The Roo Speaks

By Stephen John Winkler

The old storyteller tells how he met a speaking kangaroo, and how this kangaroo and its friends showed him and the young people with him the magical world the kangaroos live in, where the visitors saw how the kangaroos built their homes in the trees and caves. They learnt how the kangaroos are able to weave cane baskets as well as many other things made out of cane. They were shown the kangaroos’ magical silkworms that give silk of many different colours: this the kangaroos use to make fabrics. There were also ‘tree roos’ who fly through the trees like magic, and another group of renegade and bloodthirsty kangaroos hell-bent on killing peaceful kangaroos and taking over and then killing all humans. The visitors also learnt of a threat to the magical rain forest by logging companies. The old storyteller tells of magical ceremonies and the tales the kangaroos tell of their past. The old man and the young people must help the kangaroos save their forest and battle against the bloodthirsty kangaroos.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: May 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781398439009

Stephen John Winkler

Stephen John Winkler grew up in a farm at Landsborough where his family grew tomatoes and other crops. He spent his time in the fields and creeks, then in his teen years he trained and broke in horses then in his 20s, he studied at a bible college. Stephen travelled and settled in Byron Bay NSW AUS for some time then finally settled in Lismore NSW AUS.

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About the Author

Stephen John Winkler grew up in a farm at Landsborough where his family grew tomatoes and other crops. He spent his time in the fields and creeks, then in his teen years he trained and broke in horses then in his 20s, he studied at a bible college. Stephen travelled and settled in Byron Bay NSW AUS for some time then finally settled in Lismore NSW AUS.

Dedication

Thanks to Bob and Jenny Jeays, who always loved my writing and encouraged me to never give up, and to all the Kangaroos who inspired this book.

Copyright Information ©

Stephen John Winkler 2022

The right of Stephen John Winkler to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398438996 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398439009 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2022

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

I would like to acknowledge the help I got from the staff at the Beewah library QLD AUS.

Chapter One

The Roo Speaks

The roo speaks so it was being said. It was whispered and spoken from everywhere throughout the township. It was being spoken from the alleyways and the dark side streets. It was being spoken and said from the palace and the street corners and from wherever people would gather. In the offices and in the homes, in the hospitals and from the hospital beds; it was being spoken everywhere. It was being whispered and passed around. Have you heard, have you heard, the roo speaks? This was first told by the old man who sits on the porch of his old house on the old hill on the other corner of town. Have you heard, the roo speaks? This is what the old man said this day.

Chapter Two

Where It All Began

So, now let us start where it all began.

It was a day much like any other day. The old man came out to the front of his house at a certain time and got himself comfortable on his old rocking chair. He had his bowl of peeled, pitted, sliced, chilled mango, placed where he could reach it and easily partake of it with his favourite mango fork as was his morning constitution; he was comfortable there.

The old man, as he would sit with a glass of cold soda, many people would come to hear the old man’s stories, but up until this point, that was all they ever were, that is at least all that everyone ever thought they were. The old man would come out every day and sit. The people would start to gather. It had become a daily ritual occurrence for many years now.

His fame had even started to spread a little bit by now without even trying. Many times, the old man would sit and tell wondrous stories about wonderful things he could imagine in his mind’s eye and dream about too. The old man would tell the people of wondrous dreams of wonderful things he had seen and imagined in his dreams. But this day was going to be different this beautiful day, this beautiful morning when the old man came out a little bit earlier than normal.

There were already some people waiting for him as this did occur at times as the fame of his story telling was growing. So, many people would often come an hour or two before the old man would show his old, wrinkled face.

So, now, what did this old story-telling man really look like? As you may gaze into the old man’s eyes, they would sparkle back at you. His eyes a beautiful green-emerald colour, like a gemstone. Also, such wisdom could be seen in the sparkling of his eyes. His face itself did look old. One may even say he looked ancient, timeless, like he had been around forever. One may be forgiven for thinking this about him. The old man often wore his hair long and patchy and pure white with a long pure white beard to match. So now at this point, you may think the old story telling man’s body was old and maybe bent over and unable to move much because of aches and pains, but this was far from the truth. In his body, he was fit and strong and agile. Well able to still put many young cocky males to shame, but our storyteller does have a small belly. Too much chocolate and cake, you see. But this old man does not concern himself too much anymore about his belly. He considered himself happy enough now, so let us now continue on with our story.

