Quoof, The Duckbilled Dog
Chapter 2, Part 3
Quoof Learns To Swim.
{Copyright © J.M. Puttock}
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Quoof walked on and on until he could walk no further, making himself a little nest among fallen leaves at the base of a large gum tree, he fell fast asleep.
Quoof awoke with a start, it seemed all the branches and leaves had become alive, shaking and quivering with movement.
Dropping from the trees a creature landed on the ground beside him.
"Who are you? You look like man's dog but he has sharp teeth."
"I was a dog until I grew a duckbill. May I ask who you are?"
"I am a Possum. I live with my relations up in the trees. We are just returning home after feeding on the fruit in man's orchard, his apples are just ripe and ready for eating."
Quoof thought man would not like the Possums eating his fruit, but asked, "How far is man's orchard?"
"Just a few trees away." and with that the Possum clambered up the tree, swung into the branches and using his long tail as an extra hand, quickly disappeared from view.
With the thought that home could not be far away, Quoof arose from his bed of leaves and began walking towards the orchard.
"OUCH!!"
"Oh dear!" sighed a tiny voice from under his paw.
Quoof lifted his leg to have a look.
"I'm sorry I trod on you, what are you?"
"I am a Bee and so full of pollen that I fell to the ground. I'm s..s..sorry I s..stung you for now I must die."
"Why?" the puzzled Quoof asked.
"When my sting has gone from my tail I am no longer whole ....." the tiny voice faded away as the Bee sobbed his last breath.
Quoof felt very sad to cause the death of the Bee. His paw was becoming very swollen, he tried licking the sting out with his tongue but it would not come.
Suddenly! He knew that smell, he sniffed the air. Y E S! He was nearly home.
Quoof limped up the garden path. "Quoof, where have you been? Come here you silly dog, let me see what is in your paw."
Quoof lifted his paw. "Ah, a Bee sting. Hold still while I pull it out. There that's better, isn't it?" The mistress stroked the back of his head.
Quoof's paw still hurt and was very, very swollen.
"Now what can we soak your paw in to take the swelling away. I know, Vinegar; It takes the sting away for us, let's see if it will do the same for you."
The Mistress went into the house and brought out a saucer of nasty smelling liquid.
"Come, Quoof, let us see if this works" said the Mistress holding Quoof's swollen paw in the Vinegar for a few minutes. "There that should do."
"Quoof licked his paw. "Ugh! What an awful taste." His paw was already beginning to feel better and limping round the house he lay in his favourite spot on the veranda. Today, he thought he would stay home and rest and dozed in the sun whilst his paw gradually became normal again.
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TO CHAPTER 3 QUOOF AND THE BABY POSSUM>>
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