The Lonely Badger
The Lonely Badger
By David Binelli ©2022 DM Binelli. All Rights Reserved 2440 words
Every night, just after dark, a young badger called Brian would slowly poke his black and white, stripy head out of his set. He would look this way and that to check it was all clear, and if everything was to his satisfaction he would climb out into the darkness of the field around him.
Badgers have always lived below ground because it’s safe and secure and away from prying eyes. They use their powerful front paws to dig into the soil making a network of tunnels with many underground rooms just like humans have in their houses….a bedroom, somewhere to eat, even a room where the family can just sit and chat…a real home from home.
Badgers call their secret home a set.
Brian was very shy, so he only came out when it was dark and everyone else had gone to bed. He had lived alone for quite a while now, although he didn’t know exactly how long.
He used to live with his mum and dad and all his brothers and sisters but one night, after he had been sleeping all day he woke up to find he was alone. His family had completely disappeared and no matter how hard he looked he couldn’t find them anywhere.
Where were they? Where had they gone?
He looked everywhere for them….below ground in all the rooms and tunnels of his set….outside in the fields….by the stream….in the hedges…even in people's gardens which he didn’t like to do…just in case someone saw him. He searched all night but never found them.
The following morning when he curled up ready for sleep in his underground bedroom, he was very frightened. He had never slept on his own before.
You see….Badgers sleep during the day and come out at night to find some scrumptious food, eat and play. They’ve always done this for as long as any badger can remember. When the sun is in the sky shining brightly there are too many things going on and badgers like to have the place to themselves, so they try and only come out when the moon is out.
Brian was very sad because he missed his family and was all alone.
Very slowly over the following days and weeks, he got used to being by himself….although he didn’t like it very much.
Brian would come out of his set every night after dark and go for a walk in the fields around where he lived. He needed a breath of fresh air, to stretch his legs and most importantly….to find something to eat. He was usually very hungry after sleeping all day and he couldn’t wait to go looking for his favourite food….. Big, juicy, wriggly earthworms and long slimy slippery slugs…mmmm….delicious, washed down with a huge gulp or two of muddy puddle water.
Brian had a favourite path that he would walk every night…..through the field of long grass where he lived, across the deep-sided stream and into the oak apple woods. Because he took the same route every time, he had worn away the grass with his paws. This meant there was a pathway all the way to the woods and Brian could almost find his way with his eyes shut…..well…nearly. He had tried it a few times but kept bumping into trees and once… nearly fell into the stream …so he doesn’t do it anymore. He’s learned to always keep at least one eye open.
He loved where he lived but he was very lonely and missed having someone to talk to and play with. Sometimes if he was out in the evening before the sun had set, he would try and start a conversation with passing birds.
“Hello, Mr Robin” he would say, or “Good evening Mrs Blackbird”. But the trouble with talking to birds is that they are always in such a hurry. They never had time to stop and chat.
“Sorry Brian, can’t stop” they would say or, “Not now Brian, got to fly.”
One night while Brian was out strolling along his well-trodden pathway to the woods, he heard a strange noise. He stopped walking; pricked his ears up and stood as still as he could … he was trying to listen. It sounded like something was crying. It was close by…..what was it?
He moved his head from left to right and using his ears, tried to pinpoint where the strange noise was coming from.
“Mmmm,” he said to himself. “It seems to be coming from over there in that bramble bush.”
He slowly moved towards the bush, all the time listening to the crying, but he didn’t feel scared because whoever or whatever it was sounded so quiet and gentle.
Hidden by nettles at the bottom of a very prickly bramble bush and curled up into a small ball was a young rabbit.
“Hello,” said Brian softly “what’s wrong. Why are you crying? What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?”
“I can’t find my mum or dad and I’m lost,” said the rabbit shaking….partly because he was frightened and partly because he was cold.
“What’s your name?” asked Brian
“Rigby…What’s yours?”
