"Is that a kookaburra?"
A small brown bird-looking creature was standing motionless in the middle of the path ahead of us. Little did we know, it would be the most fearsome kookaburra that ever lived. As we approached it, getting closer and closer, it didn't move an inch. It just stood there staring us down. We stopped about 3 or 4 metres from it. A stand-off of epic proportions ensued, a la Gandalf's "You shall not pass!", the kookaburra being Gandalf. In an act of sheer courage, I threw my water bottle just next to it, hoping it would fly away. The Gandalfburra didn't blink an eye. Resilient, fearless, it continued to block our path. Brenton, realising that my water bottle was now probably lost for all eternity, tried splashing it with the water from his. His efforts, too, were futile. We were beginning to lose hope. Turning back was not an option, we had travelled too far on weary legs.
Somehow, heroically, Brenton scooted past (thanks largely I think to a diversion created by me). He retrieved a dead branch from the ground and used it to roll my water bottle towards him. Then I mustered up the courage to confront the gallant bird-wizard and in a mental power-struggle/battle involving concentration and squinting, I passed through the forcefield and onto the other side.
But in all seriousness, we became quite worried for the poor bird. It was clearly in a severe case of shock, and looked as if it were quite young. I wasn't sure if it was blind, couldn't fly, or had been abandoned by its mother or something. There really wasn't much we could do for it though. At least it got some water when Brenton splashed it. I hoped that the wrong kind of people wouldn't come across it and well... You can imagine the rest. It was just such an odd sight/experience. We looked back at little Gandalf as we walked away, but it didn't move whilst it was within our sight.
Dale.
2 comments:
I also hope the wrong sort of people don't come across the sick, baby kookaburra because I can imagine what would happen.
Why, they'd probably first taunt the bird by throwing any object they had at hand at it... like say a water bottle. If that didn't work, they'd probably then attempt to drown the poor thing. The sad native bird, already physically beaten, would then probably have his mental spirit broken, too, by being stared down by these ruthless youths.
Yep, glad it was just you and Brenton that stumbled upon that poor creature.
LOL you beat me to it luke, i echo his sentiments exactly, do you not think you were being cruel? I mean seriously.
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