Not 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 Neuqua.
He went to Neuqua at six before breakfast,
Saying,
Make me different from all the other animals by five this afternoon.
Up jumped Neuqua from a seat on the sand flat and shouted,
Go away!
He was grey,
And he was woolly,
And his pride was inordinate.
He danced on a rock ledge in the middle of Australia,
And he went to the little god Nickwing.
He went to Nickwing at eight after breakfast,
Saying,
Make me different from all the other animals.
Make me also wonderfully popular by five this afternoon.
Up jumped Nickwing 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 Nkwaang.
He went to Nkwaang at ten before dinner time,
Saying,
Make me different from all other animals.
Make me popular and wonderfully run after by five this afternoon.
So up jumped Nkwaang from his bath in the salt pan and shouted,
Why yes,
I will.
Nkwaang called Dingo,
Yellow dog Dingo,
Always hungry,
Dusty in the sunshine,
And showed him kangaroo.
Nkwaang said,
Dingo,
Wake up,
Dingo.
Do you see that gentleman dancing on the ash pit?
He wants to be popular and verily,
Truly run after.
Dingo,
Make him so.
So 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 the kangaroo.
And 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.
So he ran through the desert,
He ran through the mountains,
And he ran through the salt pans.
He ran through the reed beds and he ran through the blue gums.
He ran through the spinifex and 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 further,
Ran after the kangaroo.
He had to.
Still ran kangaroo,
Old man kangaroo,
He ran through the Thai trees.
He ran through the Mulga.
He ran through the long grass and he ran through the short grass.
He ran through the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer,
And 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 further,
And they came to the Wollongong River.
Now there wasn't any bridge,
And there wasn't a ferryboat,
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,
And 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,
And then he hopped three.
He then 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.
And 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,
And he hopped on his hind legs.
He stuck out his tail for 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 Nkwang from his bath in the salt pans,
And said,
It's five o'clock.
Down sat Dingo,
Poor dog Dingo,
Always hungry,
Dusky in the sunshine,
Hung out his tongue,
And he howled.
So down sat kangaroo,
Old man kangaroo,
Stuck out his tail like a milking stool behind him,
And he said,
Thank goodness that's finished.
Then said Nkwang,
Who is always a gentleman,
Why aren't you grateful to yellow dog Dingo?
Why don't you thank him for all he's done for you?
Then said kangaroo,
Tired old kangaroo.
He chased me out of the homes of my childhood.
He chased me out of my regular mealtimes.
He altered my shape so I'll never get it back,
And he played old scratch with my legs.
Then said Nkwang,
Perhaps I'm mistaken,
But didn't you ask me to make you different from all the other animals,
As well as to make you very truly sought after?
And now it is five o'clock.
Why 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 Nkwang from his bath in blue gums.
Play that again and I'll whistle up Dingo and run your hind legs off.
Why no,
Said kangaroo,
I must apologize.
Legs are legs,
And you needn't alter them so far as I'm concerned.
I only meant to explain to your lordliness that I've had nothing to eat since morning,
And I'm very empty indeed.
Why yes,
Said Dingo,
Yellow dog Dingo,
I'm just in the same situation.
I've made him different from all other animals,
But what may I have found for my tea?
Then said Nkwang from his bath in the salt pan,
Come and ask me about it tomorrow,
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.
