It was a cold December outside. The trees in the bush had dressed themselves in snow-white coats, and the ground was covered with an enormous layer of snow. The bush animals were preparing their homes, and the birds in their nests were gathering fallen twigs and leaves so they wouldn't freeze in such dreadful cold and could shelter their little ones.
A young hare named Snowball had built himself a very cosy home, where he'd been wintering for many days. And then one day, when the frost began to rage, a fox came knocking at his door.
The hare, without poking his nose out, shouted loudly:
Who's that knocking at my home?
It's me — Rusty the fox. Hare, oh hare, let me stay with you for the night! My burrow, which I made for winter, has been buried under an enormous snowdrift, and I can't get into it. It's so cold outside, and I've got nowhere to spend the winter.
You've got to be joking, fox! How can I let you in? You'll gobble me up straight away.
The frightened hare replied.
No, no, I won't eat you. I'll be very grateful to you, and we'll live together happily and cheerfully!
Rusty replied, having no intention of deceiving the grey hare.
Snowball, without thinking long, locked himself in more securely and answered:
No, you trickster! Go on your way and never come back here again!
The fox trudged through the dark snowy bush in search of shelter, and the hare quietly settled down to sleep.
The next day, when Snowball poked his nose out of his home, he saw that winter had gone completely wild. After running about nearby in search of food, the little hare soon returned home. He settled himself comfortably, ate all the treats he'd managed to find in the frightening bush, and lay down to rest.
Not much time had passed when someone knocked at his door again.
Well, who's knocking at my door again, won't let me sleep!
It's me, your mate the echidna. Let me in, young hare, to stay the night. It's freezing out here, and my home has been completely buried under branches, and I can't get through to it.
Yeah, right, that's a good one! You'll prick me with your sharp spines and kick me out of my own home. No way, find yourself another housemate, and don't knock at my door again, I won't let you in! — Snowball replied and settled himself more comfortably.
Snowball answered.
The echidna waited a bit longer, hoping that the grey hare would take pity after all and let his bush mate stay the night. But time passed, and Snowball never opened the door.
The night was harsh, so much snow had fallen that in the morning the hare couldn't even get out of his little home. There was enough food for another whole day, so Snowball didn't bother going outside, so as not to freeze his tail and paws.
And then evening came, the snow was falling so heavily that nothing could be seen around, the wind was knocking down tree branches, and no one could be seen outside. And suddenly an unexpected guest came to Snowball's home again.
Hare, oi, hare, can you hear me? It's me, Streak the possum, let me stay with you for the night. My tree, where I lived, was knocked down by the terrible fierce wind, and now I'm afraid I'll freeze and get sick.
Yeah, as if. I'll let you in, and you'll wreck my whole home with your bushy tail, and then we'll both end up outside for sure. No, possum, go ask the other animals, and don't set foot here again!
Snowball answered her.
So having turned away all his bush neighbours, the hare remained alone in his burrow for the winter. He just didn't want to let anyone into his home, because then it would be cramped, but this way he lived alone and no one bothered him when he wanted to eat and sleep.
A month passed, then another, and suddenly the snow was replaced by pouring rain. The burrow where the grey hare lived was completely flooded with water, and one fine day his luxurious spacious home turned into a deep puddle. Snowball went outside and immediately got his paws wet. Evening came, and again snowflakes began falling on the cold ground.
The hare runs through the bush, thinking:
What am I to do? I thought spring had already come and it would be warm soon, but here you go, this winter has gone wild again, and now I've got nowhere to live.
The hare wanders through the snow-covered trees, crying, he's cold, and very hungry too. And suddenly he sees before him a large burrow, with the tail of a sister fox sticking out of it.
Snowball was delighted, rushed to her, and squeaked:
Friend fox, it's me, the grey hare, let me stay with you for the night. It's so cold out here, I've completely frozen my paws, ears and tail, I'm afraid I'll get sick.
Ha-ha-ha, that's a good one! Go on your way, and don't come to me again. When I had nowhere to live, you didn't feel sorry for me at all, but sent me away. So now I won't help you either!
The fox replied, hiding her red tail and closing the door tightly behind her to the warm cosy burrow.
Snowball cried and trudged on to look for a new home. He runs through the snow-covered trees, and suddenly looks, before him is a beautiful hut made of leaves and twigs.
Who lives here? I'll knock on the door, maybe they'll let me stay for a bit. Oi, answer if you're living in this hut!
Snowball wondered.
Oh, is that you, little hare? Why are you waking me on such a cold night?
The sleepy echidna replied.
It's me, the grey hare. My burrow has now turned into an enormous puddle, and now it's completely frozen over, let me stay with you!
Not likely, I won't let you in! You sent me away, and I don't want to know you.
Then the little hare decided that he must find the possum at all costs, she would surely let him live with her. The hare runs, looking everywhere, and suddenly sees a possum sitting in a tree eating a nut.
Possum, I've finally found you. Let me visit you, I'm very cold, and I've probably frozen my paws and tail.
Snowball asked hopefully, thinking he'd finally found a new home.
You know, hare, I'd love to, but I can't. I'm very upset with you, and I won't let you into my home. Run along, look for a new home, but it seems to me that no one will let you stay the night.
The hare cried and trudged on through the snowdrifts. Deep night fell, and Snowball had no strength left at all. He collapsed by a bush and fell asleep. And suddenly, through his sleep, he hears someone tugging at his ear.
Well then, grey hare, didn't find anywhere to spend the night? Right, come on, we'll give you shelter. Our bush mates told me how you wouldn't let them into your home. I let them all come stay with me then, and when it warmed up a bit and the rain came, they all built themselves new homes and now they live there.
The large brown wombat growled.
The hare was delighted, jumped up, and followed his rescuer to the den. Having reached the new dwelling, the wombat and the hare had a good feed and settled down to sleep. But Snowball couldn't fall asleep, he was thinking about how he hadn't let his bush neighbours in during the fierce frost, and he cried.
He understood that you must always help your mates, because by acting meanly and badly, he'd ended up completely alone. Now Snowball would never send his mates away, and if anything happened to them, he would definitely come to their aid.
