The Secrets Of Friendship. Fairy Tales From Magic Forests

© N. R. Vasilyeva, 2020

ISBN 978-5-4483-4304-9

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

How to make friends and maintain friendships

Once upon a time, an old hedgehog, Mr Spikes, was taking a walk around his house in the forest. He came across a magpie Maggi sitting on a branch of a pine tree, drowning in her tears.

“Why are you crying, Maggi?” asked the hedgehog.

“How can I not cry, when no one wants to be my friend?”

“So, that’s the matter,” Mr Spikes muttered setting himself down on a tree stump, and then he started to talk louder and clearer, “Being a good friend is not an easy task, and the key part of being one is being able to listen.

You, Maggi, chatter all the time and butt into everyone’s conversation, without letting anyone say a word. That’s why no one wants to be your friend.”

The hedgehog paused for a few seconds and then continued, «Do not cry dear, your trouble can be helped.»

«How?» asked Maggi, wiping away a tear.

«I’ll tell you a little secret: talk less and listen more. Anyone who knows how to listen to others finds friends much easier.»

«Thank you for the secret, Mr Spikes. Goodbye,» said the magpie, happily, as she flew away.

Time past and spring had ended. The hedgehog and the magpie met again. Mr Spikes noticed that the bird was upset with something again. He wanted for the magpie to tell him what had happened, so he began the conversation from afar:

«Hello, Maggi! How are you?»

«I am bad, Mr Spikes,» the magpie replied with a sigh.

«What happened?» asked the hedgehog.

“Everything was good at the beginning. I learned to listen to others, and I made friends. But yesterday I had a quarrel with the hare, my friend, because I gave her the wrong advice. But I wanted to help her. I tried to make things better,” said the bird, justifying herself.

«It is good that you wanted to help, but you don’t need to give advice. I will let you in on another secret of friendship: it’s important that your friends decide for themselves, and take responsibility for things they do.» Then Mr Spikes smiled and added, «And if you do not want to lose friends, you should not impose your own opinion on them. Remember that it is not an easy task to find friends, but to remain true friends no matter what happens and maintaining friendships is even harder.»

Soon the magpie made up with the hare, and met new friends in the forest. She often recalls the hedgehog’s wisdom and his important secrets. Now you can share them with those who have not yet understood, that the most valuable thing in a friendship is to listen, and not to give advice.