They say that once a hedgehog wandered along the river bank; in search of food, he rummaged in the river mud and happily ate worms. Suddenly he found himself next to a huge sleeping crocodile. The hedgehog got scared and started to run, but the crocodile woke up and, noticing the hedgehog, asked where he was going. The frightened hedgehog did not dare say that he was looking for food, and answered:
“I came to say hello and see how you are doing.”
“Then come here, let’s chat.”
They started talking. They soon became friends and invited each other to visit. It was decided that the hedgehog would come to the crocodile first, because the crocodile was the eldest.
On the appointed day the hedgehog appeared. The crocodile did not prepare the festive dinner in advance; instead, he immediately rushed at the bull, which was nibbling grass on the river bank, and dragged it to the hedgehog. The hedgehog gobbled both cheeks. He ate a huge piece of meat - compared to himself, of course, because compared to a whole bull carcass it was a very tiny piece. After digesting the food, the hedgehog and the crocodile set a day when the crocodile would come to visit the hedgehog. But at the agreed time, the hedgehog prepared only a few grasshoppers and awuku flowers for the festive dinner. The crocodile got terribly angry and said:
“I hope you don’t call this lunch?” For the sake of what you have prepared, you shouldn’t move your jaws.
“I, sir, offer you with all my heart everything that I managed to obtain.”
- Oh, you are impudent! When you came to me, I greeted you as my most dear guest. Have you forgotten the magnificent bull that I treated you to? What are you going to treat me to after this?
Saying this, the crocodile opened his mouth, took one sip - and everything that the hedgehog had stored disappeared. The angry hedgehog began to sniffle with anger, and the crocodile began to mock him.
“There’s no need to pretend that you’re offended, you shameless sly fellow.” Apparently, you forgot the people's saying: “Even though a hedgehog never admires himself, he is still happy with his eyes.” It turns out, however, that dishonest animals have neither shame nor conscience.
The hedgehog became even more angry and shouted:
- Andriamanitra created my eyes, I cannot remake them. And before you laugh at me, look at yourself. Apparently, you forgot what people say: “When creating the crocodile, Andriamanitra wanted to make it not beautiful, but strong.” And there is another saying: “The guinea fowl mocks the snake, but she herself is also spotted.”
Forgetting everything in the world out of anger, the crocodile opened its mouth and wanted to swallow the hedgehog, but the hedgehog put out its needles and rolled into its throat; he stabbed the crocodile so badly that within a few moments the lord of the rivers died. The delighted hedgehog got out of the enemy’s throat and, dancing, began to repeat:
- The little one overpowered the big one! The little one overpowered the big one!
They say that since then they began to sing a song that everyone now knows: “I am a hedgehog, I wander along the shore, I am not afraid of the huge throat of a crocodile!”
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru