a deadly joke

A Deadly Joke.

In northern Norway once, just above the arctic
circle, I rented a log cabin; the locals told me that
at times, when a big storm brewed, polar bears
tried to seek shelter by knocking on doors, and if
anyone opened it had both food and shelter. No,
I didn’t believe that. An evening as a blizzard was
on its way, and it was getting very cold, there was
a knock on my door I opened it, and there in front
of me a tall polar bear, I quickly shut the door and
locked it and shuttered the windows. Big whiteout
didn’t abate till a dawn that was unbelievable cold.
Opened the door looked out the bear was curled up
in fetus position and frozen solid. I realized then it
was a native who had tried to play a prank on me.