“Brian….but you can’t stay here Rigby….it’s not safe. I live in my badger’s set just over there” ....He lifted his front right paw and pointed in the direction of where his set was. “Why don’t you come and stay with me? It’s a lovely warm set….you’ll be safe there”
Now….Rigby knew it was wrong to go with strangers but he could see Brian was only a young badger….and he had a trustworthy face….for a badger….anyway, Rigby didn’t want to stay in the bramble bush any longer…he was cold and hungry and it was full of creepy crawlies and funny noises.
“Thank you,” said Rigby cleaning his long ears with his front paws, “I will”
After Brian helped Rigby get free of the nettles and the prickly bramble bush, he began to lead Rigby back to his set. It was a cold, damp night and the moon was hidden behind the clouds so it was really dark and Rigby was glad Brian knew the way so well.
It didn’t take long for them to get back to the set.
“Here we are…home sweet home,” said Brian as they approached the opening to his set.
As you probably know, the way into a badger’s set is through a hole in the ground; luckily Rigby was only small and fitted easily through the entrance hole.
Once they were both inside, Brian showed Rigby around….He was proud of his set and wanted to show it off…..He never had any visitors so he wanted to make the most of it.
Brian showed Rigby the bedroom and where he slept.
“There’s lots of straw on the floor,” he said, “that’ll keep us warm”. They were both very tired so they lay down together and snuggled into the straw…
“Goodnight” “said Brian.
“Sweet dreams” whispered Rigby who was already nearly asleep.
They were both so worn out they slept all through the daytime and right through till the following night without waking once. When they awoke Brian said after they had eaten breakfast he would help Rigby look for his family.
Even if you sleep during the day and are awake at night you still need breakfast…no matter what time of the day or night it is.
Well…Brian and Rigby searched high and low for the other rabbits. It was a cloudless night and the full moon hung in the night sky like a huge silver ball. They looked in the fields around Brian’s set and in the bramble bushes where Rigby had been hiding. They looked on both sides of the stream, in the oak apple wood opposite. Brian even looked in people's gardens just like he did when he was looking for his own family, but nothing….they were nowhere to be found.
Brian could see Rigby was really sad and upset.
“Don’t worry Rigby…you can stay with me…it’ll be great.”
“Thank you” sighed Rigby “I’d like that”.
The two friends were hungry after searching all night so they decided to have some supper before bed. Rigby had Dandelion leaves and some blackberries while Brian had a couple of really juicy, big fat worms….Badgers prefer worms to leaves and berries.
After a good day’s sleep, Brian and Rigby woke fully refreshed. Brian could see that Rigby was feeling a bit down in the dumps so he suggested they go outside while it’s still light and just have a wander around the field…who knows what they might see?
As they emerged into the daylight, Mr Robin landed right In front of them.
“Hi Brian” chirped Mr Robin “Got a new friend?”
“Yes, this is Rigby. He’s staying with me for a while. He’s lost his parents!”
“I’m sorry to hear that…Hi Rigby” Said Mr Robin “I know what I’ll do ….as I’m flying around I’ll ask the other birds if they’ve seen your family and if I find them I’ll let you know.”
Rigby’s eyes opened wide in excitement.
“Thank You Mr Robin…that’ll be brilliant.”
Mr Robin jumped into the air and flew off...he never hung around for long, he was always in a hurry.
“What a nice robin…I hope he finds them.” Said Rigby.
“If any bird can find them,” said Brian, “It’ll be Mr Robin...come on let’s find something to eat, I’m starving.”
After breakfast, they went back to the set and they talked ……and talked …….and talked….and then they laughed so much the animals outside wondered what was going on. They talked and laughed all night until they could keep their eyes open no more and they both fell fast asleep.
Over the next few days and weeks, they became really good friends, doing everything together.
One morning, not long after they had returned from a trip to the oak apple wood, they could hear a chirping noise coming from the entrance hole to the set.
