Kangaroo gets a pouch

"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#, youre 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 gumtree. Mother
Kangaroo bounded o'er to him.
"!hats right. Just lea'e me standing here all alone not able to see," yelled Wombat.
Mother Kangaroo nudged Joey to wake him and crouched down so he could climb onto her back.
!hen she saw 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," Mother Kangaroo called to
Wombat. !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 that
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 female
kangaroos ha'e today.
",ow you somewhere to kee# Joey from wandering off, and when he gets frightened he has
some where to hide.
Joey climbed into his mothers #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 the 1ather of all Creatures.
*ecause of Mother Kangaroos kindness, all female marsu#ials ha'e a #ouch to carry their babies
and young children.
!he 2nd