Dot and the Kangaroo

ut from under the ledge of rock into the moonlight, and sat on a stone where she could see the sky, and watch the blac

it amused her to listen to the wrangles of the Flying Foxes, as they ate the fruit of a wild fig tree near by. She saw them swoop past on their huge black wings with a solemn flapping. Then, as each little Fox approached the tree, the Foxes who were there

my branch

nd figs fo

pe like the juicy ones on t

avy fall of fighting Foxes tumbling with a crash through the trees. Then out into the open sky swept dozens of black wings, accompanied by abusive swearing from dozen

her, and with grunts and snorts. Dot started to her feet in fright, and would have run away, only she was afraid of being lost worse than ever, so she stood still and looked round for the terrible monster that could make such extraordinary sounds. The grunt

s her stealthily and slowly. She would not look up she was so frightened. She was sure it was some fierce looking black man, with his spear, about to kill her. She shut her eyes closer, and held her breath. "Perhaps," she thought, "he will not see me." Then a

w funny it looked

t. His thick, grey fur, that looked as if he was wrapped up to keep out the most terribly cold weather; his short, stumpy, big legs, and little sharp face wit

Bear!" she exclaimed, at

ard that before. I thought I was a Koala. I've always been told so,

girl," replied

as it didn't see any reason why she sh

e before," it said, simply. "Do

wishing to be quite correct, she

now?" asked the Koa

not knowing how to make her posi

a; "Where is it?" and the little Bear looked quite

aid Dot. "I don't

he Koala, sadly. "I live in the gum t

I have milk, and bread

to one. Is it far? I should like to see the

't grow on trees, and I don't know

ere. I saw your fur shining in the moonlight, and I couldn't make out what it was, so I came to see. If there is any

e, since my Kangaro

la, plaintively. "What has a Kangaroo got to do with

, "only these curls," and s

ight colour. Only blacks have no fur, but what they steal from th

y steal fur

or. "They kill us with spears, and tear off our skin

explained: "Stealing is taking away another person's things; and when a person is dead he hasn't anything belonging to him, so it'

n and fur is his own, and it's his life's business to keep it whole. Everyone in the bush is trying

ing, spitting, and screaming ended, and an Opossum climbed out to the far end of a branch, where the moonlight shone on his grey fur like silver. There he

and half the night too?" shouted the Opossum on the branch to his wife. "You

d the lady Opossum. "If you disturb my drea

husband, "or I'll bring you o

ife. "Remember how I landed you i

spread out, so that the skinny flaps were like furry wings. By this means she was able to break her fall, and softly alighting on the earth, a moment after, she had scrambled up an

e, living in the same tree," said Dot;

observed the Koala, "they

they quarre

nt trees, and never quarrelled, they wouldn't like it at all. They'd find life dull, and

"They are nearly as bad as the Flying Foxes over there. I wonde

id the Koala; "I had just awakened, and w

asked Dot with astonishment, as she regarded

ch a noise, or so many different noises at once. I waken every one for a quarter of a mile round. You woul

o wake up all the sleep

pose, or you wouldn't be awake now. Well, don't you think it

, "there are so many

any difference,"

does," s

ked the n

if they had the night it wouldn't be any good to them. So your n

think differently if a flock of Kookooburras settled on yo

ked yourself, why do you wa

a's reason should suffice for one animal making another's life uncomfortable, she was rejoiced to