to spear him. He does it again and again because he is so incensed and eventually he drops with the pain. It’s such a cruel sport, but I guess it is a good illustration for you of how getting angry can lead to trouble.’

Papa reminded them of the wise words of their Grandpapa who used to say ‘ Anger is only one letter short of danger’.

Both Puff and Padders had to admit that they knew firsthand what it felt like to be angry, to be outraged at something done to them and to desire the punishment of the perpetrator of the injustice. They also knew from reading their Bibles that - anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires ( James 1:20). So the cubs decided there and then to try to control their anger towards each other and with circumstances around them. But how long would that last ?!!

They boarded their coach again and the guide started to explain the significance of something they had all noticed on the roofs of houses. In fact they were hard pressed to find a house without one. It was a bright ornamental bird - a cockerel. No-one knew what it stood for and they were all eager to be informed. The guide said that this was the most exciting story about a cockerel they would ever hear. That was sure to guarantee everyone’s attention. Apparently it was called the Cock of Barcelos and the story behind it was this -At a banquet given by a rich landowner in Barcelos the silver was stolen and one guest was accused of the theft. He was later tried by the court and found guilty. In spite of the overwhelming evidence against him, he still protested his innocence. The magistrate granted the man a final chance to prove his case. Seeing a cockerel in a basket nearby he said - If I am innocent this cockerel will crow. The cockerel crowed and the prisoner was allowed to go free.

So that was the story behind the bright bird which adorned the Portuguese homes. Papa turned to his family and said - ‘That’s a good story but it isn’t the best one I have heard about a cockerel. There is a fascinating story in the Bible about another cockerel which crowed at the appropriate time. It involves a chap called Peter who once said to Jesus that he would stand by Him and support Him no matter what happened. But Jesus knew Peter better and He said to him - Before the cock crows today you yourself will disown me three times...

And it came to pass. Peter was in a courtyard when a servant girl came by and said - Aren’t you one of Jesus’ disciples ? And Peter denied it saying - Woman, I don’t know Him.

A little later another voice said the same thing and Peter denied it again.

Then about an hour later still another voice asserted - Certainly he was with Jesus, but Peter said - I don’t know what you are talking about... And just then the cock crowed and Peter remembered the words of Jesus - Before the cock crows today you will disown me three times...

Well Puff and Padders were amazed by the story and they could also sympathise with this chap called Peter because he was weak like themselves. How often they had let other people down and how often they had failed Jesus with their attitudes and actions.

Then Papa said - ‘We all fail Jesus, even those of his closest disciples, but the story does have a happy ending, just like the story of the cock of Barcelos. Peter was forgiven and went on to work for Jesus and do many good things in His name. So there is always hope for us because when we fail we can be forgiven.’

‘That’s my favourite story Papa’, said Padders. ‘I too prefer the story of the Cock of the Bible to the Cock of Barcelos.’