dbank in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Big God
Nqong.

He went to Nqong at ten before dinner-time, saying, 'Make me different
from all other animals; make me popular and wonderfully run after by
five this afternoon.'

Up jumped Nqong from his bath in the salt-pan and shouted, 'Yes, I
will!'

Nqong called Dingo--Yellow-Dog Dingo--always hungry, dusty in the
sunshine, and showed him Kangaroo. Nqong said, 'Dingo! Wake up, Dingo!
Do you see that gentleman dancing on an ashpit? He wants to be popular
and very truly run after. Dingo, make him so!'

Up jumped Dingo--Yellow-Dog Dingo--and said, 'What, _that_ cat-rabbit?'

Off ran Dingo--Yellow-Dog Dingo--always hungry, grinning like a
coal-scuttle,--ran after Kangaroo.

Off went the proud Kangaroo on his four little legs like a bunny.

This, O Beloved of mine, ends the first part of the tale!

He ran through the desert; he ran through the mountains; he ran through
the salt-pans; he ran through the reed-beds; he ran through the blue
gums; he ran through the spinifex; he ran till his front legs ached.

He had to!

Still ran Dingo--Yellow-Dog Dingo--always hungry, grinning like a
rat-trap, never getting nearer, never getting farther,--ran after
Kangaroo.

He had to!

Still ran Kangaroo--Old Man Kangaroo. He ran through the ti-trees; he
ran through the mulga; he ran through the long grass; he ran through the
short grass; he ran through the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer; he ran
till his hind legs ached.

He had to!

[Illustration: THIS is a picture of Old Man Kangaroo when he was the
Different Animal with four short legs. I have drawn him grey and woolly,
and you can see that he is very proud because he has a wreath of flowers
in his hair. He is dancing on an outcrop (that means a ledge of rock) in
the middle of Australia at six o'clock before breakfast. You can see
that it is six o'clock, because the sun is just getting up. The thing
with the ears and the open mouth is Little God Nqa. Nqa is very much
surprised, because he has never seen a Kangaroo dance like that before.
Little God Nqa is just saying, 'Go away,' but the Kangaroo is so busy
dancing that he has not heard him yet.

The Kangaroo hasn't any real name except Boomer. He lost it because
he was so proud.]

Still ran Dingo--Yellow-Dog Dingo--hungrier and hungrier, grinning like
a horse-collar, never getting nearer, never getting farther; and they
came to the Wollgong River.

Now, ther