"Joey! Where are you?" called Mother Kangaroo, searching for her son. "Come here now". Mother Kangaroo looked around, under all the bushes, but couldn't see her Joey.

"That boy has too much energy" she mumbled¹ to herself "He's always hopping³ off." Using her paw, she shaded her eyes from the bright sun and looked around for her Joey again.

"Here I am!" an excited voice yelled behind her.

"Aaah!" screamed Mother Kangaroo hopping six feet in the air and landing with a thud. "Joey, you frightened me!" she said.

"Sorry Mother," said Joey.

"That's alright," she answered, rubbing his head fondly. "But you shouldn't hop² off by yourself. It can be dangerous."

"But Mother, there are so many exciting things to see. I get bored standing⁴ here eating grass."

"Grass is good for you" said Mother Kangaroo. "Now be a good Joey, and don't go hopping off again."

She put her head down and munched⁵ the sweet grass. When she looked up, Joey had disappeared again. She gave a big sigh and started looking for him again.

Up ahead she saw the leaves on a bush shaking. "Ah! That's my Joey," she said. She hopped⁶ over quickly, and bumped into a fat old wombat⁷.

"Ouch! Watch were you're going" yelled Wombat. "I'm very sorry" said Mother Kangaroo "I didn't mean to bump into you."

"You big animals never think about us with our short legs, closer to the ground," grumbled⁸ Wombat. "Now you're here, you can help me find some good grass to eat."

"I'd like to, but I'm looking for my Joey at the moment," said Mother Kangaroo.
"That's right, nearly knock me over, a half blind poor old Wombat, and now you won't even help me find food," complained Wombat.

"Of course I'll help you," said kind Mother Kangaroo. "Grab onto my tail and we'll look for good grass."

As Mother Kangaroo hopped along with Wombat holding her tail Joey came bounding by and hopped right over old wombat.

"What was that" yelled Wombat.

"That was my Joey" said Mother Kangaroo. "Come back Joey"

"Kids! No respect" grumbled Wombat.
Joey kept going.

Wombat stumbled into a hole "Stop, your going to fast. I need to rest" he complained.
While Wombat rested Mother Kangaroo kept looking around. She was worried about her Joey but wouldn't leave poor old Wombat. It was too dangerous for someone who couldn't see properly to be alone.

"Now I'm thirsty" complain

ed Wombat "Take me to some water"

"All right" said Mother Kangaroo "I hope nothing has happened to my Joey" she thought to herself.

They headed towards the waterhole with Wombat holding onto Mother Kangaroo's tail and grumbling⁹ all the way.

When they reached the waterhole there was Joey asleep under a shady gumtree. Mother Kangaroo bounded over to him.
"That's right. Just leave me standing here all alone not able to see" yelled Wombat.
Just then Mother Kangaroo saw some men coming towards the waterhole carrying spears. They were hunting something for their dinner.
"Quickly we have to hide! Hunters are coming. Grab my tail" said Mother Kangaroo. They rushed towards the bushes with Wombat complaining as he hung onto the tail and bounced up and down.

Hiding in the bushes Joey dug his little paws into his mothers fur, holding on as tightly as he could.

"I'm scared" said frightened Joey.

"Shh, it will be all right dear" said his mother softly.
When the hunters had passed Mother Kangaroo looked around for grouchy¹⁰ old Wombat but he wasn't there. He had turned into Father of all Creatures. He explained 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.
"And the kindest animal is you Mother Kangaroo. Even when you were worried about your Joey you were still kind to a grumpy complaining old wombat".

He took some bark from a tree and handed it to Mother Kangaroo. "Now I am going to give you a special present. Tie this bark around your waist"

Mother Kangaroo tied the bark around her waist and it turned into the pouch¹¹ that all kangaroos have today.
"Now you somewhere to keep Joey from wandering off and when he gets frightened he has some where to hide.
Joey climbed into his mothers pouch "This is really cool. Can I have friends over to visit?" asked Joey.

Mother Kangaroo thanked the Father of all Creatures "This is a very special present but I feel sad for all the other animals who don't have a pouch for their children".
"You are definitely the kindest animal" said Father of all Creatures
Because of Mother Kangaroo's kindness all marsupials have a pouch to carry their babies and young children.

The End