The Hedgehog Who Hugged Too Tight

A little hedgehog loved his forest friends dearly. Whenever he felt happy, he would run straight in for a tight hug — but his sharp spines always poked and hurt his friends every time.

His close friends, the little rabbit and the squirrel, began avoiding him for fear of getting poked. The little hedgehog felt very sad that his friends no longer wanted to be near him.

The little hedgehog kept to himself sadly under a bush, until a kind old tortoise came walking by and noticed him. She sat down to chat and asked why he looked so sad.

The old tortoise gently advised him that love doesn't always need to be shown through a tight hug. Sometimes a smile, a kind word, or simply sitting close together gently can express love just as well.

The little hedgehog tried the advice, smiling at his friends and sitting gently beside them instead of hugging tight. His friends happily came back to play. He learned that true love comes with understanding others' hearts too.

True love must come with understanding and care for others' feelings too.