Hedgehog Zen

Here stands another talented hedgehog in the doll cabinet. I think his name would be Jed. He is a typical, down-home, hill-billy hedgehog, only this little bass fiddle playing critter took a transforming path.

Not satisfied with his rural roots, steeped in tradition, following in his Pappy's footsteps as a country musician, Jed needed more out of life. So he went to the woods to contemplate his existence, and he came out as a bass-playing hedgehog Zen Master.

With no interest in completely shunning his family legacy, Jed, now named How Sen Zen, discovered his talents were unidirectional. He was such a good bass player, he could tame the wild in the world's creatures. But How Sen Zen decided to narrow his scope to fishes.

He discovered that when he played his bass at the water, the little fish swam over to listen.

This is how Sen Zen decided to become the Master of his talent. This photo shows he has laid two fish into a tranquil contemplative state, with the dulcet tones of his bass fiddle.

Feeling enthusiastic about the music's effect, he challenged himself to swim with the fish. Here, a giant Walleye rides the tonality of his underwater blues.

Not one to avoid a challenge, How Sen Zen travelled to deep waters under the sea, where a giant who-knows-what kind of fish became pacified by musical Zen expression.

 As he rose to the surface, another kind of fish sat upon craggy rocks under tranquil leaves of the 

yum-yum tree; a mermaid. How Sen Zen played and played, while she sang the song of the sea, and in perfect harmony, they united to a resounding crescendo! In other words, ZEN, baby!

And perhaps it was the universe rewarding How Sen Zen, or perhaps it was chance; but after the mermaid left, as he was perched on conk shell, surrounded by pearls, a beautiful golden fish flew out of the water and onto his bass. He was humbled.

  Moral to the story: "When you fish for love, bait with your heart, not your brain."

-Mark Twain