Happy Christmas but not necessarily a time of celebration for some. It was in the New World, England’s former colony that a shot bear fell from a tree onto a hunter whose comrade-in-arms had bagged him.

With friends like that who needs enemies? It was a heavy load for him to bear but not necessarily on his conscience: the man died.

‘A Virginia man has died after a bear, which was shot in a tree by one of the man’s hunting partners, fell on him,’ the report said, citing state wildlife officials.

According to the agency, on December 9, hunters were chasing a bear that in a futile attempt to escape his pursuers had climbed a tree. The man was reportedly taken to hospital but died from his injuries on December 13. The incident bears a great resemblance to the remark attributed to Count Otto von Bismark.

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