“Hellloooo….hello….Brian….Rigby…are you there?”
They both went to the entrance hole to see who it was….with Rigby being so small, they could both fit in the entrance hole at the same time.
It was Mr Robin.
“Hi lads, I’ve got some news for you,” he said while jumping up and down on the spot overflowing with excitement.
“I was speaking to a Blackbird, who got it from a Sparrow, who overheard it from a group of rabbits saying they had lost their little kit….I didn’t know until I spoke to the wise old Owl…but a kit is a baby rabbit.”
Rigby could hardly contain himself. He flew out of the entrance hole jumping up and down with his little white tail flicking this way and that in the air.
“Fantastic Mr Robin. Where are they.” he shrieked.
“It’s still light so I can take you there if you like. It’s not far.”
“Yes please, yes please….come on Brian let’s go,” said Rigby frantically.
“Ok…Ok…but don’t forget Rigby, they might not be your parents, they might have lost a bunny rabbit like you too, so try not to be disappointed if it’s not them,” said Brian cautiously.
“I know Brian but I’ve got to go and find out…come on let’s go.”
Off they all went with Mr Robin flying as slowly as he could in the lead, Rigby following excitedly with Brian taking up the rear.
“It’s not far… but we do have to cross the stream so be very careful.” chirped Mr Robin.
They reached an old bridge made by the farmer many years ago. It was made of wood and hadn’t been used for a long time. Brian could see it was rotten in places so he led the way.
“Let me go first Rigby….If it holds me then you’ll be fine…you’re much lighter than me.”
Brian inched his way across the rickety old bridge. It made some very scary creaking noises but it was ok and he made it across.
“Ok Rigby now you….very carefully make your way over”
Rigby was still so excited he just bounded across. Thankfully he was so light the bridge didn’t even notice.
“Ok…nearly there,” said Mr Robin as they walked across the field, “just over the brow of that ridge.” As they reached the top of the field, a rabbit lifted its head….and then another….and another.
“Rigby…is that you?” Said one of the rabbits.
Rigby stopped in his tracks…it was his mother. He bounded towards her and fell into her arms.
“Mum…mum….I’ve missed you so much”
“Oh Rigby…you’re ok…where have you been…we thought we had lost you forever.” sobbed his mother.
“I got lost but my friend Brian found me and I’ve been staying with him in his set”
Brian stepped forward.
“Hello, Mrs Rabbit…how do you do,” he said bowing his head slightly.
“I can’t thank you enough, Brian. Thank you for looking after my Rigby…my baby.”
“Oh, and this is Mr Robin. I would never have found you without him” said Rigby
Mr Robin, who was standing on the ground next to Brian, puffed up his bright red chest, hopped forward and bowed his head as well.
“Hello Mrs Rabbit” he chirped.
“Thank you as well Mr Robin…thank you both”
Rigby and his mum couldn’t stop hugging each other.
“We’ll leave you in peace now Rigby…we’re going to go,” said Brian.
Brain and Mr Robin turned and started to walk away when Rigby came hopping back to them with his tail high in the air.
“Thank you Brian, thank you so much for looking after me. Now I know we only live in the next field I’ll come and visit and I hope you’ll come and visit us too?”
“Of course I will Rigby….I loved every minute of you staying with me…I hope you’ll come and stay over again?”
Rigby looked across at his mum.
“Ok…but you’ll have to be careful on that bridge the pair of you.” She said raising her eyebrows at them both as mums do.
From that day on Brian and Rigby were the best of friends. Rigby would go and stay with Brian in his set at least once a week…sometimes more and Brian would go and visit them in their field nearly every day.
One morning while Brian was curled up in his cosy bed of straw, he realised that he didn’t feel sad or lonely anymore…..he had found a friend….his best friend…..Rigby the Rabbit.
So, if you’re ever in the countryside, have a look in a field, you might just catch a glimpse of Brian and Rigby playing together with Mr Robin somewhere close by.
The End
