Hedgehog and Squirrel: A Lesson in Cleaning on the Forest Meadow

On a warm autumn morning, Hedgehog and Squirrel met on the forest meadow. The meadow was their favorite place for games and meetings, and every time they found something new to discuss or play with. But today, looking around, the friends noticed that the meadow looked a bit neglected. It was covered with fallen leaves, dry twigs, and even some bits of paper and wrappers that the wind had accidentally brought here.

Squirrel looked at Hedgehog and sighed:

– How dirty it has become here… This is not just our home, but also a home for many other creatures and birds. Our friends live here, and they also love this meadow.

Hedgehog nodded, realizing that they had to do something to restore the meadow’s beauty and coziness. After all, this is where they gather, play, and have fun.

– Let’s clean up! – suggested Hedgehog, narrowing his eyes. – We’ll pick up the dry leaves, gather the twigs, and throw away the trash that has accidentally ended up here. If we try, the meadow will become clean and cozy again!

Squirrel eagerly agreed and said:

– Great idea, Hedgehog! Let’s start right now. I’ll take care of the leaves, and you handle the twigs and trash.

So they divided their tasks. Squirrel started with the dry leaves, carefully gathering them into big piles to make it easier to carry them to the edge of the forest later. She worked quickly, picking up every leaf she saw. Her fluffy tail wagged from side to side as she, like a little forest keeper, cleaned up the meadow.

Hedgehog, in turn, gathered dry twigs and picked up any trash that had landed on the meadow. He stacked everything into a separate pile to take it far away from where the animals play. Hedgehog carefully picked up every piece of paper and wrapper, making sure not to miss a single one.

Minutes passed, and the friends worked in harmony, not stopping for a moment. They understood that although the work required effort, the result was worth it: soon the meadow would once again be as they remembered it – clean, green, and cozy.

When Squirrel finally collected all the leaves, she sighed and proudly looked at the huge pile she had made. The meadow now looked much better, and even the air felt fresher. She approached Hedgehog and saw that he had already gathered all the twigs and cleaned up the trash.

– Look how clean it is now! – Squirrel said joyfully, turning to Hedgehog. – The meadow has become beautiful again!

Hedgehog, tired but satisfied, nodded.

– You’re right, Squirrel. When it’s clean around, it’s much more pleasant to be here. We’ve done a great job! Now the meadow will delight everyone who comes here.

After finishing the cleaning, the friends sat down on the soft grass to rest. They looked at their clean meadow and felt a sense of pride growing in their hearts for what they had done. Each of them understood that caring for nature was their responsibility and that their actions determined how beautiful the forest would be.

– You know, Hedgehog, – Squirrel said thoughtfully, gazing at the blue sky, – I think if each of us cleaned up after ourselves and helped others keep it clean, our forest would always be so beautiful.

Hedgehog agreed.

– That’s true, Squirrel. Even if each of us does a little, together we can make the forest beautiful for everyone. Caring for nature is not just our job, but a way to show the forest how much we love it.

From that day on, Hedgehog and Squirrel decided to always keep their favorite meadow tidy and help other animals understand the importance of cleanliness and caring for nature. Their friendship grew stronger each day, knowing they could make the world a little better together.

And now, everyone who passed through the forest saw their clean meadow and smiled, realizing that in this forest, there are those who care about nature and maintain its cleanliness. And Hedgehog and Squirrel, looking at the fruits of their labor, knew they had done something important not just for themselves, but for the entire forest.