Morning dew still glistened on the grass. The rising sun hadn't yet dried it, allowing insects to drink the healing moisture.
In the thick bird cherry bushes, goldfinches began to sing. Soon other birds joined in. They sang in different voices, as if competing with each other. An old echidna was returning home from an early walk. A large white russula mushroom stuck out from his back. The echidna family would have a delicious breakfast today.
A possum sat on a tall young gum tree. And when a kookaburra struck the trunk with its strong beak, searching for beetles and bugs, she jumped to a thick eucalyptus. The possum was quick as lightning.
Down below, between the dry branches, stood a large stump, and on that stump lay mushrooms. A wombat — a grey-coloured creature — was preparing them for his young ones.
Fine days had arrived, berries were ripening: blackberries, strawberries, currants. Fragrant flowers bloomed everywhere.
In one such mysterious and magically beautiful forest lived a family of koalas. A wide path led to their tree hollow, running alongside a beautiful forest billabong filled with clear spring water.
Papa Koala went out foraging, Mama Koala busied herself with household chores, and little Koala cub Timmy lived his childhood life. Every morning, Mama Koala called him for breakfast.
Timmy would approach the table, sit on his little chair, and begin to whinge:
I don't want to eat porridge, I won't!
Mum would coax him, even feed him from the spoon, and sing a little rhyme:
Bees are flying,
Golden buckets
They carry to the field.
And from the field they fly —
In golden buckets
Bringing honey to Timmy.
Oh, delicious,
Oh, delicious
Porridge for Timmy.
Honey porridge, pleasant,
Very fragrant.
If only my little one would eat.
Just one spoonful, Timmy love. Otherwise you won't have any energy for anything.
She pleaded.
Nah, I don't want to eat porridge, I don't need energy!
Timmy whined even louder.
Then one day, the porridge got offended:
Right then! Well, little koala, if you don't want to eat me, fine then!
Timmy was chuffed that he wasn't being made to eat porridge anymore, and ran off to the clearing to play.
He saw the neighbour koala cubs playing footy.
Come join us!
The koala footballers called out cheerfully.
Timmy ran after the ball, but got tired very quickly.
You probably didn't eat your porridge. That's a shame, mate...
His mates told him.
Timmy had to find something else to do. He looked over and saw wallabies racing on the lawn. The koala cub tried to compete with them, but no luck. He couldn't keep up with the fast wallabies, stumbled and fell.
What's wrong, Timmy, didn't finish your porridge again? You're a bit short on energy, aren't you?
The wallabies sympathised.
The koala cub went to the billabong, where platypuses were swimming in a boat. He wanted to swim with them too. The platypuses took him in the boat and gave him oars. Timmy swung the oars twice — and they just fell right out of his paws.
"I shouldn't have offended the porridge, shouldn't have refused to eat it. Nothing's working out for me — everything's falling out of my hands. I'd better go home!" thought Timmy.
Sad and glum, he came home, and saw — the bowl of porridge was still sitting on the table.
The porridge smiled and said to the koala cub:
No energy, eh? Come on, eat me up quick — and everything will be bonzer!
Timmy washed his paws after his walk, sat at the table, picked up his spoon and began eating the porridge with appetite, you could only hear the spoon tapping against the bowl.
Mama Koala saw this, was delighted, and praised her little one:
Now that's more like it. Good on you!
And happy Timmy ran off to play footy with his koala mates. Because now, thanks to the porridge, he'd become strong and energetic. And the porridge wasn't offended with him anymore.
Read fairy tales, they contain folk wisdom and useful advice!
