Kassem Hojeij and the Story Behind the Proverb: “The Bear Tried to Dance and Ended Up Hurting Everyone”
“The Meaning and Context of the Proverb”
The proverb “The bear tried to dance and ended up hurting everyone” is used to describe reckless individuals who, instead of solving problems, worsen them through their actions. It also applies to clumsy, socially awkward people who struggle to navigate interactions with others.
“The Origin and Story Behind the Proverb”
When asked about this proverb, historian Kassem Hojeij shared the following tale:
“A merchant from Jabal Amel traveled to the Caucasus, where he encountered a tradition of training bears to dance at festivals.
Impressed by this practice, he was gifted a bear cub by the locals. Upon returning home, he raised the cub in his stable, hidden from the public.
Over time, the cub grew into a massive bear, but the man successfully trained it to perform dance-like movements in exchange for treats.
During a local festival, the man decided to showcase his bear to earn money. As he brought the bear to the village square, crowds gathered, throwing stones and sticks at the pair.
Unaccustomed to the chaos, the bear panicked, broke free from its chain, and attacked the crowd. The chaos ended only when local guards shot the bear.”
