Bear Cloth

The Bear Cloth is one of the Bronze Cloths.

Mythology
Ursa Major (Latin: "Larger Bear"), also known as the Great Bear, is a constellation visible throughout the year in most of the northern hemisphere; it can best be seen in April. It is dominated by the widely recognized asterism known as the Big Dipper or Plough, which is a useful pointer toward north, and which has mythological significance in numerous world cultures. Ursa Major was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century AD astronomer Ptolemy.

In Greek mythology, Zeus lusts after a young woman named Callisto, a virgin attendant of Artemis and the daughter of King Lycaon. Zeus one day finds Callisto alone and, disguising himself as Artemis, tricks the girl into embracing him. Figuring out the truth too late, Callisto tries to escape, but is unsuccesful in fighting Zeus off and he rapes her.

Callisto tries to hide what happened from her patron goddess but, while bathing, the nymphs discover Callisto is pregnant and Artemis banishes her from their hunting party. Callisto is then changed into a bear, either by Artemis or Hera, Zeus's wife. Callisto gives birth to a human son, Arcas, who is never told of his mother's identity. She encounters her grown son in the forest years later; in some tellings she is placed there by Hera so that Arcas will kill her.

Arcas almost shoots the bear, but to avert the tragedy, Zeus turns Arcas into a bear as well and puts them in the sky, forming Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. However, Hera is still angry over the affair and convinces Poseidon to never let the constellations fall below the horizon line into the sea.