HELPING A STRANGER

Hopping along singing a song,

I was enjoying myself till a strange sight shuffled into view.

A little voice said “Please give me a hand. I fell down a slope headfirst into the sand, straight into a prickly bush, ouch! 

Each time I move it hurts!”

“Oh dear let me see, my name is Hoppy, what a mess! I am a frog with skin so thin, I will try to do my best. But you are a hedgehog, prickles should not hurt you!”

“Oh but these do! They slip between my prickles with their sharp ends digging in. My name is Sensitive, as at the slightest sign of danger I curl up in a ball. Now I cannot do that at all! Boo Hoo!

Can you please help me anyway at all?”

Hoppy sat still thinking hard about the difficult task, before saying I need the help of a friend. Stay still I will be back in a mo.” He hopped into the bushes heading for the pond.

Sensitive pondered who the friend might be. She anxiously waited for the help to appear. She hoped they would be friendly as her defences were down. She could no longer turn into a ball to keep herself safe.

She need not have worried as Mr. Snail crept into view. Muttering, “good gracious what has happened to you? Don’t worry we will soon put things right.” 

Hoppy took control, asking Sensitive to move under a low-hanging branch, and stay very still. His next request was for Mr. Snail to crawl to the top of the branch, he would be there too. The next bit would be tricky as he wanted Mr. Snail to hold onto his legs, sticking him like glue to the overhanging branch. So he could dangle out, to gently pull each prickle out and not get hurt himself.

The task was completed to the delight of all, and Prickle the hedgehog could once again turn into a ball. Thanks were expressed as they went on their way, to meet as friends some other day.

2025 © by Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen