The Berenstain Bears in the Wax Museum

by Stan Berenstain

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  The Berenstain Bears in the Wax Museum

  Stan & Jan Berenstain

  Contents

  1. The Good Old Days

  2. Dullsville

  3. Dullsville No More?

  4. Lady Grizzly’s Challenge

  5. ABATE vs. BAD?

  6. The Truckers Cometh

  7. No Trespassing

  8. The Too-Tall Seal of Approval

  9. A Strange Turn of Events

  10. Lingering Suspicions

  11. Grand Opening!

  12. In the Wax Museum

  13. Downhill Summer

  Chapter 1

  The Good Old Days

  Every spring, when Bear Country School let out for summer vacation, cubs’ hopes were sky-high. Whether they planned to be at home or at camp, most of them expected to have a great time. But summer was a funny thing. It had a way of turning out to be not quite as great as you’d expected.

  That was often the case for Brother Bear. And he was a summer bear if ever there was one. He liked school well enough. But summer meant fun, excitement, adventure. Of course, Brother’s best friend, Bonnie Brown, wasn’t usually around in the summertime. She lived at Grizzly Mansion with her aunt and uncle, Lady and Squire Grizzly, during the school year, but often went out to Hollywood for the summer to act in TV commercials and sitcoms and spend time with her movie actor and actress parents.

  Fortunately for Brother, though, he could always count on good old Cousin Fred to keep him from getting too bored in the summertime. He and Fred went way back. When they were babies, they played together in the same playpen in Brother’s backyard in the summertime. When they were toddlers, they were inseparable in their summer playgroup.

  But it was when Brother and Fred were old enough to go to Bear Country School that the summers really started to heat up, so to speak. They had all kinds of summer adventures together: running races, playing softball, fishing, hiking, going to Grizzlyland Amusement Park, and snooping around in places they weren’t supposed to be—like Farmer Ben’s hayloft.

  And this summer won’t be any different, Brother thought as he walked home from the last half-day of school. He was going to phone Fred right away to make plans for the afternoon. But he never had the chance, because Fred beat him to it.

  Fred, who was known to read the dictionary for fun, never used words he couldn’t define. “Premonition,” he said. “A feeling of anticipation about a future event.”

  “Okay,” said Brother. “So what’s your premonition?”

  “You know how we always said that summer is for adventure?” said Fred.

  “Sure,” said Brother. “And it’s true. When’s a better time for adventure?”

  “But we always end up doing the same things summer after summer,” said Fred. “Fishing, hiking, Grizzlyland, and all that stuff. The same adventures. Well, I had a premonition that we’re gonna have a new adventure this summer. Just you and me. And it’ll be more than an adventure with a small a. It’ll be a Great Adventure—you know, the kind with a capital G and a capital A.”

  “What kind of Great Adventure?” asked Brother.

  “Dunno,” said Fred. “That’s where the premonition left off.”

  “Well, I don’t know about any Great Adventure,” said Brother. “But I have a premonition that you and I are gonna do something this afternoon.”

  “You must be psychic,” said Fred. “But why wait till this afternoon? We could go downtown for lunch right now.”

  “Deal,” said Brother. “Burger Bear or Pizza Shack?”

  “Let’s decide when I come by and pick you up,” said Fred. “See ya …”

  As the cubs got ready to go out, neither of them had the slightest idea that their Great Adventure would begin that very day. In fact, it would begin before they even had a chance to eat lunch …

  Chapter 2

  Dullsville

  Minutes later, Brother and Fred were walking through downtown Beartown on their way to the Pizza Shack for lunch. As they strolled through the town square, someone called to them from the bench in front of Old Shag, Beartown’s historic back-scratching tree. It was Grizzly Gramps.

  “Hey, you two,” said Gramps, rising. “Wait up. I just happen to be headed in the same direction you are.”

  Now, Brother and Fred usually liked to run into Gramps. Gramps was one of their favorite bears in all Bear Country. But today was different. For one thing, their stomachs were already growling, and Gramps was one of Beartown’s slowest walkers. If he walked them to the Pizza Shack, they might faint from hunger before they got there! For another thing, even supposing they didn’t faint from hunger on their way to the Pizza Shack, what if Gramps invited himself to have lunch with them? After all, this was their very first day of summer buddyhood, and in that kind of situation—well, two’s company and three’s a crowd, as the saying goes.

