Hana the Hedgehog and the Basket of Bread

Chapter 1: Help poor

In a snowy village called Frostwillow, there lived a young hedgehog named Hana. Hana had a warm den, a cozy bed, and a mama who baked the softest bread in the whole village. Every morning, the smell of fresh loaves drifted through the windows and made Hana's tummy rumble with joy.

But Hana had never really noticed that not everyone in Frostwillow had a warm den or a full tummy.

One chilly morning, Mama handed her a basket. "Hana, please carry these loaves to Mrs. Plum's shop. Walk straight there and straight back."

"Yes, Mama!" said Hana, and off she went, trotting through the snow.

Halfway down the lane, she noticed a small shape huddled beside the old stone wall. It was a little mouse named Moss, wrapped in a thin, tattered scarf. His paws were blue from the cold, and his tummy was so empty that it grumbled loudly.

Hana hurried past. She didn't want to be late. Besides, she told herself, it wasn't her business.

But a few steps later, her feet slowed down. She remembered how warm her bed had felt that morning, and how full she had been after breakfast. She thought, What if I were the one sitting by that wall?

She turned around. "Hello," she said softly. "Are you all right?"

Moss looked up, surprised. Most animals walked right by him. "I'm just a little cold," he said, though his teeth were chattering. "And a little hungry. My family lost our home when the river flooded last month."

Hana's heart ached. She looked at her basket. These loaves were meant for Mrs. Plum's shop. But Moss needed bread more than the shop needed it today.