QUOOF, THE DUCKBILLED DOG
Chapter 3
QUOOF AND THE BABY POSSUM
{Copyright © J.M. Puttock}
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Early one morning Quoof decided to go for a swim. He ran down the garden path, under the back gate and down to the creek. Slipping quietly into the water he swam slowly upstream, catching a few small fish for his breakfast on the way.
"Please, help me!" a voice cried from the bank, "Oh, please won't somebody help me?"
Quoof climbed out of the water and shook himself dry.
"Please somebody help me." the voice called plaintively.
Quoof followed the sound.
"Why, Mrs. Possum! What has happened to you?"
"I - I was holding on to a branch with my tail, watching the eyes of a Boobook Owl, when I grew very tired and fell. Please take care of my baby for me; I hurt so much .... I know I am going to that lovely orchard in the sky."
"But, Mrs. Possum, I don't know how to look after babies. I will ask your relations to help."
Quoof ran off and very soon saw Sister Possum sitting high up in the fork of a tree.
"Sister Possum!" he called; "Mrs. Possum is badly hurt, will you look after Baby Possum for her?"
"I'm sorry Quoof, I cannot help for I have two babies in my pouch of my own. All my sisters, cousins and Aunts have babies themselves. I do not think they will be able to help but I will ask them."
Sister Possum swung herself through the trees calling to her sisters. Soon she returned and from the look on her face Quoof knew that not one could help the Baby Possum.
"Oh dear!" thought Quoof as he made his way back to where Mrs. Possum lay, "Now what can I do?"
"Mrs. Possum!" Quoof touched her with his paw but she was so cold and stiff that Quoof knew she had died.
Baby Possum was shivering with cold and fright.
"Hop on to my back Baby," said Quoof, "I'll take you home with me; my Master will know what to do."
"Hello Quoof! What have we here? A Baby Possum. Hmmm. Now let me see; we must feed it with warm milk, it is so cold .........
The Master ran into the house returning quickly with a piece of blanket and a dollies' bottle full of milk. Lifting the tiny possum off Quoof's back, he gently wrapped it in the blanket and fed it the milk.
"Now, Quoof, you must keep the Possum warm in your bed tonight for it will be very cold." said the Master placing the tiny creature in Quoof's basket in the laundry.
Throughout the day the Master and Mistress fed the Possum on warm milk and that night Quoof snuggled up to it in his basket to keep it warm.
The following morning Quoof licked the Possum's face.
"Eeek!" said Baby Possum. "Eeek! Eeek!"
Quoof was very pleased and barked; the Master came out with a bottle of warm milk and gave the Possum its breakfast.
The little Mistress wanted to nurse the Possum but the Master said "No!" in a very firm voice for tiny creatures should not be handled too much.
Each day the Master and Mistress fed the Possum and each night Quoof tried to keep it warm, but the tiny Possum was gradually growing weaker.
One evening the Master came home from office. "I've found someone who knows how to rear Baby Possums," he called to his wife, "I'm to phone him after dinner."
The Master went into the laundry; the Possum was very cold, he cuddled it in his arms like a Human Baby; he took it into the kitchen and sat with it by the warm stove but it was too late, the Baby Possum had gone to join its Mother in that special orchard in the sky.
Quoof felt very, very sad and lay in his basket and cried; the little Mistress cried too.
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Next in Quoofs' adventures .... AUTUMN LEAVES>>
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