This tale may sound like pure imagination to you, but it truly happened—at least that’s what my grandfather used to say. And every time he told it, he would add, “If it weren’t true, it wouldn’t be told so often.”
The story begins on an autumn Sunday morning. The buckwheat fields looked fresh and green, the sun had already climbed high, and a warm breeze gently brushed the crops. Nightingales sang in the air, villagers chatted cheerfully, and everyone seemed happy—including the hedgehog.
The hedgehog stood at the door of his house, arms crossed, humming a little tune to himself—the kind of tune a hedgehog might sing on a Sunday morning. As he hummed, an idea crossed his mind. His wife was inside washing and dressing the children, so he thought he might walk over to the field and check on the beets.
His house was quite close to the field, and the beets felt almost like children of his own, since he and his wife had grown them together. He closed the door behind him and headed toward the field. As he wandered among the rows, not far from home, he suddenly ran into a hare coming out from behind some bushes. The hare was there too—but his eyes were on the cabbages, not the beets.
The hedgehog greeted the hare kindly, but the hare was arrogant and looked down on everyone. He ignored the greeting and mockingly asked,
“What are you doing out here at this hour?”
“I’m just taking a walk,” the hedgehog replied calmly.
The hare burst out laughing. “A walk? With those short legs of yours? You’d be better off doing something useful.”
That insult made the hedgehog angry. He could tolerate many jokes, but mocking his legs was unforgivable—after all, he had been born with a clumsy, waddling walk.
“Do you really think your legs are so much better?” he asked. “How about a race? I’m sure I can beat you.”
The hare laughed arrogantly. “With those legs? Don’t make me laugh! But if you insist, let’s race. What’s the wager?”
“One gold coin,” the hedgehog replied without hesitation.
“Deal!” said the hare. “Let’s start right now.”
“Not so fast,” said the hedgehog. “I haven’t had breakfast yet. Let me eat something at home, and I’ll be back in half an hour.”
And with that, he headed home.
The hare was feeling quite pleased with himself. Meanwhile, as the hedgehog walked, he thought, “The hare trusts his long legs, but I’ll win this race. He thinks he’s so important, but he’s nothing but a fool. Let him lose his gold—maybe it will teach him a lesson.”
As soon as he reached home, he called out to his wife.
“Dear, get ready at once! You must come to the field with me.”
Surprised, she asked, “What’s going on?”
“I’ve made a bet with the hare,” said the hedgehog. “We’re racing for a gold coin, and I’m going to win. You need to be there.”
His wife was shocked. “Are you out of your mind? How can you race a hare? Just look at your legs!”
“Be quiet, wife!” the hedgehog snapped. “This is my business. Now get ready and come with me.”
Seeing she had no choice, she reluctantly prepared and followed him. On the way, the hedgehog explained his plan.
“Do you see this long field?” he said. “The race will happen here. The hare will run in one furrow, and I’ll run in the other. We’ll start from the top and run downhill. You’ll hide at the far end, and when the hare reaches you, you’ll shout, ‘Here I am!’”
When they reached the field, the hedgehog showed his wife where to hide and then walked to the other end. The hare was already there, impatiently waiting.
“Are you ready?” asked the hare.
“Of course,” replied the hedgehog, stepping into his furrow.
“One, two, three!” shouted the hare, and off he dashed like lightning. The hedgehog took only a few steps, then hid in the furrow and sat down.
When the hare reached the bottom of the field, the hedgehog’s wife jumped up and shouted,
“Here I am!”
The hare stopped in disbelief. Standing there was the hedgehog himself—or so it seemed, for the hedgehog and his wife looked exactly alike.
“This isn’t fair!” cried the hare. “We’ll race again—this time uphill!”
Off he ran again, ears flying in the wind. The hedgehog’s wife didn’t move. When the hare reached the top, the male hedgehog was already there and calmly said,
“I’ve been waiting for you all morning.”
The hare nearly burst with rage. “Again!” he shouted.
“Gladly,” said the hedgehog with a smile. “As many times as you like.”
And so the hare ran up and down the field seventy-three times. Each time, at the end of the field, he heard the same voice: “Here I am!” But on the seventy-fourth run, the hare collapsed in the middle of the field, exhausted.
The hedgehog collected the gold coin he had rightfully won and called to his wife from behind the furrow. Together, happily, they walked home.
From that day on, no hare ever dared to race a hedgehog again.
And this tale teaches us two important lessons:
1. Looking down on others and mocking them brings no one any gain.
2. One should choose a partner who truly belongs with them—for a hedgehog is best matched with another hedgehog.