"Potapych -- the Bear Who Loved Vodka"

Potapych's first friend was a bad man, taken away to jail, leaving P all alone for far to long, a shocking way to treat a bear.

Lucky for him, Misha, here, was a great improvement: housekeeper, drunkard, scallywag extraordinaire. And though he didn't even drink a reputable brand of vodka, their lives became a party with a reputation. . . .

Misha's generous spirit was warmly received. And his jokes always left others with a rosy glow. The party got better and better: it cheered up the sky.

But the party atmosphere cannot be maintained forever. And once it vanishes, so too will vanish its creators.

There is but one good reason to return, and that's to properly say good-bye. The big problem is in knowing what to say. It may be best to just enjoy the moment.

Bears are never happier without friends, but they'll live forever without too many parties.

So there: by all means, take friends to parties, but don't let parties take your friends.

Be good, drink milk, and think of Russia. Bye-bye.

And if you need one, a Biff makes a good bear, a very good bear, indeed, even if you have bad vodka, very bad vodka; it makes no difference.