Adapted by Kate Stonham
Long, long ago during the Dream Time there lived a very large frog called Tiddalik.
Tiddalik lived in the rushes by the stream. He was always hungry and always thirsty鈥nd because he was always hungry and thirsty he was always grumpy too.
What an appetite Tiddalik had! He would gobble up all the flies before the other frogs had a chance. He didn't care if they went hungry. All he cared about was himself.
It was the hottest time of the year. The sun beat down on the dry, dusty land and the frogs were all thirsty. But they weren't the only ones who needed to drink. So did all the other animals.
Kookaburra lived in a tree nearby. 鈥楲et鈥檚 go to the stream to drink,鈥 he said to the other birds.
What a welcome sight the stream was. And the birds were just about to drink when Tiddalik arrived鈥
鈥極ut of my way! I'm thirsty!鈥 he croaked.
Tiddalik pushed the birds aside and opened his enormous mouth. He drank鈥nd drank鈥nd drank. He was drinking all the water in the stream! Down went the water鈥own鈥own鈥ntil all that was left was mud.
The water inside Tiddalik鈥檚 tummy swished and rumbled.
鈥楾hat鈥檚 better,鈥 he yawned. Now all I need is a little rest!鈥
The giant frog slept, while the birds and other animals gathered round Kookaburra. 鈥楾here鈥檚 no water left for us to drink. What can we do?鈥 they cried. Kookaburra didn't know either.
鈥業 know somewhere we can go for water,鈥 said a voice. It was Kangaroo. 鈥楩ollow me!鈥
The animals and birds followed Kangaroo as she hippety-hopped across the land. Before long, a wide, flowing river appeared.
And the thirsty animals lowered their heads, ready to drink鈥hen they heard a sound鈥
It was Tiddalik - his giant water-filled belly swishing and rumbling!
鈥極ut of my way! I am still thirsty!鈥 he croaked.
The enormous frog pushed the other animals aside鈥hen he opened his mouth and drank鈥nd drank鈥nd drank. He was drinking all the water in the river! Down went the water鈥own鈥own鈥ntil all that was left was mud.
Tiddalik had drunk so much water he was as big as a bush! And the water inside his tummy swished and rumbled louder than ever!
鈥楾hat鈥檚 better,鈥 he yawned. Now all I need is a little rest!鈥
The giant frog slept, while the birds and other animals gathered round kangaroo. 鈥楾here鈥檚 no water left for us to drink. What can we do?鈥 they cried. Kangaroo didn't know either.
鈥楾here鈥檚 one more place we can go for water,鈥 said a voice from a tree. It was Koala bear. 鈥楩ollow me!鈥
The animals and birds followed Koala as he padded across the hot dusty landscape鈥ntil Koala bear stopped at the billabong. The animals gathered at the pool of water and were just about to drink when鈥hey heard a familiar sound. It was Tiddalik again - his giant belly swishing and rumbling!
鈥極ut of my way! I am still thirsty!鈥 he croaked.
He pushed the animals aside鈥hen he opened his mouth and drank鈥nd drank鈥nd drank. He was drinking all the water in the billabong! Down went the water鈥own鈥own鈥ntil all that was left was mud.
Tiddalik had drunk so much water he was as big as a gum tree! And the water inside his tummy swished and rumbled louder than ever!
鈥楾hat鈥檚 better,鈥 he yawned. Now all I need is a little rest!鈥
The giant frog slept, while the poor thirsty animals worried. 鈥楾here鈥檚 no more water to drink in the entire land!鈥 they cried. 鈥榃hat are we going to do?鈥
Adapted by Kate Stonham
Long, long ago during the Dream Time there lived a very large frog called Tiddalik.
Tiddalik lived in the rushes by the stream. He was always hungry and always thirsty鈥nd because he was always hungry and thirsty he was always grumpy too.
What an appetite Tiddalik had! He would gobble up all the flies before the other frogs had a chance. He didn't care if they went hungry. All he cared about was himself.
It was the hottest time of the year. The sun beat down on the dry, dusty land and the frogs were all thirsty. But they weren't the only ones who needed to drink. So did all the other animals.
Kookaburra lived in a tree nearby. 鈥楲et鈥檚 go to the stream to drink,鈥 he said to the other birds.
What a welcome sight the stream was. And the birds were just about to drink when Tiddalik arrived鈥
鈥極ut of my way! I'm thirsty!鈥 he croaked.
Tiddalik pushed the birds aside and opened his enormous mouth. He drank鈥nd drank鈥nd drank. He was drinking all the water in the stream! Down went the water鈥own鈥own鈥ntil all that was left was mud.
The water inside Tiddalik鈥檚 tummy swished and rumbled.
鈥楾hat鈥檚 better,鈥 he yawned. Now all I need is a little rest!鈥
The giant frog slept, while the birds and other animals gathered round Kookaburra. 鈥楾here鈥檚 no water left for us to drink. What can we do?鈥 they cried. Kookaburra didn't know either.
鈥業 know somewhere we can go for water,鈥 said a voice. It was Kangaroo. 鈥楩ollow me!鈥
The animals and birds followed Kangaroo as she hippety-hopped across the land. Before long, a wide, flowing river appeared.
And the thirsty animals lowered their heads, ready to drink鈥hen they heard a sound鈥
It was Tiddalik - his giant water-filled belly swishing and rumbling!
鈥極ut of my way! I am still thirsty!鈥 he croaked.
The enormous frog pushed the other animals aside鈥hen he opened his mouth and drank鈥nd drank鈥nd drank. He was drinking all the water in the river! Down went the water鈥own鈥own鈥ntil all that was left was mud.
Tiddalik had drunk so much water he was as big as a bush! And the water inside his tummy swished and rumbled louder than ever!
鈥楾hat鈥檚 better,鈥 he yawned. Now all I need is a little rest!鈥
The giant frog slept, while the birds and other animals gathered round kangaroo. 鈥楾here鈥檚 no water left for us to drink. What can we do?鈥 they cried. Kangaroo didn't know either.
鈥楾here鈥檚 one more place we can go for water,鈥 said a voice from a tree. It was Koala bear. 鈥楩ollow me!鈥
The animals and birds followed Koala as he padded across the hot dusty landscape鈥ntil Koala bear stopped at the billabong. The animals gathered at the pool of water and were just about to drink when鈥hey heard a familiar sound. It was Tiddalik again - his giant belly swishing and rumbling!
鈥極ut of my way! I am still thirsty!鈥 he croaked.
He pushed the animals aside鈥hen he opened his mouth and drank鈥nd drank鈥nd drank. He was drinking all the water in the billabong! Down went the water鈥own鈥own鈥ntil all that was left was mud.
Tiddalik had drunk so much water he was as big as a gum tree! And the water inside his tummy swished and rumbled louder than ever!
鈥楾hat鈥檚 better,鈥 he yawned. Now all I need is a little rest!鈥
The giant frog slept, while the poor thirsty animals worried. 鈥楾here鈥檚 no more water to drink in the entire land!鈥 they cried. 鈥榃hat are we going to do?鈥
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