Music to Soothe the Savage Bear

Elias and I recently were talking about legends and folk tales as part of his Cub Scout Bear achievement requirements.  It reminded me of a folktale I stumbled across a few years ago in a Riggs family scrapbook, with an accompanying illustration of my great-grandfather, G. Oliver Riggs.  When I scanned the drawing today, I realized that it appeared in the Crookston (MN) Daily Journal almost exactly 107 years ago, on March 6, 1903.

 The musical folktake of G. Oliver versus the bear

If you look closely, you can see that it says "Prof Riggs" on his pant leg.  In the family scrapbook, it lists the artist's name as simply "Hubert" – I'm not sure if that's a first or last name.  Here's the article that accompanied the drawing:

"A story is wafted to the Journal from away out on the Big Fork, where G. Oliver Riggs has a claim that on a recent trip to that part of the country, the popular Crookston bandmaster was chased by a bear.  The pace grew hot and in order to make his escape, the gentleman discarded everything he carried but his valuable violin.  He finally 'shinned up' a tree so small the bear couldn't hug it for climbing, and there they were.  Bruin, when erect on his back feet could almost reach the music man's legs, but not quite, and finally decided to wait for its fruit until it fell from the limb.  After shouting for help (a few words here are unreadable) ... Mr. Riggs, having heard of the efficacy of music in charming the savage beast, drew his bow and played an air from de Beriot which so pleased and affected Bruin that he went away to bring the balance of his family to the concert, and incidentally when it closed to let the cubs taste of a Crookston musician.  When he returned, Mr. Riggs was miles away up the trail.  Our artist's imagination has reveled in the possibilities of the situation with the above result."

Maybe Sebastian should consider packing his viola the next time he goes on a Boy Scout camping trip.