  “Beautiful day, eh?” said Gramps as they began inching their way down the sidewalk. “What are you cubs up to?”

  “Pizza Shack,” said Brother. “We’re starving.”

  Gramps noticed that both cubs looked a little tense. They were staring straight ahead, as if they were afraid of what he might say next. He chuckled and said, “Oh, don’t worry. I’m not gonna invite myself to have lunch with you. And I’ll only walk with you as far as Grizzly Avenue.”

  The cubs relaxed.

  “Bet I know where you’re headed afterward,” Gramps said. “The same place I’m headed now. The Bearsonian Institution.”

  Brother shook his head. “Why would we want to go to the Bearsonian, Gramps?” he said. “We’ve been there at least a million times.”

  “Didn’t you know?” said Gramps. “There’s a special exhibit on the Great Bear War in the Hall of Bear Country History. This week only.”

  “We’re going out to Birder’s Woods for a hike,” said Fred. “Then, if there’s time, we’ll play some catch at the schoolyard.”

  “You mean you came all the way downtown just to have lunch?” said Gramps. “That seems kinda odd.”

  “No, it doesn’t,” said Brother. “There’s nothing to do in this town, anyway. Except eat pizza.”

  “Or burgers,” added Fred. He had wanted to go to the Burger Bear for lunch, but Brother had held out for pizza.

  “You gotta be kiddin’,” said Gramps. “What about takin’ in a matinee at the Bearjou Theater?”

  “The Bearjou’s an old dump,” said Fred. “It doesn’t even have cup holders.”

  “And it never runs the kind of movies we like,” said Brother.

  “Such as what?” asked Gramps.

  “Such as weird sci-fi thrillers and creepy, disgusting horror movies,” said Brother.

  “Yeah!” said Fred. “Like Invasion of the Bruin Snatchers and The Eyeballs from Outer Space.”

  “Thank goodness for that,” Gramps muttered to himself. Then, to the cubs, he said, “I guess you have a real gripe there.”

  “You bet we do,” said Brother. “I’m tellin’ you, Gramps, this place is Dullsville. Right, Fred?”

  Fred was about to nod in agreement, but suddenly he stopped walking and stared straight ahead. Somehow they had reached the corner of Bruin Street and Grizzly Avenue without noticing the long fence just across the street. “Hey, that’s new,” said Fred. “What’s it all about?”

  The fence was painted in all kinds of bright, jazzy colors with the words: WATCH THIS SPACE FOR THE MOST EXCITING DEVELOPMENT IN THE HISTORY OF BEARTOWN!

  “Hmm,” said Gramps.
“Don’t know what it’s all about. But whatever it is, it sure doesn’t look like it belongs in ‘Dullsville.’”

  They crossed the street and sidled up to the fence. Brother peered through a crack, but all he could see was a bunch of building materials piled and stacked in various places. He turned to Gramps and said, “Maybe it’ll be something really cool!”

  But Gramps had already decided it wouldn’t be. Gramps wasn’t a big fan of change, especially when it happened in the town he’d grown up in and lived in all his life. “I doubt it,” he muttered. “Probably one of them big ol’ chain stores that sells everything a bear doesn’t need. Like Bearmart or Bears Roebuck. The kind that chases all the little mom-and-pop stores out of town.”

  “Not likely,” said Fred. “They don’t use Day-Glo paint to announce new Bearmarts. But I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

  “’Fraid so,” said Gramps. “Hey, why don’t you cubs meet me at the Bearsonian after lunch? I can show you around the special exhibit.”

  Brother was tempted to say yes. Gramps may have been a slow walker, but he could be a real fast talker. And an interesting one, too. The Great Bear War was kind of a hobby of his. He knew everything there was to know about it. He could tell you about all the famous battles, and about the lives of the great generals, like Ulysses S. Bear and Grizzwall Jackson. He even knew the Gettysbear Address by heart.

