Most of you can guess the topic of this post by merely going through the heading "Best friend of every person." Yeah, you are right. I'm talking about Teddy-bears. :-)
Kids love them the most. We may give many toys to kids but Teddies have their own registered place in kids' heart. Not only kids, even grown-up people love these teddies.
But do you know the story behind these teddies?? Well, some of you might have heard it but let me write it for those who don't know about it.
Nearly 110 years ago, United States President Theodore Roosevelt, went on a bear hunt in Mississippi to which he was invited by the then Mississippi Governor Andrew H. Longino. The President enjoyed nature and being out in the woods where animals lived. The people organizing the hunt wanted to make sure the hunt was successful.
But after 3 days of walking and climbing and riding, no bears were found. Now what? The President's bear hunt would be a failure! The next day the hunt guide and his hunting dogs finally found an old bear. The dogs and guide followed the bear for quite a distance until the beat was very, very tired. The dogs attacked and injured the old bear. The guides tied the beat to a tree and called for the President. Here was a bear for him to shoot! President Roosevelt looked at the poor old bear and said "No!" No one would shoot this old bear for sport. That would not be right. However, the bear was injured and suffering. President Roosevelt ordered that the bear be put down to end its pain.
Kids love them the most. We may give many toys to kids but Teddies have their own registered place in kids' heart. Not only kids, even grown-up people love these teddies.
But do you know the story behind these teddies?? Well, some of you might have heard it but let me write it for those who don't know about it.
Nearly 110 years ago, United States President Theodore Roosevelt, went on a bear hunt in Mississippi to which he was invited by the then Mississippi Governor Andrew H. Longino. The President enjoyed nature and being out in the woods where animals lived. The people organizing the hunt wanted to make sure the hunt was successful.
But after 3 days of walking and climbing and riding, no bears were found. Now what? The President's bear hunt would be a failure! The next day the hunt guide and his hunting dogs finally found an old bear. The dogs and guide followed the bear for quite a distance until the beat was very, very tired. The dogs attacked and injured the old bear. The guides tied the beat to a tree and called for the President. Here was a bear for him to shoot! President Roosevelt looked at the poor old bear and said "No!" No one would shoot this old bear for sport. That would not be right. However, the bear was injured and suffering. President Roosevelt ordered that the bear be put down to end its pain.
A political cartoonist by the name of Clifford Berryman heard this story. A political cartoonist draws about current events in the news. Mr.Berryman drew a cartoon showing how President Roosevelt refused to shoot the bear while hunting in Mississippi.(You can see the cartoon drawn by the cartoonist in the picture).After this famous cartoon appeared in the papers, a shopkeeper, Morris Michtom took two stuffed toy bears which his wife had made and put them in his shop window. He had an idea.
Mr. Michtom asked for permission from President Theodore Roosevelt to call these toy bears "Teddy's bears"(because Teddy was the President's nick name). This store eventually became the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.Other stuffed animals were made by a German company, Steiff. An illness left Margaret Steiff unable to walk. She refused to be stopped by her handicap and earned her living by sewing. First she made stuffed elephants, then other animals. In 1903 an American saw a stuffed bear she had made and ordered many of them.
So, this was the story behind the origin of teddy bears.
I love my teddy bear a lot because it was with me when no-one was there. It never leaves me. Even if I don't care it sometimes, it always looks into my face with a pleasant smile. I can play with it at anytime. It listens to all my stories. It never complains. It is my best friend from childhood. My memories of childhood are linked with my toy friend. I wish it had life...
P.S.: If you have any memory regarding toys(in your childhood) share it with us. Please do comment your views.
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