It was a cold December outside. The trees in the forest had dressed themselves in snow-white coats, and the ground was covered with an enormous layer of snow. The woodland creatures were settling into their homes, whilst birds in their nests gathered fallen twigs and leaves to keep warm in such dreadful cold and shelter their little ones.
A little hare named Snowball had built himself a very cosy home, where he had been wintering for many days. And then one day, when the frost began to rage fiercely, a fox came knocking at his door.
The hare, without poking his nose out, shouted loudly:
Who's that knocking at my house?
It's me — Ginger the fox. Hare, oh hare, let me stay with you for the night! My burrow, which I made for the winter, has been buried under an enormous snowdrift, and I can't get into it at all. It's so cold outside, and I've nowhere to spend the winter.
You must be joking, fox! How can I let you in? You'll gobble me up straightaway.
The frightened hare replied.
No, no, I shan't eat you. I'll be ever so grateful to you, and we'll live together cheerfully and happily!
Ginger replied, having no intention of deceiving the grey hare.
Snowball, without thinking long, locked himself in more securely and answered:
No, you deceiver! Be on your way and never come back here again!
The fox trudged off through the dark, snow-covered forest in search of shelter, whilst the hare quietly settled down to sleep.
The next day, when Snowball poked his nose out of his house, he saw that winter had become quite wild. After running about nearby in search of food, the little hare soon returned home. He settled himself comfortably, ate all the treats he had managed to find in the frightening forest, and lay down to rest.
Very little time had passed when someone knocked at his door again.
Well, who's knocking at my door again, not letting me sleep!
It's me, your friend the hedgehog. Let me stay with you for the night, little hare. It's such dreadful cold outside, and my house has been completely covered with branches, and I can't get into it.
Oh, that's a good one! You'll prick me with your sharp spines and throw me out of my own home. No indeed, find yourself another housemate, and don't knock at my door again, I shan't let you in!
Snowball replied and settled himself more comfortably.
The hedgehog waited a little longer, hoping that the grey hare would take pity after all and let his woodland friend stay for 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 house. There was enough food for another whole day, so Snowball didn't venture 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 all around, the wind was breaking tree branches, and there was no one to be seen outside. And suddenly an unexpected guest came calling at Snowball's house again.
Hare, hey, hare, can you hear me? It's me, Dart the squirrel, let me stay with you for the night. My tree, where I lived, has been blown down by the terrible fierce wind, and now I'm afraid I'll freeze and fall ill.
Ha, you've got a nerve. I'll let you in, and you'll wreck my whole house with your fluffy tail, and then we'll both end up outside for certain. No, squirrel, go and ask the other animals, and don't set foot here again!
Snowball replied to her.
And so, having turned away all his woodland neighbours, the hare remained alone in his burrow for the winter. He simply didn't want to let anyone into his home, because then it would be cramped, whereas now he lived alone and no one bothered him when he wanted to eat and sleep.
A month passed, then another, and suddenly the snow gave way to 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 once again snowflakes began falling on the cold ground.
The hare runs through the forest, thinking:
What am I to do? I thought spring had arrived and it would be warm very soon, but here we are, this winter has started raging again, and now I've nowhere to live.
The hare trudges 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 sister fox sticking out of it.
Snowball was delighted, rushed towards 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 fall ill.
Ha-ha-ha, what a laugh! Be on your way, and don't come to me again. When I had nowhere to live, you didn't take pity on me at all, but sent me away. So now I shan't help you either!
The fox replied, hiding her ginger tail and shutting the door tightly behind her into the warm cosy burrow.
Snowball began to cry and trudged on to look for new lodgings. 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 at the door, perhaps they'll let me stay for a little while. Hey, 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 hedgehog 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 shan'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 squirrel at all costs, she would surely let him live with her. The hare runs, looking all around, and suddenly sees a squirrel sitting in a tree eating a nut.
Squirrel, at last I've found you. Let me come and visit, I'm ever so cold, and I've probably frozen my paws and tail.
Snowball asked hopefully, thinking he'd finally found himself new lodgings.
You know, hare, I'd be happy to, but I can't. I'm very cross with you, and I shan't let you into my house. Run along, look for a new home, but it seems to me that no one will let you stay for the night.
The hare began to cry 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? All right, come along, we'll give you shelter. Our woodland friends told me how you wouldn't let them into your home. I let them all come and stay with me then, and when it warmed up a bit and the rain came, they all built themselves new houses and now they live there.
A large brown bear growled.
The hare was delighted, jumped up, and followed his rescuer to the den. Having reached the new dwelling, the bear and the hare had a good meal and settled down to sleep. But Snowball couldn't fall asleep, he thought about how he hadn't let his woodland neighbours in during the fierce frost, and began to cry.
He understood that one must always help one's friends, because by behaving meanly and badly, he had ended up completely alone. Now Snowball would never send his friends away, and if anything happened to them, he would certainly come to their aid.
