“Once upon a time, there was a tender-thorn who lived in a meadow among stalks of wheat, red anemones, and clover. His friends were the sun, which woke him each morning; the moon, which lulled him to sleep with its flute at night; and the wind, which sang sweetly to him. He also had a rainbow bridge where he could wander across the sky. But the meadow’s other creatures were not his friends. They mocked him for being different and made fun of him. So one day, the tender-thorn asked the forest sprite to turn him into a porcupine so he could hurt anyone who teased him. That was when his troubles began: the porcupine who had once been a tender-thorn—and still had a tender soul—lost all his friends and found himself lonelier than ever…”
A moving fairy tale about psychological and physical violence, intended for children ages eight and up, is featured on “Narratives – Stories and Fairy Tales for Children and Adults,” airing on Saturday, 31 October 2026, from 19:00 to 20:00 Athens time, on Voice of Greece.
In “The Tender-Thorn,” published by Kalendis, Eleni Priovolou combines powerful writing with the beauty of fairy-tale storytelling to move readers of all ages. Through her distinctive exploration of friendship, coexistence, and love, she raises awareness of the serious issue of violence that children often encounter in the world around them.
The beautiful illustrations by Katerina Veroutsou complement the text, bringing its world to life through images filled with color, emotion, and sensitivity.
A book for children and adults that explores migration, racism, and difference, published by Kalendis.
Produced and presented by Maria Karagiannaki-Iona
