Hi. This is Spencer for Spencer Reads on Unpretending’s Substack and we’re reading Dot And The Kangaroo, which is written by Ethel Pedley and it was published in eighteen ninety nine by Angus and Robinson publishers.
And this is chapter four. It’s been a long time. This chapter’s really hard ‘cause it’s got a lot of really long, hard words. But we’re gonna do it because we’re gonna do it. Okay, chapter four.
“Good-bye, Kookaburra!” cried Dot, as they left the cave; and the bird gave her a nod of the head, followed by a wink, which was supposed to mean hearty good-will at parting (goodbye). He would have spoken, only he had swallowed but part of the Snake, and the rest hung out of the side of his beak, like an old man’s pipe; so he couldn’t speak. It wouldn’t have been polite to do so with his beak full.
Dot was so rested by her sleep all night that she did not ride in the Kangaroo’s pouch; but they proceeded together, she walking, and her friend making as small hops as she could, so as not to get too far ahead. This was very difficult for the Kangaroo because even the smallest hops carried her far in front (that’s because kangaroos have very long legs). After a time they arranged that the friendly animal should hope a few yards, then wait for Dot to catch her up, and then go on again. This she did, nibbling bits of grass as she waited, or playing a little game of hide-and-seek behind the bushes.
Sometimes when she hid like this, Dot would be afraid that she had lost her Kangaroo, and would run here and there, hunting round trees, and clusters of ferns, until she felt quite certain she had lost the kind animal; then when suddenly, clean over a big bush, the Kangaroo would bound into view, landing right in front of her. Then Dot would laugh and rush forward and throw her arms around her friend; and the Kangaroo, with a quiet smile, would rub her little head against Dot’s curls, and they were both very happy. So, although it was a long and rough way to the little creek where the Platypus lived, it did not seem at all far.
The stream ran at the bottom of a deep gully, that had high rocky sides, with strangely shaped trees growing between the rocks. But, by the stream, Dot thought they must be in Fairyland; it was so beautiful. In the dark hollows of the rocks were wonderful ferns; such delicate ones that the little girl was afraid to touch them. They were so tender and green that they could only grow far away from the sun, and as she peeped into the hollows and caves where they grew, it seemed as if she was being shown the secret store–house of nature, where she kept (that’s Nature being a She) all the most lovely plants, out of sight of the world. A soft carpet seemed to spring under Dot’s feet, like a nice springy mattress, as she trotted along. She asked the Kangaroo why the earth was so soft, and was told that it was not earth, but the dead leaves from the tree-ferns above them, that had been falling for such a long, long time, that no kangaroo could remember the beginning.
Then Dot looked up, and saw that there was no sky to be seen; for they were passing under a forest of tree-ferns, and their lovely spreading fronds made a perfect green tent over their heads. (I’ll put some photos, they’re beautiful, you guys gotta come to Australia and see rainforests they’re beautiful). The sunlight that came through was green, as if you were in a house made of green glass. All up the slender stems of these tall tree-ferns were the most beautiful little plants, and many stems were twined, from the earth to their feather like fronds, with tender creeping ferns – the fronds of which were so fine and close, that it seemed as if the tree-fern were wrapped up in a lovely little fern coat. Even crumbling dead trees, and decaying tree fence, did not look dead, because some beautiful moss or lichen (I know that), or little ferns had clung to them, and made them more beautiful than when alive.
Dot kept crying out with pleasure at all she saw; especially when little Parakeets, with feathers as green as the ferns, and gorgeous red breasts (rosellas), came in flocks, and welcomed her to their favourite haunt; and, as she had eaten the berries of understanding, and was the friend of the Kangaroo, they were not frightened, but perched on her shoulders and hands, and chatted their merry talk together. (They’re so beautiful, you’ll love ‘em). The Kangaroo did not share Dots enthusiasm for the beauties of the gully. She said it was pretty, certainly, but a bad place for kangaroos, because there was no grass. For her part, she didn’t think any sight in nature so lovely as a big plain, green with the little blades of new spring grass (I call them Grass Parrots, they’re beautiful too). The Gully was very showy, but not to her mind so beautiful as the other.
Then they came to a stream that gurgled melodiously as it rippled over stones with its shallow course, or crept round big grey boulders that were wrapped in thick mosses, in which were mingled flowers of the pink and red wild fuchsia, or the creamy great blossoms of the rock-lily. Dot ran down the stream with bare feet, laughing as she paddled in and out among the rocks and ferns, and the sun shone down on the gleaming foam of the water, and made golden lights in Dot’s wild curls. The Kangaroo too was very merry, and bounded from rock to rock over the stream, showing what wonderful things she could do in that way; and sometimes they paused, side by side, and peeped down upon some still pool that showed their two reflections as in a mirror; and that seemed so funny to Dot that her silvery laugh woke the silence in happy pearls, until more green and red Parakeets flew out of the bush to join in the fun. (Don’t you just wish you were there now?)
When they had followed the stream some distance, the gully opened out into bush scrub. The little Parakeets then said “Good bye”, and flew back to their favourite tree-ferns and bush growth; and the Kangaroo said that as they were nearing the home of the Platypus, they must not play in the stream any more; to do so might warn the creature of their approach and frighten it. “We shall have to be very careful,” she said, “so that the Platypus will neither hear nor smell you. We will therefore walk on the opposite shore as the wind will then blow away from its home.”
