When friendly snakes welcome a lonely porcupine into their cozy cave, they quickly learn that some guests are harder to host than others. This Aesop-inspired fable teaches kids about setting boundaries, the importance of mutual respect, and what happens when kindness meets someone who won’t budge. A prickly lesson with a sharp moral—perfect for bedtime reading!

Five minute story for beginning readers.

Once upon a time, in a cozy little cave, lived a family of friendly snakes. They loved to cuddle up together for nice long naps. One day, a porcupine named Quilliam came along.

The porcupine was in a pickle! His hundreds of pin-sharp quills made it difficult to get close to others. He hoped his luck had changed when he saw the warm and inviting cave.

“Helloooo in there!” Quilliam called. “Mind if a porcupine crashes for a while? It’s mighty lonely out here.”

The snakes, being kind creatures, poked their heads out. One look at Quilliam’s quills made them hesitate, but wanting to be hospitable, they agreed. ”Why, of course! We’ve got plenty of room.”

Well, let’s just say “plenty of room” was a bit of a stretch. Little did they know Quilliam had a peculiar habit. He loved to dance around in his sleep, wiggling and jiggling his quills to the rhythm of his dreams. Quilliam’s prickly pajama party was a bit much. He backflipped, bumped and poked.
“Ouch! Watch it! OW!” echoed in the cave. The snakes tried to be polite, but their scales were starting to tingle.

Quilliam, could you please be careful with your quills?” they asked politely.

“Oh, sorry about that,” Quilliam replied. “But this is just how I sleep. You’ll get used to it!”

The snakes tried a more direct approach,  “Perhaps…maybe…this isn’t the best place for you? Your quills are, um, rather remarkable.”

“Nonsense, friend! I’m quite comfy here, thanks. But if you don’t like it, you’re welcome to leave!”

The snakes looked at one another. Then at the smooth walls they’d polished with years of sliding. Then at Quilliam, who was already settling in for another dream-dance.

With sore scales and heavy hearts, they slithered out into the cold night to find a new home.

Quilliam stretched across the entire cave floor, humming contentedly. “Ahh, much better. Nothing like having the whole place to yourself!”

Be careful what you agree to—or you might end up getting the point!

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