The neighborhood favorite, Kirpican, was not an ordinary hedgehog; with his soft furry cheeks and tiny, cute nose, he soon became everyone's best friend in the neighborhood. He would approach neighbors having picnics without hesitation and greet them politely. Under Kirpican's spiky clothes, there was a soft skin that the neighborhood children could feel when they touched their hands. When the neighborhood children hugged him, Kirpican would close his eyes and wrinkle his nose with satisfaction. He was everyone's best friend.
In time, tiny babies joined Kirpican’s life. Their tiny bodies did not yet have hard spines; their furry, soft bodies needed protection just like the babies in the neighborhood. As the mothers with babies in the neighborhood watched Kirpican lovingly raise her babies, they felt her sense of motherhood in their hearts. Kirpican would go to the mothers in the neighborhood with her babies without hesitation, and would look at them as if to say, “Isn’t motherhood such a difficult task?” The care and love she showed her babies touched all the mothers in the neighborhood.
But Kirpican didn’t just have cute and friendly aspects; one of his most important duties was his constant work against the neighborhood’s most fearsome enemies, the ticks. At night, when everyone was asleep, Kirpican and his cubs would silently take to the streets and collect the ticks one by one. Kirpican’s silent wanderings allowed the neighborhood’s residents to breathe easy in the morning. This selfless work for the neighborhood’s health made him truly unforgettable. He was not only a friend, but also a protector.
Some days, when some ignorant children approached him and tried to rough him up, another unforgettable skill displayed by Kirpican would come into play. When he sensed danger, he would roll himself into a spiky ball and start rolling. This natural defense method of his had earned him the respect of the children in the neighborhood; everyone had learned to protect him. The children in the neighborhood now considered it their duty not to harm him, but to watch over him.
However, the most dangerous day for Hedgehog and his cubs was yet to come. One night, the mother Hedgehog set out on the path to look for food, following her cubs. Like the residents of the neighborhood who were still asleep, they thought they would spend the night safely. However, that night, a car was approaching the road quickly. The driver noticed the little hedgehogs on the road illuminated by the lights, but he didn't even feel the need to brake. When the car sped past them, Hedgehog's two cubs were trapped under the wheels of the vehicle, and he was seriously injured.
In the morning, when the neighborhood saw the bloody tracks of Kirpican and the lifeless bodies of her two cubs, they were deeply saddened. The residents of the neighborhood felt the ghost of Kirpican in their consciences. The protection of the cute hedgehog of the neighborhood was now over. However, just at that time, news was heard: the little child of that careless driver had fallen ill due to an infection carried by ticks and had died despite treatment.
Kirpican's story left a ache in the hearts of the neighborhood. That day, everyone understood once again: Even the smallest living creature in nature has a role. Everyone saw how its absence affected the health of the neighborhood. People in the neighborhood were now sure of one thing: Seeing Life is Life. Now everyone learned to be more careful. By keeping Kirpican's memory alive, they lived a more respectful life for nature. His story, as the balance of nature and the voice of conscience, has never been forgotten.
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