Howard the hedgehogs journey home

Once upon a time, far a way, in a place where faries often come out to play.

A lonely hedgehog made his way home,  sad and fed up, all alone.

"I wish i did nt have these prickles on my back, i wish i was fluffy and nice, oh why do i have to be this way, nobody likes me or wants to play. Even children that come to the forest to play go to rub me, and then run away, i wish i was nt stupid and dumb. Oh and i feel so glum" Poor little Howard had these thoughts all the way home, around and around in his head they would go. 

A field mouse was in a hurry going by, looked up and saw Howard and shouted  -"HI"

But Howards head was down, on his face a huge frown

The field mouse carry on his way "some are just not friendly round here" he went on his way to see his friend Daisy the deer. 

A toad sitting on a rock by a lake, catching flies with his touge was full of cheer

He turned and smiled at Howard as he walked by, he even missed a big juicy fly

"Hello young fella, and how do you do" said the toad with a big cheery wave

But Howards head was low, he did nt look up, his low thoughts blocked his ears, toads cheery hello, he just could not hear.

Toad raised his eyes to heaven above, "Oh well what can you do,when some just dont want to be friends with you" Toad went back to catching his files, smiling and singing as sad little Howard slowly went by. 

A beautiful brid with colours so bright flew from a branch singing a sweet song, spotted Howard walking along. She opened her wings and broke into song , swooped down to sit on a log near by.  The little bird wanted someone to hear, to smile and tell her they could listen all day long. She tweeted and sang with all of her might. But Howard was still lost in his plight. Sad and glummy thoughts in his head, around and around Howards thoughts did play, blocking out all that was good in the day. 

The little birds song was so sweet, OH and her colours so bright, but Howard did not see her, his head was too low, full of sad thoughts that would nt let go, the sweet song of this little bird for the rest of the forest was so clear, but poor little Horward just could not hear.

The bird would not give up and sing louder still,  flying above Howard and following him home. She woke up the fairies that live under the mushrooms just left of  the old oaktree. A golden light, with glitter and stardust seemed to just appear, the faries flew up to meet the little bird, they danced with such delight to her song. Around and around in the evening light they played, the little bird sang with all of her might, the faries had come out to play. 

Howard still glummly walking on home when the fairies spotted him down below. They gathered together and wispered into each pointed ear, giggled and fluttered around him, coming near. 

But Howard was still lost in his thoughts, did not see them, hear their giggles or see them shine. Howard could only see black and the grey, his sad thoughts had robbed the beauty of this day. 

The faries grew angry, not used to being ignored, the flew down, on Howards path they sat, all linking arms, wings did flap. Glitter and golden light shone so bright, the little bird sitting in the branch above, she looked on with wonder of what was to be.

Howard bumped into a faries small foot, his eyes lifted, not sure of what he could see.  Gasping and out of breath Howard asked "what do you want with me?" 

The faries stood up and with hands on their hips told Howard how they could feel his thoughts, how they filled the forest air, they were bad and awful and making him and others so sad. They told him of the little bird who woke them up, of how beauitful her colours and of her song. How they came out to play and to see what they could see in the forest on this beautiful evening. Only to be ignored, for him not to see. How they just could not let this be. 

They told Howard how they had danced above, how he had not seen them or  their golden light, all because his sad thoughts had blocked all the beauty around,and kept out all the beautiful sounds

The faries then sat Howard down near the stump of a tree, told him to listen to what they would say. Ella the fairy stood before Howard and cried, her golden wings slowly went down."Howard" she said in a magical fairy voice, "You must not block your head with thoughts so sad, thinking only of what you do not and cant have". Try telling yourself one good thing each day, start like this untill all the bad thoughts go away. "Look around you be glad for this day, instead of being glummy, take time to play" 

Ella spread her wings and flew up above, in a sweet voice she began to sing Howard a song. All the other faries flew up to join in.

Howard rubbed his eyes, and cleaned out his ears, he just could not believe what he could hear.

The sweetest music in all of the land, sang in the forest for him, the only thought Howard had now was "now isn t this grand"

The fairies sang and danced around, spreading glitter on the ground, Howards eyes brighted up, the words of their song had begun to sink in. "I can be nice and I can play, I can make the best of each day" Howard shouted this up to his new fairy friends as they flew away. 

With a lighter step and a song in his heart Howard and the litte bird continued on home, stopping to chat to a fox and a dear ,just to ask "How was your day" Howard felt that now he could see, thanks to the faries and their song, what was important and just where he had gone wrong.

All the way home he hummed the faries songs.

"Be happy, be thankful, make the most of each day, always make time for others, push the bad thoughts away, for all we really have is this day" 

Howards journey had only begun, each day now he planted new bright thoughts in his head, he helped them to grow, but first he must weed out the weeds. Amazed each day as he looked around at the beautiful place he lived, for years he had walked with his eyes to the ground, not noticing the beauty or listening to the sounds. 

"Im such a lucky hedgehog," Howard smiled as he thought while shining his,sliver spoons and forks. Howard was having some new friends over for tea. I know now my friends love me for just being ME.