My dear girls and boys! You may be a little surprised to hear what the Sweet Forest is all about. The thing is, in this forest, alongside ordinary trees, grow sugar birches with toffee leaves, flowers where the pollen is sweet jam, bagel trees, and so much more besides that it's impossible to list it all. The creatures who live here are unusual too: they can talk, invent things and, of course, make friends. But let's get to know them a little better. So, welcome to the Sweet Forest!
The bunny sisters were famous throughout the whole forest for their cheerful nature. All these little girls wanted to do was weave flower garlands and nibble on toffee leaves. They even made up lovely stories at forest school and told them to their friends with ringing laughter.
One day, during break, while playing in a circle with their friends, one of the sisters noticed that Hedgehog was standing alone and only now and then glanced over at them with a sigh.
Hedgehog had moved to the Sweet Forest only recently, and the children knew little about him. He studied well and always carried a book. The other children decided he was a terrible know-it-all and called him a show-off among themselves.
Look, look, how the show-off is glaring at us! Grumpy, thinks he's cleverer than us!
He's not a show-off at all, ― remarked the squirrel, ― he's a prickly grump!
Yes, yes, yes, ― the others chimed in together, ― that name suits him much better!
The days went by, and the little ones still kept their distance from the "prickly grump". He never came over to them either, only gazed at them for long stretches.
One day Bunny was walking home from school. Her little sister had fallen ill, and Mum was looking after her at home. Bunny was humming a cheerful tune under her pink nose when she suddenly heard a bitter sob. She looked round and saw the hedgehog.
Prickly grump... Oh, I mean, Hedgehog, what's the matter?
The hedgehog looked at her with eyes full of tears.
Why won't you be friends with me?
Us? ― Bunny was flustered. ― But do you actually want to play with us? You never once came over to us yourself.
I'm shy, ― said Hedgehog, and, covering his little face with his paws, he hurried off.
Bunny thought it over. She didn't run after the hedgehog, and when she got home she asked Mum:
Is it really possible for someone to want to talk to others but not be able to go first because they're too shy?
Of course, ― Mum laughed, ― you lot are a pair of chatterboxes: you just go right up and start talking. But some find those first steps very hard indeed! Why do you ask?
Bunny told Mum about the "prickly grump" and about her recent meeting with the crying hedgehog. Mum just shook her head:
Oh, I never expected my girls to be handing out nasty nicknames left, right and centre!
Sorry, Mum, ― Bunny felt ashamed.
It's not me you should be apologising to, it's Hedgehog. He wasn't looking at you because he's a grump or a know-it-all. He didn't know how to start a conversation first, he's a very shy little boy!
The next day the hedgehog didn't come to school. The teacher said he had come down with something. But little Bunny already knew what they would do after lessons. She told her friends about her talk with Mum, and all the children felt very ashamed of calling the hedgehog a prickly grump.
Hedgehog lay in bed and thought: "I'll never go back to school, never!"
Mum came into the room:
Sweetheart, you have visitors!
Who could possibly come to see me, Mum, ― the hedgehog sighed sadly.
We are! ― came several bright voices, and the hedgehog saw his classmates with surprise.
Bunny stepped forward:
We decided to come and visit you, please don't be cross with us and get well soon! We're waiting for you, we still have so many games to play! And this is for you!
The children began laying out sweet treats on the table for the hedgehog: toffee leaves, berries, little mushroom sweets and lots of other goodies.
Thank you, ― the hedgehog smiled.
Yes, dear children, that's how it goes. We are all different: some are very brave, while others, like the hedgehog, are afraid to take the first step. It may seem to us that he's cross with us, but in fact he's simply shy.
