Kip the Kangaroo and the Pouch of Surprises

A warm, Australian story about growing up a little at a time.

Kip was a young kangaroo who was just learning to hop on his own. He lived with his mother in the bush, where the earth was red and the gum trees grew tall and silver.

“Today,” said his mother, “you will hop all the way to the waterhole.” Kip’s ears drooped. The waterhole looked very far. “I will carry you if you get tired,” said his mother. “But try first.”

Kip took a big hop, then another. Hop, hop, hop, over the red sand he went. After a little while, his legs began to wobble. He sat down in the dust and sighed.

His mother opened her pouch and pulled out a soft piece of bark with a small, red feather tucked inside. “I found this on the day you were born,” she said. “You were no bigger than a jellybean.”

Kip held the feather and looked at his legs. They had grown so much. “Now look how far you have come,” said his mother. Kip took a deep breath and stood up again.

Hop, hop, hop, he went past the old gum tree. Hop, hop, hop, past the rock shaped like a turtle. His legs felt stronger with every bounce.

When he was tired again, his mother showed him a smooth, round pebble she had kept. “This is from the first creek we crossed together,” she said. Kip smiled. Each pebble was a memory.

At last, Kip hopped to the waterhole all by himself. He bent down and took a long, cool drink. His mother said, “Well done, my brave boy,” and Kip tucked the feather safely into her pouch for next time.

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