The Hare and the Hedgehog

Children, this story may sound like a fib, but it's true; for my grandfather, who told it to me, always used to say: "It must be true, my boy, or else nobody would tell it." So here is the story:

It was a Sunday morning in autumn. The buckwheat was in bloom, the sun was shining in the sky, the morning breeze was blowing warmly over the stubble, larks were singing in the fields, and bees were humming in the buckwheat. The hedgehog was standing at his front door with his arms folded, looking out at the morning breeze and humming a little song to himself. Suddenly he thought: "While my wife is washing and dressing the children, I'll go out to the field and see how my turnips are doing." The turnips grew in a field close to his house, and he and his family ate them as if they were their own.

When the hedgehog reached the bushes at the edge of the field, he met the hare, who had come out to look at his cabbages. The hedgehog politely wished the hare good morning. But the hare, who thought himself very grand, did not return the greeting and said scornfully: "What are you doing out in the field so early this morning?" "I'm taking a walk," said the hedgehog. "A walk?" laughed the hare. "I think you could use your legs for better things."

This remark made the hedgehog very angry. He could put up with anything, but not a word about his legs, because they were naturally crooked and short. "Do you suppose," said the hedgehog, "that you can do more with your legs than I can with mine?" "That's what I think," said the hare. "Shall we try? If we race, I'll beat you." "Don't make me laugh, you with your short legs!" said the hare. "But since you want it so much, all right. What shall we bet?" "A gold coin and a bottle of wine," said the hedgehog. "Agreed," said the hare. "Let's start at once." "No, not so fast," said the hedgehog. "I haven't had my breakfast yet. First I'll go home and eat something. I'll be back here in half an hour."

On his way home the hedgehog thought: "The hare trusts his long legs, but I'll catch him out. He thinks he's a fine gentleman, but he's really a foolish fellow. He'll pay for this." When he got home, he said to his wife: "Wife, quickly, get dressed. You're coming to the field with me." "What's happened?" "I've made a bet with the hare for a gold coin and a bottle of wine. I'm going to race him, and you're going to be there." "Oh my goodness, husband," cried his wife, "have you lost your mind? How can you race a hare?" "Hush, wife," said the hedgehog. "That's my business. Don't meddle in men's affairs. Get dressed and come along."

On the way the hedgehog said to his wife: "Now pay attention and listen to what I say. Look, we're going to race along this long field. The hare will run in one furrow, and I'll run in the other, and we'll start from the top of the field. You stand down there at the bottom in my furrow. When the hare comes along on the other side, call out to him: 'I'm here already!'" When they reached the field, the hedgehog showed his wife her place and then went up to the top of the field. The hare was there. "Shall we start?" "Yes," said the hedgehog. "One, two, three!" counted the hare, and off he went down the field like a whirlwind. But the hedgehog only ran three steps; then he crouched down in his furrow and sat there quietly.

When the hare arrived at full speed at the bottom of the field, the hedgehog's wife called out to him: "I'm here already!" The hare was astonished; he thought it was the hedgehog himself, for, as you know, the hedgehog's wife looks just like her husband. The hare thought: "There's something wrong here." He shouted: "Let's run again, back the other way!" And off he went again like a whirlwind, with his ears flying behind his head. The hedgehog's wife stayed calmly where she was. When the hare reached the top of the field, the hedgehog called out to him: "I'm here already!"

The hare was beside himself with rage: "Run again!" "As often as you like," said the hedgehog. And so the hare ran seventy-three times, and each time the hedgehog seemed to keep up with him. Every time the hare reached the top or the bottom, the hedgehog or his wife called out, "I'm here already!"

On the seventy-fourth time, the hare did not even get halfway. He fell to the ground in the middle of the field, out of breath, and could not run any more. The hedgehog took the gold coin and the bottle of wine he had won, called his wife out of her furrow, and the two of them went happily home. And if they haven't died, they're still alive today.

From that day on, no hare ever dared to race a hedgehog again. And there are two lessons in this story. First, no one, however grand he thinks he is, should make fun of anyone else, not even a hedgehog. Second, whoever marries should choose a wife of his own kind who looks just like him. So whoever is a hedgehog must make sure that his wife is a hedgehog too.