Kangaroo Gets A Pouch

Based on an Australian Aboriginal Legend

- retold by Oban
"Joey! Where are you?" called Mother Kangaroo, searching for her son. "Come
here now". Mother Kangaroo looked around, under all the bushes, but couldnt
see her Joey.
"!hat boy has too much energy" she mumbled to herself. ""es always ho##ing
off." $sing her #aw, she shaded her eyes from the bright sun and looked around
for her Joey again.
""ere % am!" an e&cited 'oice yelled behind her.
"(aah!" screamed Mother Kangaroo ho##ing si& feet in the air and landing with a
thud. "Joey, you frightened me!" she said.
")orry Mother," said Joey.
"!hats alright," she answered, rubbing his head fondly. "*ut you shouldnt ho# off
by yourself. %t can be dangerous."
"*ut Mother, there are so many e&citing things to see. % get bored standing here
eating grass."
"+rass is good for you" said Mother Kangaroo. ",ow be a good Joey, and dont
go ho##ing off again."
)he #ut her head down and munched the sweet grass. When she looked u#,
Joey had disa##eared again. )he ga'e a big sigh and started looking for him
again.
$# ahead she saw the lea'es on a bush shaking. "(h! !hats my Joey," she said.
)he ho##ed o'er -uickly, and bum#ed into a fat old wombat.
".uch! Watch where youre going" yelled Wombat. "%m 'ery sorry" said Mother
Kangaroo "% didnt mean to bum# into you."
"/ou big animals ne'er think about us with our short legs, closer to the ground,"
grumbled Wombat. ",ow youre here, you can hel# me find some good grass to
eat."
"%d like to, but %m looking for my Joey at the moment," said Mother Kangaroo.
"!hats right, nearly knock me o'er, a half blind #oor old Wombat, and now you
wont e'en hel# me find food," com#lained Wombat.
".f course %ll hel# you," said kind Mother Kangaroo. "+rab onto my tail and well
look for good grass."
(s Mother Kangaroo ho##ed along with Wombat holding her tail, Joey came
bounding by and ho##ed right o'er old wombat.
"What was that" yelled Wombat.
"!hat was my Joey" said Mother Kangaroo. "Come back Joey!"
"Kids! ,o res#ect" grumbled Wombat.
Joey ke#t going.
Wombat stumbled into a hole ")to#, your going too fast. % need to rest" he
com#lained.
While Wombat rested Mother Kangaroo ke#t looking around. )he was worried
about her Joey but wouldnt lea'e #oor old Wombat. %t was too dangerous for
someone who couldnt see #ro#erly to be alone.
",ow %m thirsty" com#lained Wombat "!ake me to some water"
"(ll right" said Mother Kangaroo "% ho#e nothing has ha##ened to my Joey" she
thought to herself.
!hey headed towards the waterhole with Wombat holding onto Mother
Kangaroos tail and grumbling all the way.
When they reached the waterhole there was Joey aslee# under a shady gum
tree. Mother Kangaroo bounded o'er to him.
"!hats right. Just lea'e me standing here all alone not able to see" yelled
Wombat.
Just then Mother Kangaroo saw some men coming towards the waterhole
carrying s#ears. !hey were hunting something for their dinner.
"0uickly, we ha'e to hide! "unters are coming. +rab my tail" said Mother
Kangaroo. !hey rushed towards the bushes with Wombat com#laining as he
hung onto the tail and bounced u# and down.
"iding in the bushes, Joey dug his little #aws into his mothers fur, holding on as
tightly as he could.
"%m scared" said frightened Joey.
")hh, it will be all right, dear" said his mother softly.
When the hunters had #assed Mother Kangaroo looked around for grouchy old
Wombat but he wasnt there. "e had turned into 1ather of all Creatures. "e
e&#lained to Mother Kangaroo he had disguised himself as a wombat and come
down from his sky world to find the kindest animal in this land.
"(nd the kindest animal is you, Mother Kangaroo. 2'en when you were worried
about your Joey, you were still kind to a grum#y com#laining old wombat".
"e took some bark from a tree and handed it to Mother Kangaroo. ",ow % am
going to gi'e you a s#ecial #resent. !ie this bark around your waist"
Mother Kangaroo tied the bark around her waist and it turned into the #ouch that
all kangaroos ha'e today.
",ow you somewhere to kee# Joey from wandering off and when he gets
frightened he has somewhere to hide.
Joey climbed into his mother3s #ouch "!his is really cool. Can % ha'e friends o'er
to 'isit?" asked Joey.
Mother Kangaroo thanked the 1ather of all Creatures. "!his is a 'ery s#ecial
#resent but % feel sad for all the other animals who dont ha'e a #ouch for their
children".
"/ou are definitely the kindest animal" said 1ather of all Creatures.
*ecause of Mother Kangaroos kindness all marsu#ials ha'e a #ouch to carry
their babies and young children.
!he 2nd