The Fox and the Hedgehog – A Russian Folk Tale about Cunning and Wisdom

Description: The full version of the Russian folk tale about how the hedgehog outwitted the cunning fox with his cleverness. A lesson about attentiveness and caution.

One day, the fox was walking through the forest, searching for food. She was very hungry and couldn't find anything suitable for a long time. Suddenly, she noticed a little hedgehog slowly walking along the forest path. The fox licked her lips and thought, "How nice it would be to catch this hedgehog for dinner!"

She approached the hedgehog and said:

— Hello, hedgehog! How are you doing, my friend?

The hedgehog, noticing the sly look in the fox's eyes, stopped and replied:

— I'm doing well, thank you. And what are you doing here, fox?

The fox smiled slyly and said:

— Oh, I’m just strolling around, looking at the animals in our forest. You are so cute and interesting, maybe you’ll come visit me? I’ll treat you to something tasty.

But the hedgehog understood that the fox was up to no good. He thought for a moment and replied:

— Thank you, fox, but I’d rather eat at home. I have plenty of food in my burrow.

The fox didn’t give up:

— Oh, come on, hedgehog! At my place, I have berries and honey. Everything is fresh and delicious. You’ll really enjoy it.

But the hedgehog knew that the fox was a sly trickster. So he decided to teach her a lesson. He said:

— Alright, I’ll come over. But first, I need to get something from my home. Wait for me here.

The fox agreed, and the hedgehog went to his burrow. There, he gathered some dry twigs and moss, making his "coat" even more prickly, and then returned to the same spot.

— Well, fox, are we going? — he asked.

The fox was delighted and went ahead, thinking she would soon get to feast on the hedgehog. But as soon as she tried to grab him, she immediately pricked herself on his sharp spines. The fox howled in pain:

— Ouch! Why are you so prickly? I just wanted to play with you!

The hedgehog smiled and replied:

— Did you really think I was so foolish as to believe your words? Now you know that you shouldn’t mess with those who can defend themselves!

With that, the hedgehog went on his way, while the fox, wounded and disappointed, trudged off in the opposite direction, promising never to mess with hedgehogs again.

Moral: This story teaches that cleverness and caution can protect you even from the trickiest of enemies. Always be vigilant and don’t trust those who try to deceive you.

Questions for children:

1. Why did the fox want to invite the hedgehog over?
2. How did the hedgehog outwit the fox?
3. What does this story teach us?