Timko and the First Snow

Once upon a time, deep in the forest, there lived a little hedgehog named Timko. Late autumn had come, and it was time for all the hedgehogs to go to sleep until spring.

But Timko didn’t want to.

"But I’ve never seen snow, not even once!" he huffed.

So off Timko went to see Granny Owl. Pitter-pat went his little paws over the dry leaves.

"Granny Owl, is it snowing yet?"

"Not yet, Timko, not yet," hooted Granny Owl from her hollow.

"What’s snow like?"

"White, white as can be. Light as a feather. And cold, so cold it nips at your nose."

Timko pointed his nose up at the sky. The sky was gray. Not a single snowflake.

"I’ll wait," said Timko.

So he sat down under the oak tree and waited. The wind went whoosh, whoosh and rocked the bare branches. The leaves went rustle, rustle and drifted to the ground. But still no snow.

"Granny Owl, is it snowing yet?"

"Not yet, Timko, not yet."

Timko yawned. A great big yawn, so big his whiskers trembled.

"Oh," he said. "My eyes keep trying to close."

Granny Owl flew down from her hollow and settled on a low branch beside him.

"I’ll tell you what. I’m an owl. I don’t sleep at night, and I see everything. The moment the first snowflake falls, I’ll call you. I promise."

"Really and truly?"

"Really and truly."

Timko was so pleased that he set about making himself a bed among the roots of the old oak. Dry leaves, that’s one. Soft moss, that’s two. A little tuft of grass, that’s three. Snug as a mitten!

Just then it grew dark. Timko peeked out of his burrow, and every one of his prickles stood on end.

"Granny, it’s dark..."

"But I’m right here," hooted Granny Owl. "My eyes shine like two little lanterns. See?"

Timko looked up. And sure enough, there on the branch glowed two yellow lights. Not scary at all.

Timko curled up into a ball. Prickles tucked in tight, nose snuggled into his paws.

"Granny Owl, is it snowing yet?" he whispered.

"Not yet, Timko... not yet..."

The forest was quiet. Timko breathed slowly, slowly. His eyes were closing...

When all of a sudden, Granny Owl spread her wings.

"Timko! Timko! Look!"

Down from the dark sky floated a snowflake. Tiny and white and light as air. It twirled and twirled, and then it landed right on the tip of Timko’s nose.

"Ooh, it’s cold!" Timko smiled, half asleep. "Is this... snow?"

"This is snow," Granny Owl said softly.

And after the first snowflake came a second, and a third, and a tenth. A white blanket covered the leaves, the moss, and the little burrow under the oak.

"Thank you, Granny," whispered Timko.

And he fell asleep. Sweetly, soundly. All the way until spring.

And all night long, Granny Owl sat on her branch and watched over his dreams.