  But then Brother remembered that this was the first day in quite a while that he and Fred had had a chance to spend time together—just the two of them. So he said, “Thanks, Gramps, maybe next time.”

  “Okay, you two,” said Gramps. “But remember: this week only …” And he ambled off down Grizzly Avenue in the direction of the Bearsonian.

  Chapter 3

  Dullsville No More?

  Brother and Fred spent several days hiking, fishing, and playing catch before they decided it was high time to take another look at the mysterious building project on the corner of Bruin Street and Grizzly Avenue. Maybe construction had already begun. And maybe they could figure out what it was all about.

  As they approached the corner of Bruin and Grizzly, the cubs could see that things were progressing. Or, rather, they could hear that things were progressing. From behind the multi-colored fence came the sounds of high-powered digging equipment and cement mixers. Then they noticed a new sign on top of the fence. It read: AT LAST! EXCITEMENT COMES TO BEARTOWN! A FABULOUS ENTERTAINMENT CENTER GOING UP ON THIS SITE!

  Brother and Fred looked at each other in astonishment. “An entertainment center?” said Fred. “In Beartown? I must be dreaming. Pinch me.” Brother obliged. “Ouch! Hey, I’m not dreaming!”

  “Come on, let’s have a look,” said Brother.

  They raced across the street to peer through the cracks in the fence. They saw huge mechanical scoops and shovels lifting and hauling dirt from a vast hole in the ground. A fleet of cement mixers was lined up alongside, churning merrily away.

  “They’re getting ready to lay the foundation,” said Fred.

  “Wow! Whatever it is, it’s gonna be huge!”

  With their noses pressed against the fence, the cubs traded guesses about what the new entertainment center would be like. Maybe it would be an amusement park with cool rides and a funhouse. Or maybe a sports center with miniature golf and an arena for rollerblading. Or an enormous arcade, with every kind of pinball machine and electronic game ever invented. Or a multiplex cinema, with twenty screens and shops and cafés. Or a huge theme restaurant, all made up like a rain forest or a prince’s palace or a haunted mansion …

  The possibilities seemed endless. They couldn’t wait to find out which one it would turn out to be!

  Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait long. Just until later that afternoon, in fact. When Brother got home from rollerblading with Fred, he found Papa relaxing in his easy chair in the living room. That afternoon’s Beartown Gazette lay folded neatly on his lap.

  “Papa,” said Brother, “have you seen anything in the paper about the new entertainment center that’s going up downtown?”

  “Entertainment center?” said Papa. “You mean that thing with the Day-Glo fence at Bruin and Grizzly? Gramps told me about it, but he didn’t say anything about it being an entertainment center. Oh, the paper? Nothing so far. But I haven’t checked today’s yet.” When he unfolded the paper and had a look, his eyebrows shot up. “Well, well,” he said. “Have a look at this.”

  Papa turned the paper around so that Brother could read the top headline. It said: MADAME BEARSAUD’S FAMOUS WAX MUSEUM COMES TO BEARTOWN.

  “Awesome!” cried Brother so loudly that it brought Mama out of the kitchen and Sister down the stairs. “Go ahead, Papa, read the article!”

  Papa cleared his throat and read, “‘Madame Bearsaud—’”

  “You say it Bear-so, dear, not Bear-sawd,” interrupted Mama.

  “Oh,” said Papa. “Must be a misprint. Anyway, here’s what it says:

  “‘Madame Bearsaud, the world-famous owner of Madame Bearsaud’s Wax Museums, is building a new branch of her entertainment empire right in the middle of Beartown. Not only will the wax museum be larger than the one in Big Bear City, but attached to it will be an old-fashioned movie palace, called the Screaming Room, that will show only horror and sci-fi movies. Also attached will be a theme restaurant, Chez Bearsaud, where diners will be served by waiters dressed like the famous monsters, villains, and heroes in the wax museum. Of particular interest in the museum itself will be the statue of Queen Elizabear, adorned with priceless replicas of the great queen’s crown jewels.

  “‘Never before has a business of this type or size been located in Beartown, but the Beartown zoning board has given Madame Bearsaud the go-ahead to build on the vacant lot at the corner of Bruin Street and Grizzly Avenue. The board’s vote was two to one in favor of Madame Bearsaud, with Mayor Honeypot and Farmer Ben voting yes and Lady Grizzly voting no.’”

