For Green Eyes Only How Kookaburra Got His Laugh 

Down in the bushland, in East Queensland, lived Kookaburra.  He was very fast and proud, but he wasn't very wise.  The bushland was hot and full of tall, tall trees.  All day Kookaburra would brag about his speed to all of the other bush creatures.  One day when he was bragging to Emu, she replied," I bet you're not as fast as me.  I could run so fast that I could beat you in a second."

Of course, Kookaburra was not a very fast runner with his small little legs, but he could fly very fast indeed.  Kookaburra said, "Done, and I'll even give you a head start so I'll truly win when I do."

As soon as Emu started, Kookaburra flew up above her and flew so fast that he looked back to see Emu several kilometres back looking like a speck on the horizon.  Suddenly, Kookaburra hit a pole because he wasn't looking where he was going.  He slid down it and noticed strange large creatures with four moving legs that looked like black suns, flashing past him going much faster than he.  The he looked up and noticed strange trees with smoke coming out of the tops, and even more strangley, big squarish stones that were taller than trees.  Kookaburra didn't know it, but he was in the city where humans lived and drove cars.

"Where am I?" he thought.  He looked around and noticed large yellow and very noisy creatures who were using their flat shiny noses to push down trees.  Kookaburra felt very scared as he was lost in this strange world and couldn't see his way back home.  So he flew up onto the top of a branchless tree to sit on what he thought was a thin branch.  It was really a telephone wire. 

Kookaburra sitting on the telephone wires.
Computer coloured foamcore board monoprint of Kookaburra by Amy.

He looked down at one of the strange 4 legged creatures and shouted loudly, "HooHooHoo HaaHaaHaa!!!"  Little did he know that they couldn't hear him at all and that he was asking which way was home.  So he tried again, and again, and again and he is still there to this day asking which way it is to go back home.  And that is how Kookaburra got his famous laugh.

by Amy from Boronia Heights State School.


 
 
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This story was created during a one day Literary Day of Excellence at Regents Park Primary School, Queensland, Australia.
Page Design Copyright Daryll Bellingham,, 1999. All rights reserved. Copyright of the individual stories rests with the student authors and illustrators who created them.

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Last updated - 19/7/99