Hatschi the Hedgehog

Translator Anna Morkovina

Graphics editor Sergei Aganin

© Tatyana Aganina, 2020

© Anna Morkovina, translation, 2020

ISBN 978-5-0051-4498-0

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

This story happened to a little girl, Vera. Her parents tenderly called her Verochka. They lived near the woods, where they often went for a walk.

One summer Verochka and her mother were going for another walk. The sun was shining brightly. Birds were singing in the woods and trees were rustling their leaves. The weather was wonderful.

Mother and daughter were walking along a path to a clearing. In summer there were lots of beautiful flowers growing in that clearing. That day Vera decided to pick some flowers for a bouquet to decorate her room. Her mother was slowly telling Verochka a fairy tale about forest animals and the girl was listening attentively.

Vera reached into the pocket of her dress and found a piece of candy. She forgot all about it! In the kindergarten a boy Dima had given it to her. And then, having discovered the sweet, the girl was happy. She took it out of her pocket, unwrapped it, and popped into her mouth. She decided to give the wrapper to her mother.

“Verochka,” mother said, “put the candy wrapper into your pocket. Let’s go home and throw it in the litter bin.”

Vera didn’t want to keep the wrapper, but obediently put it in the pocket of her dress.

By the time mother finished her story, Verochka had already been standing in the clearing. Mother sat down on a stump to have a rest, and the girl began collecting flowers for the bouquet. They were various flowers that she was picking: camomiles, clovers, dandelions, and other flowers that Vera didn’t know much about.

She saw an unusual hedgehog in the grass. It had orange prickles and a blue nose. It was very beautiful. At first Verochka wanted to call her mother so she could also look at this orange marvellous animal, but then she changed her mind. The girl thought that the hedgehog may get scared of shouting and would run away.