Once upon a time, in the very center of the Forest Clearing, there lived a little Hedgehog named Iglusha. Iglusha had a thick coat of soft prickles, a funny little nose, and round curious eyes. He loved running through the forest, picking berries, and playing tag with butterflies. But Iglusha had one secret that no one knew: he was terribly afraid of doctors.
One day, Iglusha overheard Squirrel talking about how Doctor Lesok, the famous forest doctor, would soon be visiting the forest. He treated the animals, healed wounds, and gave out sweet medicines. — Just not me! — thought Iglusha, imagining huge syringes, scary bandages, and the sounds of medical instruments.
A few days later, Iglusha began to feel unwell. His little nose grew hot, his head was dizzy, and the berries no longer tasted good. Mother Hedgehog grew worried. — This is serious, Iglusha. You need to see Doctor Lesok, — she said. — No, Mommy, please don't! I'll manage on my own, — cried Iglusha, hiding in his prickly coat. But his mother was firm. She took Iglusha to see Doctor Lesok, who had set up his clinic under a giant oak tree.
Doctor Lesok turned out to be nothing like what Iglusha had imagined. He was a kind Badger with soft paws and a gentle voice. Round glasses shone on his head, and a stethoscope hung on his chest like a forest vine wreath. — Hello, Iglusha! — smiled the doctor. — I hear you're not feeling well.
Iglusha cautiously peeked out from behind his mother. — Are you going to poke me with huge needles? — he asked softly. The doctor laughed. — Oh, no. I have magical tools that don’t hurt at all. Would you like to see?
Iglusha nodded, and the doctor showed him a small wooden hammer, a flashlight that looked like a firefly, and a stethoscope that sounded like the song of the wind. — See? Nothing scary, — said the Badger softly.
Doctor Lesok invited Iglusha to play a game. — Imagine your body is a big forest, and I am the forester checking if everything is okay there. Iglusha giggled. He imagined his little nose as a tall pine tree, and his paws as small meadows. The doctor used the stethoscope to "listen to the trees," the flashlight to "light the paths," and the hammer to "check the strength of the bridges."
Iglusha became so engaged in the game that he forgot he was afraid. When the doctor used a thermometer to measure his temperature, Iglusha imagined it as a thermometer checking how warm the sun was in his forest. — Well done, Iglusha! You've got a small forest rain, but soon we'll warm up your forest with sunshine! — the doctor smiled.
Iglusha was given syrup that tasted as sweet as honey and a few days of rest. On the way home, Iglusha felt completely different. He understood that a doctor wasn’t a scary monster, but a caring helper who wanted all the animals to feel happy again.
A week later, when Doctor Lesok came back to the clearing, Iglusha asked his mom to take him to see him. He wanted to tell the doctor that his forest was green and sunny again. Doctor Lesok praised him. — You are a brave little hedgehog, Iglusha. You helped me see that even the smallest animals can be very courageous!
Iglusha smiled, and then he began telling the other animals that there was no need to be afraid of doctors because they know how to make the forests inside us healthy and happy.
The story teaches that doctors are friends who help us grow stronger and healthier. Sometimes fear arises from the unknown, but if we look at things from a different perspective, fear disappears, and confidence takes its place.