LegendsLegends
Sample Stories
The Legs of the Kangaroo
Many are the legends connected with this unique animal. When it arrived in Australia with its companions on the canoe of the Whale its legs were uniform in length. It walked on all four legs, as a dingo walks. One generation was succeeded by another, and still the Kangaroo browsed on the plains, using his legs in the normal manner.
Then came Man the hunter, eager for meat, with threatening spear-thrower and spear that could travel faster than any four-legged animal.
Kangaroo was resting in the shade of a tree when his sensitive ears picked up the sound of something approaching stealthily. He bounded to his feet and saw it was a Man--and that Man had a weapon against which he was defenceless. The only thing to do was to take refuge in flight.
Kangaroo had seen that the strange creature threatening him with a throwing implement had only two legs. He felt confident that his four legs would carry him out of danger without difficulty.
He had underestimated his enemy. Man proved swift and strong. His two legs were longer than Kangaroo's four legs, and more strongly muscled. They carried Man tirelessly for hour after hour. No matter how he extended himself, Kangaroo was unable to increase his lead. He was saved only by the setting sun and the darkness that fell on the earth.
Exhausted by his exertions, Kangaroo fell wearily to the ground. Presently he lifted his head. A bright light had appeared in the darkness. Man had kindled a fire to warm himself in the cold night air. Cautiously Kangaroo edged back, rose to his feet, and tiptoed away from the revealing light of the camp fire. In order to make no sound, he rose on his hind legs and in this manner managed to escape.
Presently he realised that he was using only two legs instead of four, just as Man had done during the long pursuit. It was an unusual sensation. He experimented further, and found he could cover the ground more quickly by hopping instead of walking or running. Using his tail to balance himself, he was able to leap further, much further than a Man could stride. It was such an exhilarating experience that he has kept on doing it ever since.
His forelegs and paws were of little use. They grew smaller, while his hind legs grew longer and stronger, and they have remained like that to this very day.