  Papa looked up from the paper and smiled at Brother and Sister. “Well, cubs, what do you have to say about that?”

  “Hurray for Madame Bearsaud!” cried Sister.

  “And hurray for the Beartown zoning board!” added Brother.

  Chapter 4

  Lady Grizzly’s Challenge

  But the cubs’ hurrays weren’t the last word on the subject. Mama shook her head and said, “The new entertainment center certainly sounds exciting, but one thing worries me: Lady Grizzly’s no vote.”

  “Who cares about Lady Grizzly’s no vote?” said Papa. “She lost fair and square, two to one. Case closed.”

  “I understand that,” said Mama. “But it’s more what the vote represents than the vote itself that worries me.”

  “You’re talking in riddles, dear,” Papa complained.

  “Yeah,” said Sister. “What do you mean, Mama?”

  “Just this,” said Mama. “That single no vote represents an anti-Madame Bearsaud attitude that I expect is shared by some other Beartown folks. Mark my word: there will be protests against the new entertainment center. And it’s quite possible that one of the other members of the zoning board will change his vote.”

  “Oh, my goodness,” said Papa. “Mama’s right.”

  “I don’t get it,” said Brother. “Why would anyone be against the entertainment center?”

  “You’d understand if you were a grownup,” said Papa. “Why, I can just picture Lady Grizzly complaining to the squire: ‘A wax museum? How vulgar! How tawdry! All those awful wax statues of monsters and villains will corrupt Beartown’s cubs …’”

  And if truth be told, across town, in Squire Grizzly’s study, Lady Grizzly was at that very moment complaining to her husband. “A wax museum?” she was saying. “How vulgar! How tawdry! All those awful wax statues of monsters and villains will corrupt Beartown’s cubs! Dear, we must stop this Madame Bearsaud from completing her infernal project!”

  Squire Grizzly, sitting behind his big wooden desk, shrugged and shook his head. “But I
don’t see what we can do about it, dear,” he said. “After all, the zoning board has already voted—”

  “Nonsense!” snapped Lady Grizzly. “The zoning board, as you well know, is perfectly free to change its vote within a month if it sees fit. And to have it do just that, I shall organize an anti-Madame Bearsaud campaign the likes of which our sleepy little town has never seen!”

  “But, dear,” said the squire, “think of the boost the new center will give to the Beartown businesses that I own. Madame Bearsaud’s will put Beartown on the map. Folks from all over Bear Country will flock to town, and Madame Bearsaud’s theme restaurant won’t even begin to be able to serve all of them. The overflow will wind up in my Burger Bear and my Pizza Shack. And they’ll wind up shopping in Grizzworth’s, my five-and-dime store, and at 8-Twelve, my convenience store. Furthermore, Madame Bearsaud has taken out a handsome loan from my bank, Great Grizzly National, to finance her project, and the interest she pays on that loan will provide us with a steady stream of money for years and years to come—”

  “Not another word!” shouted Lady Grizzly. “Money, money, money! Is that all you care about in life?”

  The squire was silent for a moment.

  “Well?” prodded his wife.

  “Hold on,” mumbled the squire. “I’m thinking it over …”

  “Humph!” said Lady Grizzly, stalking from the room. “I’ve heard quite enough from you!”

  Lady Grizzly marched into the drawing room and went straight to the telephone. First she’d call Mrs. Ben, then Mrs. Honeypot. And when they got through with Farmer Ben and Mayor Honeypot, those two would wish they’d never heard of the Beartown zoning board!

  Chapter 5

  ABATE vs. BAD?

  Later that evening, the phone rang in the Bears’ living room, where the Bear family was watching television. Mama answered. “Oh, hello, Lady Grizzly,” she said. “Oh, no, you’re not interrupting anything. We were just watching Bear Country’s Funniest Home Videos, but it’s a rerun. Yes … uh-huh … I see … but before you go any further, Lady Grizzly, I should tell you that Papa and I are not really against the new entertainment center. Thank you, anyway. That’s quite all right. Goodbye.”