Rose watched the hundreds of trees glide swiftly past the train window. The bush, the trees, the consistent laughing of the kookaburra was all new to Rose. She was entranced by Australia's natural beauty.

"Their laugh is so -- unusual," Rose commented, laughing as another buzz of excitement echoed through the lively valley.

"Do you want to hear a Dreamtime story? You will probably be sick to death of them soon, but--" Patrick asked, while sitting across from Rose.

"I would love to hear it."

"A long time ago in the Dreamtime," he began.

* * * * * * * * * * All was peaceful. The kangaroos bounded across the valleys, and the snakes slithered across the dry land. There was plenty of water for all.

One day a terrible drought came over the land, The water hole started to get dry, and the creeks ran bare. A cunning frog decided he wouldn't be without water because everyone else had drunk it. He wanted it all for himself. So he jumped over to the water hole and started drinking.

He drank and drank and drank, all through the night and next day. All the animals came to see what he was up to. The next night a large crowd had gathered on the bank of the water hole, if you could call it a water hole anymore. The greedy frog had drunk ALL the water and there was none left for anyone else. By now the frog was as big as a hill, and took up a lot of room.

All of a sudden, an annoyed kangaroo came to see what the frog had done.

"You stupid frog. Now there is no water for anyone else," the kangaroo yelled up to him.

The frog sat still.

"You had better put that water back, or else."

The frog didn't budge. By then the kangaroo realized that the frog was just sitting there because if he opened his mouth, all the water would come gushing out.

"So then. HAHAHA. He jumped out. HAHAHA. and banged his head on the rock. HAHAHAHA. What do you think mate?" the kookaburra asked.

The frog sat still. He had sat there for weeks and the animals had got impatient. They had tried everything to make him open his mouth.

"Come on mate, just open wide a little bit. I have nothing to drink," the wombat explained.

The mighty kangaroo bounded out of the bush.

"No luck guys. There is no other water." Everyone sighed. But then, the kangaroo had a great idea, and led all the animals off to tell them his plan.

The sound of the frog's rumbling stomach echoed across the land.

"Now's our chance," whispered a lookout.

Then out of the bushes, the animals leaped forward and ran towards the giant frog. with large sticks rushing towards the frog, a great yell went across the valley. The sticks pierced the tough skin of the frog and water started to pour out and fill up the water hole. The frog shrank down to its normal size and jumped away into the gloomy darkness. But the animals didn't mind. They had their water back, and there was one less frog croaking in the middle of the night."

* * * * * * * * * * "That was very interesting. So how did you hear it?" Rose wondered.

"Well they are passed orally from different aboriginal tribes. This is a basic outline in my own words, similar to the original. It is like Chinese whispers, it changes as it goes along."

"What are they all told for?" Rose asked.

"They were told to try and explain things. How the kookaburra got its laugh, why the emu can't fly, and others like that. I can't remember what this one explained."

"So its got like a moral?"

"What is this 20 questions?" Patrick laughed. "Yeah something like a moral." he agreed.

"I would love to hear more."

"Well, I will keep some for another day. U wouldn't want to bore you. Especially as everything is new to you. I am glad you are enjoying yourself."

"Well I am certainly going to love it here."

Rose once again looked out the window. A rustle in the bushes caught her eye. A kangaroo darted out and startled Rose. As quickly as it came, it disappeared into the scrub, its powerful tail pushing it along.

"My first kangaroo," Rose thought. "I am making it count Jack. I will never let go." Tears came to her eyes as the carriage sped along.