The stream no longer chattered over a rocky beds, but slid between soft banks of earth, under tufts of tall rushes, grasses, and ferns, and soon it opened into a broad pool, which was smooth as glass. The clouds in the sky, the tall surrounding trees, and the graceful ferns and rushes of the banks, were all reflected in the water, so that it looked to Dot like a strange upside-down picture. This, then, was the home of that wonderful animal, and dot felt quite frightened, because she thought she was going to see something terrible.
At the Kangaroos bidding, she hid a little way from the edge of the pool, but she was able to see all that happened. (Wow! And there’s a picture, I’m going to send it).
The Kangaroo evidently did not enjoy the prospect of conversing with the Platypus. She kept on fidgeting about, putting off calling to the Platypus by one excuse and another: she was decidedly ill at ease. (I think that’s like anxiety).
“Are you frightened of the Platypus?” asked Dot.
“Dear me, no!” replied the Kangaroo, “but I’d rather have a talk with any other bush creature. First of all, the sight of it makes me so uncomfortable that I want to hop away the instant I set my eyes upon it. Then, too, it’s so difficult to be polite to the Platypus, because one never knows how to behave towards it. If you treat it as an animal, you often offend its bird nature, and if you treat it as a bird, the animal in it is mighty indignant. (The Platypus must have DID, do you reckon? Or be a Multiple). One never knows where one is with a creature that is two creatures (see, told ya),” said the Kangaroo.
Dot was sorry for the perplexity of her friend, that she suggested that they should not consult the Platypus. But the Kangaroo said it must be done, because no one in the bush was so learned. Being such a strange creature, and living in such seclusion, and being so difficult to approach, was a proof that it was the right advisor to seek. So, with a half desperate air, the Kangaroo left the little girl, and went down to the water’s edge.
Pausing a moment, she made a strange little noise that was something between a grunt and a hiss: (Kangaroos have grunts, they go …, …,they do that sometimes if they are talking to one another) and she repeated this many times. At last Dot saw what looked like a bit of black stick, just above the surface of the pool, coming towards their side. As it moved forward, it led left two little silvery ripples that widened out behind it on the smooth waters. Presently the black stick, which was the bill of the Platypus, reached the bank, and the strangest little creature climbed into view. Dot ([sound of a cockatoo outside the window] Cockatoo! Shhh!) Dot had expected to see something big and hideous; but here was quite a small object after all! It seemed quite ridiculous that the great Kangaroo should be evidently discomposed by the sight.
Dot could not hear what the Kangaroo said but she saw the Platypus hurriedly prepared to regain the water (which means the platypus was going to get back in the water). It began to stumble clumsily down the bank. The Kangaroo then raised her voice in pleading accents.
“But,” she said, “it’s such a little Human! I have treated it like my baby kangaroo, and have carried it in my pouch.”
This information seemed to arrest the movements of the Platypus; it had reached the water’s edge, but it paused, and turned.
(It reckons it has a high pitched and irritable voice, but I don’t like high pitched and irritable voices, so I’m not going to have a high pitched and irritable voice for this platypus okay?) I tell you, “It said in a high pitched and irritable voice, “that all Humans are alike! They all come here to interview me for the same purpose, and I am resolved it shall not happen again; I have been insulted enough by their ignorance.”
“I assure you,” urged the Kangaroo, “that she will not annoy you in that way. She wouldn’t think of doing such a thing to any animal.”
As the Kangaroo called the Platypus an animal, Dot saw at once that it was offended, and in a great huff it turned towards the pool again. “I beg your pardon,” said the Kangaroo nervously. “I didn’t mean an altogether animal, or even a bird, but any a – a – a –.” She seemed puzzled how to speak of the Platypus, when the strange creature, seeing the well-meaning embarrassment of the Kangaroo, said affably: “Any mammal or Ornithorhynchus Paradoxus.”
“Exactly,” said the Kangaroo, brightening up, although she hadn’t the least idea what a mammal was. (We know mammals, we’re mammals, these humans are).
“Well, bring the little Human here,” said the Platypus in a more friendly tone. “And if I feel quite sure on the point I will permit an interview.”
Two bounds brought the Kangaroo to where Dot was hidden. She seemed anxious that the child should make a good impression on the Platypus and tried with the long claws on her little black hands to comb through Dots long gleaming curls; but they were so tangled that the child called out at this awkward method of hairdressing, and the Kangaroo stopped. Then she licked a black smudge off Dots forehead, which was all she could do to tidy her. Then she started back a hop and eyed the child with her head on one side. She was not quite satisfied. “Ah!” she said, “if only you were a baby kangaroo, I could make you look so nice! But I can’t do anything to your sham coat, which gets worse every day, and your fur is all wrong, for one can’t get one’s claws through it. You Humans are no good in the bush!”
“Never mind, dear Kangaroo,” said the little girl. “When I get home mother will put a new frock (that’s a dress) on me and will get the tangles out of my hair. Let us go to the platypus now.”
The Kangaroo felt sad as Dot spoke of returning home, for she had become really fond of the little Human. She began to feel that she would be lonely when they parted. However, she did not speak of what was in her mind, but bounded back to the Platypus to wait Dot.
(We are going to stop there and have part two come out in a couple of days. This has been Spencer, for Spencer Reads on Unpretending’s Substack. And thank you for your patience and we hope you have a wonderful day. Look forward to part two in a couple of days. Bye)
Great job, Spencer and those words with sound outs!