Quoof The Duckbilled Dog.
Chapter 5
Quoof And The Snow.
{Copyright © J.M. Puttock}
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Quoof awoke one cold mid-winter morning, "It's very light;" he thought, "I must have overslept." He walked to the window, everywhere was covered with white. "What is this?" he asked himself, "I have never seen anything like this before."
Donna opened the back door.
"Mummy!" she called, "Is this snow?"
"Yes dear." her Mother answered, "Have your breakfast then you may go out to play, but don't forget to put your jacket and gumboots on."
Quoof ran outside.
"Brrr!" it was very cold; he made paw prints all over the lawn.
Then he let his tail drag behind him making a line. "Oh! This is fun!" he thought and barked "Quoof! Quoof! Quoof!" because he was so happy.
Donna came out of the house making footprints alongside his paw prints.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Donna said half to herself.
Quoof wished he could speak to her but could only answer "Quoof! Quoof!"
The snow had completely covered the ground hiding the flower beds and the footpath.
The bare branches of the trees each carried a layer of snow like icing on a birthday cake.
Quoof rolled over in a fresh patch of snow getting up with a large lump of snow caught on the end of his beak.
"Oh, Quoof, you look funny!" Donna chuckled and making a soft ball of snow, threw it at Quoof knocking the snow off his beak.
"What is Donna doing?" Quoof asked himself.
Donna had made a small ball of snow and rolled it along the ground; as it rolled it grew larger and larger. Putting the large snowball in a slight hollow, Donna made another smaller ball placing it on top. Banging the large snowball with her hands, knocking some pieces out, she gradually shaped it until it looked a little like a small girl in a long dress. Placing two small stones in the smaller snowball for eyes and a twig for a mouth, she formed a lump of snow into a nose shape and fixed it on to the face. Stepping back to get a good view she stated, "There; that should do!"
"Quoof! Quoof!" barked Quoof, wagging his tail "Quoof! Quoof! Quoof!"
"You like it, do you Quoof?" Donna asked, "Shall we make one like you?"
"Quoof! Quoof! Quoof!" Quoof wagged his tail so much Donna thought it was sure to fall off.
Making two more snowballs, Donna tried to make them look a little like Quoof but 'its' beak just wouldn't stay in place.
Quoof thought this very funny and joyously
leapt over 'it', knocking 'its' head off completely with his hind legs.
Slllluussssshhhhh! Slllluussssshhhhh! Went the wheels of the car as they drove through the melting snow. The children had not played in snow before this day, now they were on their way to nearby hills to try tobogganing. The Master and Donna's big brother, David, had hurriedly made a rough toboggan out of strong seed boxes with aluminium strips underneath to serve as runners.
"This looks a good spot." said the Master stopping the car.
David took the Toboggan out of the car boot and dragged it into the paddock.
"What comes next?" Quoof wondered.
At that moment David sat down on the toboggan and giving himself a start with his hands, off he went .... Wheee ... sssslllluuppp! said the runners as they raced down the paddock. Wheee ... sssslllluuppp!
"That does look fun." thought Quoof, as David pulled the toboggan back up the slope.
"Mary's turn next." said David, "Now hold on tight Mary. I'll give you a push to start you off."
Wheee - sssllllluuuppp! Wheee - sssllllluuuppp!
"That was great!" exclaimed Mary as she returned to where they stood.
"Please may I try?" Donna implored.
"Yes!" replied her father, "but David must sit with you."
Off down the paddock they went. Whee - sssllllluuuppp!
"Quoof! Quoof! Quoof! Quoof's tail wagged furiously.
"Daddy! Look at Quoof, I think he wants a go too!" laughed Mary.
David brought the toboggan back.
"Sit Quoof between your legs," said the Master, "and hold tight to him."
"Whooosh!" Off they went, faster and faster; the wind caught Quoof's ears and blew them towards Mary. All too soon they were at the bottom of the slope.
"Stay on the toboggan Quoof and I will pull you to the top." said Mary; but although the toboggan was light when it was empty, with Quoof sitting in it Mary was soon puffing.
Quoof jumped off just as Mary gave an extra hard tug. Mary slipped in the snow, letting go of the toboggan as she fell; the toboggan careered down the slope.
"Oh, Quoof!" Mary laughed, "Now I am covered in snow and we have to fetch the toboggan again." Still laughing Mary ran down to the toboggan, Quoof ran after her but lost his footing and slid the remainder of the way on his rear end.
"This snow is great fun," thought Quoof, "even if it is very cold."
The afternoon passed quickly and it was time to go home; Quoof wondered how long it would be before it snowed again and dozed on the floor of the car tired but happy.
"Out you come, Quoof, we are home."
"Brr! It is cold! What will my friends the Possums do this cold night." Quoof ran down to the creek to find them.
"Sister Possum!" he called. "Sister Possum!" this time so loud that it echoed through the trees.
"I'm coming Quoof." came the faint reply; a rustling of leaves and there was Sister Possum sitting on a branch just above Quoof's head.
"Sister Possum, it is very cold; where are you and your relations going to spend this night?"
"When we have eaten some of us will go into the roof of your Master's house, others will find shelter in his shed and barn. Do not worry Quoof, we all have our favourite spots when it is cold."
"And where do the birds go?"
"They also find shelter; some have very cosy nests in the tree trunks or in small caves; others shelter under the eaves of mans' houses and in many other places man has made. Man is good to us. Goodnight Quoof, it is getting too cold for you to be out."
"Goodnight, Sister Possum."
Later that evening as he lay beside the kitchen stove, loud scampering noises came from the house roof.
"Sounds as though the Possums have arrived." the Master said to his wife.
Quoof smiled to himself and wondered if Sister Possum had a nice warm spot by the chimney?
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Coming soon ... QUOOF And The Lamb
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