Imagine a soldier, brave and strong, but with pockets as empty as a cookie jar after a party! His name was Jack, and after the war ended, he had nowhere to go and not a single coin to jingle. He wandered through a forest, feeling quite gloomy, when suddenly, a man in a smart green coat appeared. This wasn't just any man, oh no! He had a funny glint in his eye and one foot that looked a bit like a horse's hoof.

"Well now, soldier," said the man in green, "You look like you could use some help."
Jack sighed. "I could use a mountain of gold, but that's not likely to happen."
The green-coated man grinned. "Perhaps it is! I can make you richer than a king. But there's a catch." (Of course, there's always a catch!) "For seven years, you must wear this special bearskin coat. You cannot wash yourself, comb your hair, cut your nails, or say your prayers. If you do this, you'll also get a magic jacket with pockets that are never empty of gold. If you survive seven years like this, you're free and rich. If you fail, or if you die during those seven years, well, then your soul belongs to me!"

Jack thought, "Seven years is a long time to be smelly and shaggy, but I'm desperate!" So he agreed.
The man in green gave him the bearskin, and poof! Jack looked like a wild bear-man. He was hairy, dirty, and soon, very smelly. The man also gave him the magic jacket. "Remember," he said, "if you need anything, just reach into the pockets." Then he vanished.

Jack, now called Bearskin by everyone, found that his pockets truly were always full of gold. People ran away when they saw him, or held their noses. But Bearskin was kind. He paid off people's debts, gave food to the hungry, and helped anyone in trouble. Since he couldn't pray for himself, he would give people money and ask them, "Please pray for me, that I may make it through these seven years."

One day, after about four years, he came to an inn. The innkeeper was about to shoo him away, but Bearskin offered him a huge bag of gold. The innkeeper had three daughters. When they saw Bearskin, the two older daughters shrieked, "Ewww, a monster!" and ran away, holding their noses. But the youngest daughter looked at him and thought, "He looks scary on the outside, but his eyes seem kind and sad." She treated him politely.

Bearskin stayed for a while. Before he left, he took a gold ring, broke it in two, and gave one half to the youngest daughter. "Keep this," he said. "If I return in three years, a free man, and you still have this, we shall be married. Pray for me." The youngest daughter carefully put the half-ring away. Her older sisters laughed at her for being nice to the "dirty bear-man."

Seven long, shaggy, smelly years finally passed. Ding dong! The time was up. The man in the green coat appeared, looking a bit grumpy that Bearskin had survived and done so much good. "Well done," he grumbled. He had to keep his promise. He helped Bearskin take off the bearskin coat, washed him, cut his hair and nails, and gave him fine new clothes. Suddenly, Bearskin was a handsome young man, and still very rich!

Clean and looking like a prince, Bearskin bought a splendid carriage and went back to the inn. The two older sisters saw the handsome, rich stranger and fluttered around him. "Oh, marry me!" cried one. "No, marry me!" cried the other, each trying to impress him.
Bearskin then asked for the youngest daughter. She came in, wearing a simple dress, her face a little sad because she thought her kind Bearskin was gone forever.
Bearskin asked her, "My dear, what did you do with the half-ring a shaggy man gave you?"
Her eyes lit up! She pulled out her half from a ribbon around her neck. "I keep it always, and I have prayed for him every day!"
Bearskin smiled and pulled out his half of the ring. He put them together, and they matched perfectly! "I am that Bearskin!" he declared. "And the seven years are over!"

The youngest sister was overjoyed! They had a wonderful wedding and were very happy. And what about the two older sisters? Well, when they realized who the handsome prince was and how they'd missed their chance because they were unkind, they were so angry and jealous. One ran off in a rage, and the other was so upset she became quite ill. But Bearskin and his kind wife lived happily ever after, always remembering to be good and generous to others.

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