Hedgehogs are some of the world's most
fascinating creatures. Tiny, yet
fierce, their spiky bodies deter predators from making them a snack.
Even though many people think hedgehogs are rodents, they actually
belong to the
Erinaceidae
family of spiny mammals. Hedgehogs are native
to Europe, Asia, and Africa. These omnivores live an average life of 4
to 7 years in the wild. Domesticated hedgehogs are popular as pets, but
many people do not realize the personality of hedgehogs when they buy
them as pets. Hedgehogs are solitary creatures that can be hand tamed
but prefer their own company to that of humans. They are not a furry,
cuddly pet, but their company is very rewarding. They make a great pet
for older teenagers or young adults who can handle them safely and
confidently because they are very low maintenance, requiring food,
water, and the occasional romp around a flower bed while providing
entertainment and company.
The hedgehog has appeared in popular culture throughout the ages. The
earliest known mention of the hedgehog in literature is a mention by
the Greek poet Archilochus, which was written in approximately
7th century B.C.E. The line of poetry reads "The fox knows many things,
but the
hedgehog knows one big thing." As well as appearing in ancient Greek
poetry and Pliny the Elder's
Naturalis
Historia, hedgehogs appear in European and African folk tales. In
modern culture, most everyone
who grew up in the 1990's can recall a certain blue hedgehog named
Sonic. The most prevalent myth about hedgehogs in popular culture is
that they collect foodstuffs to bring them back to their lairs.
Popularized by Pliny in his
Historia,
the legend is that hedgehogs roll around in grapes or fallen apples,
collecting them on their spines like miniature fruit shish kabobs. This
belief is false but has
given the impression of the hedgehog as a hard-working animal.
This illustration depicts the popular myth of the hedgehog with food
gathered on its spines. George Warner,
Queen Mary's Psalter. Websource.
In this Storybook you
will read four stories about hedgehogs, showing you that there is much
more to this creature than a bundle of spines. From Africa, you will
read stories based on "The Adventures of a Hedgehog and a Jackal" and
"The
Adventures of a Hedgehog and the Jackal's Eldest Son." These
two stories are African folk tales. Both stories are tales about a
trickster, the jackal, and his sidekick, the hedgehog. From England,
you will read stories based on "The Hare and the Hedgehog" and "Hans
the Hedgehog." These tales come from the collections of the Brothers
Grimm. One tale revisits the theme of the trickster, but with a twist,
and one incorporates fantastical elements to tell the story of a
hedgehog born to a human couple.
These stories can be interpreted at several
layers of meaning. I will tell the stories from
the point of view of a hedgehog in order to gain some more humor and
insight
into these situations, as well as explore the meaning of the
friendships
between the hedgehog and the other creatures.
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Walter walked in to the OU Cousins ice cream social. Not many students
had arrived yet. Nervous, he scanned through the tables for someone
with a name tag indicating that they were from the host college. He so
badly wanted to make friends here. In the corner of the room, he saw a
young male hedgehog around his age wearing a University of Nairobi
T-shirt. He padded over.
"Hi," Walter said shyly. "My name's Walter and I'm an exchange student
from the United States. Can I sit with you?"
"Of course," the hedgehog replied. "My name's Scooter. How are you
liking our university so far?"
"Oh,
it's great!" said Walter. "The classes have been really interesting,
and the scenery is amazing. Tell me, what's it like being a hedgehog
living in Africa?"
"It's pretty much the same as being a
hedgehog in the United States, I'd imagine. But we do have some
different predators to watch out for. And some different animals in
general. Let me tell you, there's one animal you should definitely
avoid while you're here--the jackal. In fact, if you've got a minute, I
could tell you all about it."
"Yeah, I'd be really interested in that. I'll go grab us some ice
cream, I'll be right back."
When Walter came back with two hot fudge sundaes in paw, Scooter began.
