The Dingo and the Red Kangaroo
By Emily Nikoloski
Winner of Stories of Australian Animals Competition, 2004
At Dandenong Secondary College, Melbourne.
One long, hot summer day, a dingo wandered around through the dry Australian desert. He was so busy daydreaming and loving the peace that he didn’t notice an old well. Before he knew it, he had tumbled over the edge and fallen into it.
There wasn’t much water in the well, so the dingo thought he was quite safe at the bottom. But it was deep and the walls were smooth. The dingo then realised that there was no way out.
A few hours went by. The dingo paddled in the water. The sun was now setting. The dingo became frightened. He jumped and leaped and tried to get over the edge and out of the well – but there was no luck.
“Hello down there!” echoed a voice.
It was a red kangaroo that had heard the dingo paddling and splashing in the water and had come to see what was happening. The sly dingo now saw his chance to escape from the well.
“My dear friend, Kangaroo. You have come just in time to share my great fortune. Look at this cool water. I’m sure you’re very thirsty on such a hot day like today.”
“But how can I reach it?” cried the kangaroo.
“Jump, my dear friend. That’s how I came down,” said the dingo.
So the silly kangaroo jumped down the well and realised that the water was indeed cool. But before long, even the kangaroo began to wonder how they could get out of the well.
“I have an idea!” cried the dingo, “Jump up on your tail and put your front feet as far up the well as you can. I’ll climb onto your back and jump to the top. Then I’ll help you get out.”
Without thinking for a second, the kangaroo did as the dingo suggested. The dingo climbed out of the well and grinned at the kangaroo.
“My poor friend, I’m sorry I can’t stop to get you out after all. I hope someone else comes along!”
With that, the dingo trotted off and ran into the sunset.
Just like the well, the moral of the story is deep:
Remember to look before you leap!
From Swag of Yarns Spring 2004
Winner of Stories of Australian Animals Competition, 2004
At Dandenong Secondary College, Melbourne.
One long, hot summer day, a dingo wandered around through the dry Australian desert. He was so busy daydreaming and loving the peace that he didn’t notice an old well. Before he knew it, he had tumbled over the edge and fallen into it.
There wasn’t much water in the well, so the dingo thought he was quite safe at the bottom. But it was deep and the walls were smooth. The dingo then realised that there was no way out.
A few hours went by. The dingo paddled in the water. The sun was now setting. The dingo became frightened. He jumped and leaped and tried to get over the edge and out of the well – but there was no luck.
“Hello down there!” echoed a voice.
It was a red kangaroo that had heard the dingo paddling and splashing in the water and had come to see what was happening. The sly dingo now saw his chance to escape from the well.
“My dear friend, Kangaroo. You have come just in time to share my great fortune. Look at this cool water. I’m sure you’re very thirsty on such a hot day like today.”
“But how can I reach it?” cried the kangaroo.
“Jump, my dear friend. That’s how I came down,” said the dingo.
So the silly kangaroo jumped down the well and realised that the water was indeed cool. But before long, even the kangaroo began to wonder how they could get out of the well.
“I have an idea!” cried the dingo, “Jump up on your tail and put your front feet as far up the well as you can. I’ll climb onto your back and jump to the top. Then I’ll help you get out.”
Without thinking for a second, the kangaroo did as the dingo suggested. The dingo climbed out of the well and grinned at the kangaroo.
“My poor friend, I’m sorry I can’t stop to get you out after all. I hope someone else comes along!”
With that, the dingo trotted off and ran into the sunset.
Just like the well, the moral of the story is deep:
Remember to look before you leap!
From Swag of Yarns Spring 2004
posted by Sarah Johnstone | 3:46 PM
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