succulent roots he partly sat up and scratched his ear and his ribs, looking round to admire the scenery and to see what was going on about him.
When his mother moved along the edge of a narrow belt of scrub that lined the river bank it was to him a pleasure excursion, full of interest, for there were many other creatures abroad. The frisky possums, with their gambols and chasings, their squeaks and purring chatter; the squirrels, with their sudden flights and squeals; and the night-birds calling overhead, enlivened the passing hours; while bandicoots and wallabies fed quietly around.
When Mrs. Koala saw her husband perched on the limb of a gum-tree, she climbed up to him; but, beyond a growl by way of greeting and a solemn survey of the youngster, he took no notice of them. Then Mrs. Koala brushed her little burden against her mate as she seated herself; her look and manner seemed to say, " I think you ought to hold the baby while I get my supper." But Pa Koala looked at the baby with eyes that plainly said, " Let the little brat get down and walk."Then she caught the branch he was holding and pulled it away. He was decidedly vexed, and looked at her for a moment as though he had a mind to knock her off the limb. However, he thought better of it, and shifted to another branch.
As she was a long way from home and was a slow traveller, she left early, and was climbing back into her nest just as day was breaking. The little one was glad to be home again, for he was tired from so much unaccustomed riding, and was rather stiff from clinging to a perpendicular back whilst being carried up and down trees. He rolled off with a sigh of relief, and after a drink coiled himself up in his mother"s arms and went to sleep.
He had no fears when he went out again. He was quite at home on his mother"s back, and enjoyed being carried about among the branches. As he grew older he plucked some of the leaves within his reach and, sitting up like a little jockey, munched them With enjoyment.
When he was on the ground he would slip off, and soon learned to scratch up roots for himself; and when on a limb he would dismount, and amuse himself climbing about, or sit beside his mother and eat off the branch she held in her hand.
His next step was climbing a little way up the trunks and backing down again, and soon his mother declined to carry him any more, except as a favour when he seemed tired, or when the climb was a stiff one and he cried and whimpered like a child.
But by and by he cried in vain. There was no more "piggy-back" for him; he had grown too large and heavy forbaby habits, and must now walk.
Edward S. Sorenson,in Friends and Foes in the Australian BushAuthor.-Edward Sylvester Sorenson was born in New South Wales in 1869. He contributed to metropolitan newspapers when about 25, chiefly verse and stories of bush life, and entered upon writing as a profession in 1901. Author of The Squatter"s Ward, Quinton"s Rouseabout, Life in the Australian Backblocks, Friends and Foes in the Australian Bush, Chips and Splinters, Spotty the Bower Bird, Murty Brown, etc.
General Notes.-Give other names for the koala. Describe the "squirrels" mentioned in paragraph three. What is meant by " to show off"? Make a list of the animals mentioned. Name some that are not mentioned. Make the little koala tell his own story.
Lesson 52
A SPECkLED THRuSH
Because a speckled thrush would sing As I came down the hill,I set my burden on the ground
And hearkened to the mirthsome sound Beside a dappled rill.
I set my burden on the ground
With the first rapturous trill, Because a speckled thrush would sing, And I must heed his carollingAnd wait upon his will.
And, if a speckled thrush should sing All day upon the hill,Why should I go when such delight Waits for me from high noon till nightBeside a purling rill?
- Lilla Gormhuille Mckay
Author.-Lilla Gormhuille Mckay, an Australian writer, who hascontributed frequently to The Bulletin and other Australian magazines.
General Notes.-Notice the delicate build of this little poem and the strange way in which the rhymes and lines recur. Find a picture of an Australian song-thrush. Describe his shape, size, and coloration. Imitate his note. How many other thrushes do you know? Do you know other poems about birds?
Lesson 53
THE WEE FELL yIN
This is a story about a dog-not the kind of dog you often see in the street here, not a fat, wrinkly pug, nor a smooth- skinned bulldog, nor even a big shaggy fellow-but a slim, silky-haired, sharp-eared, little dog, the prettiest thing you can imagine. Her name was Wylie, and she lived in Scotland, far up on the hills, and helped her master to take care of his sheep.
You can"t think how clever she was! She watched over the sheep and the little lambs like a soldier, and never let anything hurt them. She drove them out to pasture when it was time, and brought them safely home when it was time for that. When the silly sheep grew frightened and ran this way and that, hurting themselves and getting lost, Wylie knew exactly what to do-round on one side she would run, barking and scolding, driving them back; then round on the other, barking and scolding, driving them back, till they were all bunched together in front of the right gate. Then she drove them through as neatly as any person. She loved her work, and was a wonderfully fine sheep-dog.
At last, her master grew too old to stay alone on the hills,and so he went away to live. Before he went, he gave Wylie to two kind young men who lived in the nearest town; he knew they would be good to her. They grew very fond of her, and so did their old grandmother and the little children: she was so gentle and handsome and well behaved.
So now Wylie lived in the city where there were no sheep-farms, only streets and houses, and she did not have to do any work at all-she was just a pet dog. She seemed very happy, and she was always good.
