Horrible Horace The Hedgehog

This is the story about Horrible Horace The Hedgehog and how he learnt a lesson about being nice to others.

Horrible Horace Hedgehog was always going around and tricking smaller hedgehogs out of their food or toys. He saw nothing wrong with picking on smaller hedgehogs because he new his big size was to his advantage and this suited him. He was proud that he was bigger than the other children hedgehogs and he believed he should use his large size to his advantage, he also fully expected to do this when he grew into a adult hedgehog as well.

Often he would wander around while the other, smaller hedgehogs were looking for food, and wait until one of them found something and then he would find a way to trick that little hedgehog so that Horrible Horace Hedgehog got the food and then if that didn’t work he would just take it off the other hedgehogs anyway. Horrible Horace Hedgehog was different from a lot of bullies because he was very clever as well as being a big bully. Because Horrible Horace Hedgehog was so big he needed lots of food to satisfy his big growing tummy.

One day he saw little Jane hedgehog nibbling at some leftover dog food in a humans back yard.

“Hello Jane hows things?” he asked in a kind manner as he lumbered over to her. His huge body cast a shadow over her that was so big it nearly blocked all the sunlight out. “What are you doing?” he enquired.

Jane had heard of Horrible Horace Hedgehog but hadn’t had much to do with him until now. She looked at him and said “Everything is great Horace, would you like to share this food with me?”

Horrible Horace Hedgehog looked at her and said “No, you eat it all up dear.” He was putting on a great honourable act.

And just as she started to eat again Horrible Horace Hedgehog said “Oh no, I hear a dog coming. Quick you had better run and hide little Jane.” Jane was a sensitive girl and she had a soft spot for all of Gods children.

Jane looked up in surprise and as all hedgehogs know its very good to avoid dogs, so she hurried off into the bushes to get away.

“That’s it little Jane keep running, I am not far behind you.” yelled Horrible Horace Hedgehog with a sly smile breaking out on his face. He though “Oh that was just too easy.” And then he settled down to gobble up all Jane’s food.

This was the sort of thing that Horrible Horace Hedgehog did often. When Jane got back home she told her Mother and Father how Horrible Horace Hedgehog had saved her and they informed her of her mistake, her feelings were deeply hurt, and she cried in despair. Her Mother sat down on a chair with Jane on her lap and she explained to her that the rest of the hedgehogs were not much like Horace and that one day he would learn from his mistake. Luckily for Jane that she didn’t hold grudges and she soon put it aside in her mind and thought that it was a good lesson to learn from.

Jane had a friend called Jim. Jim was an older hedgehog but still a youngster. He was brave and cared for the other hedgehogs. Often Jim could be found playing with the youngsters or helping the young ones finish some project. Sometimes Jim would even take the young ones for walks. They were save with Jim because he was worldly wise and he knew all the tricks that other animals would try to get at the young hedgehogs. Jim was also a good friend of the older hedgehogs, they loved his company as he often thought just like an adult hedgehog.

Jim heard about the trick that Horrible Horace Hedgehog played on Jane and Jim decided that it was time that Horrible Horace Hedgehog learnt a lesson about sharing and being kind to others. Jim went to Jane’s home and knocked at the door.

Knock.
Knock.
Knock.

The door opened and Jane’s Mother appeared. To the neighbourhood she was known as Mrs Tippet. Mrs Tippet had always been a tad frail but her strength was not weakened for what she lacked in size.

“Hello Jim, what a pleasant surprise!” Mrs Tippet has always had a soft spot for Jim as he had helped her on many occasions without being asked to help. Plus he spent many days looking after Jane and the other small hedgehogs.

“Hello Mrs Tippet. I have come to see Jane. I hear that she was cruelly treated by Horace and I thought today would be a good day for me and Jane to teach Horace a lesson on kindness and manners.” Jim winked as he said this.

“Oh Jim. I am not sure if Jane would be wanting to deal with Horace in the manner that you suggest but I will go and ask. She will be out shortly.” Smiled the ever helpful Mrs Tippet.

Jim walked around the back yard looking at the children’s toys and enjoying the view of wild flowers and shrubs. After a few minutes Jane and her Mother appear at the door.

Jim smiles at Jane and declares “Jane you look wonderful this morning!”

Jane’s smiles back with a knowing look on her face “Jim you always say things like that when you know that I have been feeling down. But I thank you just the same.”

“Jane would you please come with me and help me delve out some justice to our fellow hedgehog Horace?” said Jim.

Jane thought for a short while. She looked at Jim and then at her Mother and then she looked in the fish pond in the back yard and saw her own fuzzy face and said “Okay I will help!”

Jim smiled and said “Great then here is the plan.” Jim continued to talk to Jane as he took her hand and led her away from her house to the neighbours home.

Jane’s said “But Jim why can’t we do this at my house – we have a pond?”

“No Jane, Horrible Horace Hedgehog will suspect something is up if we try to trick him in your back yard.”

Jane’s smiled “I should have thought of that huh!”

“Don’t worry about it Jane. Over here is the pond and as you can see my friends and I have put leaves, branches and grass over the top so that it looks like a small hill of grass or something like that.” said Jim.

“Oh, I like it Jim. Horrible Horace Hedgehog would never catch on!”

“And down here on the ground I have spread lots of cake and bread crumbs for you to start eating when Horrible Horace Hedgehog comes along. And you can also see if you tiptoe the bread and cake crumbs up on top of the pool. The crumbs are sitting on the grass at the top of the pool on the grass and twigs for Horrible Horace Hedgehog to see.”

They both turn as they hear the noise of feet running across the ground and as they stare the bushes near them part to reveal Bruce Hedgehog, “Hey guys here he comes!”, the bushes close up to hide Bruce as he runs back into position.

“Okay Jane this is your part. When you see Horace make out that you have just found this food and let Horace to trick you to go away. Okay!”

Jane smiled and said “Okay Jim, lets do it!”

Jim and Jane shook hands and then Jim ran off into the bush to hide. Jane could hear the thumping noises of Horrible Horace Hedgehog as he tramped around the back yard looking for food or somebody else’s food.”

Horrible Horace Hedgehog came bursting through the bush and at once his super sensitive nose caught a hold of the smell of food and he quickly glanced at Jane as she nibbled on some cake crumbs. Horrible Horace Hedgehog sniffed again and realised that Jane was eating his favourite cake – banana cake.

Quickly Horrible Horace Hedgehog looked around for a way to get Jane away from the food and as he did he noticed that their was a lot of food on top of the mound of grass and twigs. Horrible Horace Hedgehog figured that and had not seen this additional food and he wanted her away as soon as possible. He shuddered at the thought of this girl eating this food.

[not the finished version]

All the best from James Martin Sandbrook.
‎Saturday, ‎16 ‎October ‎2004, ‏‎1:28:46 PM.