OT
always was the Kangaroo as now we do behold him, but a Different
Animal with four short legs. He was grey and he was woolly, and his
pride was inordinate : he danced
on an outcrop in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Little
God Nqa.
He went to Nqa
at six before breakfast, saying, 'Make me different from all other animals
by five this afternoon.'
Up jumped Nqa
from his seat on flat and shouted, 'Go away!'
He was grey and
he was wolly, an his
pride was inordinate: he danced on a rock- ledge in the middle of Australia,
and he went to the Middle God Nquing.
He
went to Nquing at eight after breakfast, saying, 'Make me different
from all other animals; make me, also, wonderfully popular by five this
afternoon.'
Up jumped Nquing
from his burrow in the spinifex and shouted, 'Go away !'
He was grey
and he was woolly, and his pride was inordinate: he danced on a sandbank
in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Big God Nqong.
He went to Nqong
at ten before dinner time, saying, 'Make me different from all other
animals; make me popular and wonderftilly run after by five this afternoon.'
Up jumped Nqong
from his bath in the salt-pan and shouted, 'Yes, I will !'
Nqong called
Dingo ~ Yellow-Dog Dingo ~ always hungry, dusty in the sunshine, and
showed him Kangaroo. Nqong said, 'Dingo! Wake up, Dingo I Do you see
that gentleman dancing on an ashpit? He wants to be popular and very
truly run after. Dingo, make him so I
Up jumped Dingo
~ Yellow-Dog Dingo ~ and said, 'What, that cat-rabbit?'
Off ran Dingo
~ Yellow-Dog Dingo ~ always hungry, grinning like a coal-scuttle,- ran
after Kangaroo.
Off went the
proud Kangaroo on his four little legs like a bunny.
This, O Beloved
of mine, ends the first part of the tale!
He ran through
the desert; he ran through the mountains; he ran through the salt-pans;
he ran through the reed-beds; he ran through the blue gums; he ran through
the spinifex; he ran till his front legs ached.
He had to!
Still ran Dingo
~ Yellow-Dog Dingo ~ always hungry, grinning like a rat-trap, never
getting nearer, never getting farther,-ran after Kangaroo.
He had to!
Still ran Kangaroo-Old
Man Kangaroo. He ran through the ti-trees; he ran through the mulga;
he ran through the long grass; he ran through the short grass; he ran
through the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer; he ran till his hind legs
ached.
He had to!
Still ran Dingo
~ Yellow-Dog Dingo ~ hungrier and hungrier, grinning like a horse-collar,
never getting nearer, never getting farther; and they came to the Wollgong
River.
Now, there wasn't
any bridge, and there wasn't any ferry-boat, and Kangaroo didn't know
how to get over; so he stood on his legs and hopped.
He had to!
He hopped through
the Flinders; he hopped through the Cinders; he hopped through the deserts
in the middle of Australia. He hopped like a Kangaroo.
First he hopped
one yard; then he hopped three yards; then he hopped five yards; his
legs growing stronger; his legs growing longer. He hadn't any time for
rest or refreshment, and he wanted them very much.
Still ran Dingo
~ Yellow-Dog Dingo ~ very much bewildered, very much hungry, and wondering
what in the world or out of it made Old Man Kangaroo hop.
For he hopped
like a cricket; like a pea in a saucepan ; or a new rubber ball on a
nursery floor.
He had to!
He tucked up
his front legs; he hopped on his hind legs; he stuck out his tail for
a balance-weight behind him; and he hopped through the Darling Downs.
He had to!
Still
ran Dingo ~ Tired-Dog Dingo ~ hungrier and hungrier, very much bewildered,
and wondering when in the world or out of it would Old Man Kangaroo
stop.
Then came Nqong
from his bath in the salt- pans, and said, 'It's five o'clock.'
Down sat Dingo
~ Poor-Dog Dingo ~ always hungry, dusty in the sunshine; hung out his
tongue and howled.
Down sat Kangaroo
~ Old Man Kangaroo ~ stuck out his tail like a milking-stool be hind
him, and said, 'Thank goodness that's finished!'
Then said Nqong,
who is always a gentle man, 'Why aren't you grateful to Yellow-Dog Dingo?
Why don't you thank him for all he has done for you ?'
Then said Kangaroo
~ Tired Old Kangaroo ~ 'He's chased me out of the homes of my childhood;
he's chased me out of my regular
meal-times ; he's altered my shape so I'll never get it back; and he's
played Old Scratch with my legs.'
Then said Nqong,
'Perhaps I'm mistaken, but didn't you ask me to make you different from
all other animals, as well as to make you very truly sought after? And
now it is five o'clock.'
Yes,' said Kangaroo.
' I wish that I hadn't. I thought you would do it by charms and incantations,
but this is a practical joke.'
'Joke!' said
Nqong, from his bath in the blue gums. 'Say that again and I'll whistle
up Dingo and run your hind legs off'
'No,' said the
Kangaroo. 'I must apologise. Legs are legs, and you needn't alter 'em
so far as I am concerned. I only meant to explain to Your Lordliness
that I've had nothing to eat since morning, and I'm very empty indeed.'
'Yes,' said
Dingo ~ Yellow-Dog Dingo ~ 'I
am just in the same situation. I've made him different from all other
animals; but what may I have for my tea ?'
Then said Nqong
from his bath in the salt-pan,
'Come and ask me about it to-morrow, because I'm going to wash.'
So they were
left in the middle of Australia, Old Man Kangaroo and Yellow-Dog Dingo,
and each said, 'That's your fault.'
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