Kacper and his teddy bear Lulek go into the magical forest to find a missing feeling, but a strange hedgehog stops them with a riddle.
One morning Kacper opened his eyes and knew at once that something was wrong. The room was bright, but his chest felt quiet and empty. He sat up, hugged his teddy bear Lulek, and let out a small sigh.
"Lulek," he whispered, "I don't feel like playing today."
Lulek tipped his soft head and looked at him with his button eyes. Kacper stared out of the window. Beyond the glass, the forest shone green and gold, and the sunlight flickered over the leaves like tiny sparks. Maybe, he thought, what was missing had gone there.
"Let's go find it," said Kacper.
So he and Lulek stepped out of the house and into the humming morning. The trees whispered above them, and every little sound seemed to ask a question. Kacper felt a flutter in his tummy, part fear and part hope, but he kept walking.
"I'm here," Lulek said softly.
They had not gone very far when a hedgehog in a blue cap peeped out from behind a big oak tree. He looked very serious, as if he had been waiting for them all along.
"I may know where your joy is," he said. "But first, you must answer my riddle..."
Kacper held his breath. The hedgehog's tiny eyes sparkled, and the forest seemed to grow still.