How the Kangaroo Got His Legs

Long long ago, in a very big land far away, there was a Kangaroo. But he wasn't the Kangaroo we know now. Oh no.

This Kangaroo had four short legs. Grey, woolly, ordinary legs. And he was very proud.

He wanted to be different from everyone else. So he went to the Little God, and he said, 'Make me different from all other animals by teatime!'

'GO AWAY,' said the Little God.

So he went to the Middle God. 'Make me different by teatime!' he said.

'GO AWAY,' said the Middle God.

So he went to the Big God. 'Make me different by teatime!'

The Big God laughed. 'YES,' he said. 'I will.'

The Big God called Dingo. Dingo the Yellow Dog. Always hungry.

'Dingo,' said the Big God, 'chase that Kangaroo. Chase him all day.'

Off ran Dingo.

Off ran Kangaroo.

They ran. And they ran. And they RAN.

Through the desert. Over the hills. Across the rivers. All day long.

And as Kangaroo ran, his back legs grew a little bit longer. And a little bit longer. And a little bit longer.

Soon his back legs were SO long, he couldn't run any more.

So he started to hop. HOP HOP HOP. Ten feet at a time!

At teatime, the Big God stopped the chase.

Kangaroo was different at last. He had long back legs. He could hop faster than anyone.

But he was also very, very tired.

And that's why, to this very day, kangaroos have long back legs and hop wherever they go.