In the fall, a hedgehog was walking among the thick grass. Sensing the approach of winter, he began to collect leaves that had fallen from the trees to build himself a warm home.
The hedgehog dragged the leaves into a pile. I looked for a hole to get into the hole. And then a hare came out of the willow tree towards him. Seeing the hedgehog, the hare asked in surprise:
- Matchmaker, what do you want to do with these leaves?
“I’m preparing a warm nest for the winter,” says the hedgehog.
- Oh, if you built it for me too, it would be nice! - he begs the hedgehog.
“It’s not difficult, you can build it,” says the hedgehog. - How can you not help such a good friend!
The hare was happy and ran away into the thicket.
The next morning the hare had a warm hole ready. The hare lies down in the hole, only his long ears stick out. The fox came to the hare and asked:
- Friend hare, how did you find such a soft hole?
“The hedgehog built it, and you ask him, he will do it for you,” the hare answers.
The fox ran to the hedgehog. She came running and said:
- Friend hedgehog, you built a warm hole for the hare, build it for me too. If you don't, you'll get caught.
The hedgehog thought and said:
- If anything, it’s not difficult to build.
The hedgehog collected leaves and built a hole for the fox in the willow forest. The fox came and settled in the hole.
The rumor about the hedgehog and his affairs reached the wolf. He also wanted to have a warm hole. The wolf came to the hedgehog and said:
- Friend hedgehog, build a soft hole for me too.
The hedgehog’s situation is not entirely good; you can’t make a hole for everyone.
“I can’t build one that’s suitable for you,” the hedgehog tells him.
Hearing these words, the wolf bared his teeth.
- If you don’t, I’ll eat you! - he says.
“Okay, I’ll do it,” says the hedgehog, a little cowardly.
Over the course of two days, the hedgehog hauled stones from the stream, laid them out with their points up, and covered them with leaves on top.
The wolf came; Thinking that this was a soft hole, he was delighted and settled down on the leaves, but immediately jumped up and shouted at the top of his lungs:
- Hey! What have you done?! Oops!
- I told you that I don’t know how to build a hole! - says the hedgehog.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru