The Hedgehog Who Wanted a Hug

Deep in the forest stood a great big oak tree.

On the oak tree was a little round door. That was Chestnut's Pharmacy.

This morning, Chestnut was sweeping fallen leaves by the door.

Rustle, rustle.

Behind a tree, there was a small little shadow.

"Excuse me... is Chestnut here?"

It was a little hedgehog, and his name was Pokey.

"Chestnut... I have a problem," Pokey said in a very small voice.

"I want to hug my friends so, so much. But I'm covered in prickles."

"Every time I get close, my friends go 'Ouch!' and jump away."

"So now, everyone runs away when they see me."

"Every day, I'm all by myself."

Pokey sniffled.

"Chestnut, it feels so strange. My heart feels all empty inside..."

"Ah," Chestnut said gently. "That feeling is called lonely."

Chestnut pushed up his round glasses.

"Hmm... let me think..."

He turned around and looked at the jars on the shelf.

"Aha! This jar right here!"

Chestnut climbed up his little ladder, reaching for a rosy-pink jar.

The ladder wibbled and wobbled, wibbled and wobbled—

"Whoa-oh-oh-oh!"

CRASH!

Chestnut slipped and tumbled to the floor, and rosy-pink candies rolled everywhere.

Chestnut straightened his crooked glasses and brushed the candy dust off his fur.

"I-I'm fine. A pharmacist must stay calm."

Pokey couldn't help but giggle. "Pfft."

Chestnut picked up one candy and placed it gently in Pokey's little paw.

"This is the Rosy-Pink Hug Candy."

"Once you eat it, you'll think of a wonderful way to get a hug."

Pokey looked at the candy. It was shiny, like a tiny little heart.

Pokey put the candy in his mouth.

It was sweet. It was warm.

He thought and thought, and thought and thought...

Suddenly, he saw the fallen leaves on the ground.

Pokey ran to the pile of leaves and rolled around—roly-poly, roly-poly!

His prickles were covered with golden leaves!

All the pointy prickles hid inside the leaves,

and Pokey became a soft, fluffy leaf ball.

A little bunny came hopping by.

"Huh? What's this? A fluffy little ball?"

She reached out and touched it—not prickly at all!

"It's me," said a tiny voice inside the leaf ball. "I'm Pokey."

"Pokey! It's you!"

The little bunny opened her arms and gave Pokey a great big hug.

The squirrel came to hug him too, and the little bird flew down and snuggled softly against the leaf ball.

Pokey got his very first hug of the day—

then a second, then a third, then lots and lots of hugs.

Pokey ran back to the pharmacy.

"Chestnut! Your candy is amazing! I thought of a way!"

"Did you now?" Chestnut asked with a smile.

"So tell me—was it the candy that thought of it, or was it you?"

Pokey tilted his head and thought for a moment.

"It was... me! I thought of it myself!"

"That's right," said Chestnut.

"The idea was living in your little head all along.

The candy just knocked on the door and asked it to come out."

"Thank you, Chestnut."

"I-I'm fine. A pharmacist must stay calm."

But Chestnut's cheeks turned pink.

Pokey rolled off happily, like a happy little leaf ball.

Chestnut watched him go, and pushed his crooked glasses back up.

Then he turned around and put the rosy-pink jar back on the shelf.

Who will come knocking tomorrow, I wonder?