Hegel the hedgehog rose one morning and greeted the sun. His smile was bright as he stepped through his front door and into the garden. Today would be a wonderful day, a fun day. And if he was lucky, he would see his friend Hobbes the hamster and maybe even get a chance to cheer him up.
For Hobbes was not a very happy hamster. Hegel and Hobbes had known each other for a long time, and it seemed Hegel was always trying to cheer up Hobbes. Once in a while he would succeed and bring a smile to Hobbes’ face, perhaps with a riddle or clever rhyme. But mostly Hobbes just walked about pouting.
Just as Hegel the hedgehog was thinking these things about his friend, there came a scratching sound at the garden gate. Only one creature in the garden made such a noise. He opened the gate, and, sure enough, there stood Hobbes, wearing a sad face and looking like nothing on earth could make him smile.
“Hello, Hobbes,” said Hegel. “Isn’t it a wonderful day?!”
“No, not at all. It’s a very grim day,” replied Hobbes. “I could hardly bring myself to get out of bed.”
“Why, Hobbes,” said Hegel. “You cannot really believe such a thing.”
“Of course I can,” Hobbes said. “Why should today be different from any other day?”
“But Hobbes, just have a look at the sky. It’s blue as can be.”
Hegel took Hobbes by the arm, taking care not to poke his friend with his stiff hairs. For everyone knows that hamsters are soft and fluffy, but hedgehogs are covered with stiff and pointy hairs. Sticking his friend with sharp hairs was not going to make Hobbes feel better.
As the two friends walked up the garden path toward Hegel’s house, there came a tiny voice from the ground below.
“Take care, you brutes,” the voice said, so low they could barely hear it. “You almost stepped on my wagon of seeds.”
“Who said that?” asked Hegel.
“Who indeed?” said Hobbes.
“Me indeed,” came the tiny voice from down by their feet.