Once upon a time, high up in the blue skies of Carebear Land there lived Tenderheart, a sweet, kind, and gentle bear that just about everyone could get along with, except his arch enemy Grumpy Bear, the most unfair, and heartless bear in all the land. Tenderheart loved everyone, and there was always a glow about him that made people happy. There wasn't a bear in sight that he didn't have something in common with. On the other hand, Grumpy bear, unlike Tenderheart, had few friends. No one wanted to befriend him because he was so cruel to all the bears.

It was a restless, silent, and cloudy day in Carebear Land. The two bears quarreled as they couldn't agree on a game to play. Though it was a simple task, they must have argued for hours. Grumpy Bear suggested, "Lets play chess...