It was a glorious summer morning. The sun was shining warmly through the green canopy of the forest. From the trees came the melodious chirping of forest birds. Beautiful butterflies floated around the tiny, brightly coloured flowers.
On this wonderful day, Pettyes, the little deer, was born. As soon as she was born, she looked around with her beautiful brown eyes. A little stumbling, a little stumbling, but soon all four of her slender little legs were standing securely on the bumpy, grassy ground of the forest. The brownish fur of the graceful little giraffe was dotted with white specks. With its tiny black nose, it sniffed deeply of the clean, fresh forest air. "Always follow me, Spotty, and never stray from the path!
At first, Pettyes didn't understand why he had to follow his mum so closely, because everything around them was so peaceful, almost magical. One morning, however, when Pettyes opened his big brown eyes wide, he was surprised to see that he was alone. As he wondered where his dear mother deer had disappeared to, he heard a noise in the bushes, and then suddenly Fierce, the rabbit from the hollow, appeared.
- Where to in such a hurry? - Pettyes asked him.
- Oh, Crafty, the fox is on my trail! You'd better get out of here as fast as you can!" said Fierce, frightened.
For a moment, Pettyes was afraid too, but he soon realised how they could both escape from the sneaky fox.
- Come with me, Quick, quick, the bushes will hide you! You lie there, under them, with your grey fur you're almost melting into the ground, and I'll stand still until the sneak disappears!
They waited without a single blink, almost petrified. The treacherous Ravazdi appeared at once, and was surprised to find the catch he had thought sure had slipped from his sight. At a loss, he staggered away.
- Thank you for saving me! I appreciate it! I have never met such a brave deer. - Fierce, the rabbit from the hollow, rejoiced and hurried on his way.
Petty was happy to help his little friend and they both survived this dangerous adventure. Then he heard another noise. Soon Suri, the little hedgehog, appeared, picking at her tiny feet.
- Where to, where to in such a hurry? - Pettyes asked him, wondering.
- "Oh, Uhu, the owl has chosen me for you, my thorns are no obstacle to your big appetite." said the frightened Suri.
Petty immediately took pity on the frightened little hedgehog and said:
- Wait a minute, let me help you! Maybe that bush can protect you. Get in deep and fast, and leave the rest to me.
No sooner had the last of Suri's thorns disappeared into the thicket than Uhu the owl appeared and landed right in front of Pettyes. He turned his remarkably large head towards him and said:
- Tell me now, I don't have much time to wait for your answer! Have you seen a hedgehog wandering around?
- I saw no one, near or far. Shouldn't you be sleeping on a big tree branch right now? - asked Pettyes with a puzzled look.
- I am upset by the constant rumbling in my stomach, but I can see that it will be for the night." grumbled Uhu in disappointment, and flew away without a sound.
Then Suri stepped cautiously out of the bush and said gratefully:
- Thank you for saving me! I appreciate it! I have never met such a brave deer.
Spotty watched with delight as his little friend walked away unharmed, remembering his mother, who still had not returned to him. Then suddenly, from one of the trees, Peanut, the resident squirrel, jumped in front of him, his tiny eyes searching the sky, apparently very anxious.
- What are you doing down here, and why are you so scared? - Petty asked in surprise.
- Oh, Yellowfoot, the shell is about to catch you! I'll never get back to the burrow. - Peanut wailed in terror.
Spotted knew that it was not easy to hide from the hawk, because his sharp eyes could see everything even from high above, but he had an idea. On the uneven ground, he spotted a dimple just big enough to fit Peanut's tiny body. So he said, to the still trembling little squirrel:
- Here's the pit, get in there right away and leave the rest to me! I'm hiding.
Peanut crawled into the hole and pulled his long tail and brush-like ears in as far as he could. In a single motion, Spotted covered the hole with straw. He thought that perhaps this way, Sparrowpaw would not discover his little friend. And so he did. The eagle-eyed hawk scanned the ground in vain, flying overhead several times, seeing nothing but leaves, and suddenly disappeared into the distance.
- You can come out now, the danger is over," said Pettyes, relieved.
With a grateful look, that's all he said:
- Thank you for saving me! I appreciate it! I have never met such a brave deer.
With that, he said a cheerful goodbye and disappeared into the canopy of trees.
Spotted waved happily after his little friend. Soon after, mama deer returned. The little fawn was delighted. She immediately began to tell him how she had saved Frog, Suri and Mowgli, and how she had outwitted Catcher in the Rye, Eagle Owl and Mudfoot.
The story of Pettyes, the brave deer-hedgehog, is still told today by the grateful inhabitants of the forest.
/story illustrated by Tar Martin/
