The protagonist is a round, chubby bear who is naturally far too optimistic. It wants to accomplish great things—move a piece of fruit, build a dam, put up a shelter, jump over a ditch, or deliver a piece of fruit to a neighbor. It always chooses the shortest route and the easiest method, but only ever calculates the distance, never accounting for the water. As a result, every attempt ends in perfectly timed disaster: the fruit rolls back into the water, the dam is swept away, and the shelter comes crashing down. But it never gives up. It shakes its fur, stands up straight, raises its chin, and firmly believes it has succeeded. It triumphantly leads a bird along, only to lose a piece of fruit; it builds a bridge that collapses, but happens to get flung to the other side.