Hedgy and the Birthday Song

Hedgy the hedgehog could not remember any of the days before Princess Mackenna was born.  But, to be fair, Hedgy seldom remembered where his nose was.  And he sometimes said “hello” when he should say “goodbye.”  And sometimes he said “hello” and “goodbye” at once, just to be sure.

Hedgy sat all day and all night just outside the door of Kindly Castle.  In the early morning, small birds bounced in the grass all around Hedgy.  Yellow flowers grew tall in flower beds beside him.  Ducks sometimes waddled by, quacking. And, once, a momma deer left her baby all day right there in the flowers beside him.

But today, Hedgy remembered something.

He remembered his nose.

It was right there on his face.  Just below his eyes and just above his mouth.  He could not see his nose—not even if he crossed his eyes hard and looked down.  But he knew it was there because Princess Mackenna touched his nose and reminded him, “This is your nose,” each time she came and went from Kindly Castle.

Sometimes, Princess Mackenna played the head, shoulders, knees, and toes game with Hedgy.  She would touch his head, and then his shoulder, and then his knee, and then his toes, and say: “This is your head.  These are your shoulders.  These are your knees.  And these are your toes.”

And when she finished she always touched his nose and said “This is your nose.”

Today, Hedgy also remembered something special.  Today was Princess Mackenna’s birthday.

Hedgy had even made up a birthday song for Princess Mackenna.  The words to the song went like this: “Hello, hello.  Happy birthday Mackenna.  Happy birthday, to you!  Hello, hello.”

So, when Princess Mackenna opened the door and came outside from Kindly Castle, Hedgy got very excited and tried to sing his song.  “Hello or goodbye.  This is my birthday nose.  Happy birthday to you!”

Princess Mackenna touched Hedgy’s nose.  “Thank you,” she said.  “What a lovely birthday song.”

“But I sang it wrong,” Hedgy admitted.

“Happy birthday is never wrong,” said Princess Mackenna.  “And I am no longer one.  I am two.”

“Hello.  This is my happy birthday nose,” said Hedgy.  Happy birthday nose, to you!”

--Mitchell Hegman