How the Kangaroos got their Tails

Summary

In the Aboriginal tale 'How the Kangaroos Got Their Tails,' two kangaroos, one from the hills and one from the plains, share a rivalry over sugar bag, or wild bush honey. The short-armed hill kangaroo outsmarts the long-armed plains kangaroo, leading to a fierce fight with sticks. The battle ends with both kangaroos throwing their sticks, which stick to each other's tails, creating their distinctive features. The story concludes with each kangaroo retreating to their respective habitats, symbolizing the origins of their tails and their current habitats.

Takeaways

• 🌿 In Aboriginal mythology, kangaroos are said to have acquired their tails during the Dreamtime.
• 🐾 The story features two kangaroos, one from the hills and one from the plains, each with distinct physical characteristics.
• 🍯 The hill kangaroo, with short arms, searches for and enjoys sugar bag, a form of wild bush honey.
• 🐜 The plains kangaroo, with long arms, unsuccessfully tries to get sugar bag, instead pulling out spiders.
• 🤝 The two kangaroos engage in a conversation about the sugar bag, leading to a misunderstanding.
• ⚔️ A conflict arises between the two kangaroos, resulting in a fight using sticks.
• 💢 The plains kangaroo becomes enraged after being tricked and fights back, leading to both kangaroos throwing sticks at each other.
• 🏃‍♂️ The fight ends with both kangaroos retreating to their respective habitats, the plains and the hills.
• 🌱 The plains kangaroo declares its intention to live among the sugar grass, while the hill kangaroo chooses the boulders and spinifex.
• 🔍 The story concludes by explaining that the distinctive tails of kangaroos are a result of the sticks that stuck to them during the fight.

Q & A

What is the setting of the Aboriginal story about kangaroos?

The story is set in the early days of the 'Dream Time', which refers to the Aboriginal concept of the time of creation and the world's beginning.

How many kangaroos are mentioned in the story?

Two kangaroos are mentioned in the story: one from the hills and the other from the plains.

What physical characteristics distinguish the two kangaroos?

The plains kangaroo is described as a big kangaroo with long arms and long legs, while the hill kangaroo is a small kangaroo with short arms and short legs.

What was the short-armed kangaroo searching for in the story?

The short-armed kangaroo was searching for 'sugar bag', which refers to wild bush honey found in the Australian outback.

How did the short-armed kangaroo find the sugar bag?

The short-armed kangaroo found the sugar bag by following bees to their hive in a hole in a rock.

Why was the big kangaroo unable to find the sugar bag?

The big kangaroo was unable to find the sugar bag because he only reached just inside the hole and pulled out spiders instead of honey.

What did the big kangaroo do when he realized he was tricked?

The big kangaroo, feeling tricked, broke off a big stick from a white gum tree to confront the short-armed kangaroo.

How did the conflict between the two kangaroos escalate?

The conflict escalated when both kangaroos started fighting by hitting each other over the head with sticks they had broken off from trees.

What happened to the kangaroos after the fight?

After the fight, both kangaroos hopped away back to their respective countries, with the big kangaroo going to the low country and the short-armed kangaroo to the hills.

What is the significance of the kangaroos' tails in the story?

The story implies that the kangaroos' tails were formed as a result of the sticks that got stuck into them during their fight, which is a symbolic way of explaining their physical appearance.

How does the story end and what is its moral?

The story ends with the kangaroos living in their respective habitats and the moral being that the kangaroos' tails are a result of their actions and the consequences of their conflict.