So, now, the old man seated in his old antique rocking chair on the front porch of his house looked out over all those happy faces now sitting on his front lawn in front of him. All smiling as they looked at the old man with a look of great expectations. The old man looked at them all and smiled. As all this was starting to unfold now behind the old man lying on the porch up against the wall of his house, there was a big, round hand-woven cane basket. Inside the big basket, there was a beautiful, soft, poker-dot coloured black and white woollen blanket. Lying on top of this lovely blanket in the huge cane basket was the biggest and fluffiest jet-black cat you have ever seen. He stuck his head up with a sleepy look on his face and meowed and growling loudly. The old man then turned to his cat friend as he reached out his hand and gently patted the big black fluffy cat, lovingly saying, Quiet now, puss, everything is okay.

Puss just purred loudly and went back to sleep.

Many more people were gathering now all around, but not just people. There were thousands of birds flying around of many different breeds and colours. Some of the birds were landing and walking amongst the people and some birds were sitting on the people. But also spread out and around and amongst the people were many kangaroos, young, old, male, female and many other Austrian animals of all different types were there; kolas, dingoes, possums, emus and many more. Also none of the animals or the humans seemed to be acting like this was strange in any way. They just all seemed to be good friends somehow. So now the old man looked back out over his audience and spoke, So, now, welcome to you all, my good friends here today, you have all come from all around the towns and rainforest, humans and animals all together as one family. So, which one of my wonderful stories shall I tell you all today?

Just before the old man could start telling his audience a story, way down the back of the crowd, there were two young teenagers sitting on the back of a big Clydesdale horse, a boy and a girl. The boy was a bit scruffy and dirty. There was a big red rat sitting and looking out of the boy’s top pocket and another rat sitting on top of his head. The young lady was sitting behind the boy on the horse. She was much more cleaner looking than the boy was. She had flowers in her hair. She was wearing a flowing silk blue garment. Looking like a princess and the peasant these two were. She had many different types and coloured birds sitting all over her and on the Clydesdale. Then at that moment, the young lady yelled out loudly across the crowd at the top of her voice, Tell us all again, Pops, of the day when it all first happened, the day when the roo first spoke.

Then the boy also yelled out, Yes, Pops, tell us all again how it first started.

The old man replied, saying, Come on, Star and Richard, I do not think everyone wants to hear that old yarn again.

But then the whole crowd started to erupt into applause of agreement with Star and Richard. Even the many different animals also seemed to be agreeing with loud chirps, squawks, barks, meows, neighing and all manner of animal noises, many of the crowd were also now yelling out.

Yes, Pops, tell us again how it all first happen.

Tell us all everything once more.

Many of us were there when it all first happened, and came out, and there are those here today who have come from far and wide that were not there on that day, but they too want to hear it all from your own mouth, Pops.

Then all present just started to yell out and cheer loudly, so the old man beckoned to them all for silence.

Hush now, all my friends. Okay then, I will tell you all again just how it all first happened, and I will start telling you all from way back to where it all first began.

This particular morning, when I came out and sat upon my chair. I seem to have a bit more of a spring within my step, and there was a bit more life in my green emerald eyes, I noticed as I looked at them in the reflection mirror. There even seems to be more intensity in myself. It seems almost as if this was not to be just a story this day, but this was to be something much more serious than ever before. And then as I sat in my chair quietly for a little while, partaking in some of my chilled mango with my favoured mango fork, having a sip from a glass of soda. I waited as the people came and gathered. Then I looked out amongst them and I saw them all there, I was quiet as I looked and gazed at them, one after another, and each one of them sensing there was something different, something exciting about my story today. Then I leaned forward, not really a normal thing for myself to do. My usual thing to do would be to lean back into my comfortable rocking chair and then start telling my story, but this day, I leaned forward with a seriousness in my eyes, I looked across the people and said to them, Today, I am going to tell you a magical story, a mystery if you like, but the difference today between this magical mystery story and all others I have told you until this point is that this one really happened. So, this is not just a fairy-tale, but this is a true story of the day the roo spoke.

The day the roo spoke, I said, and everyone was shocked. They were all waiting to see what I would do or say next. I leaned back in my chair and got myself comfortable as I usually would have done before. The people stared at me and they were starting to mumble amongst themselves.

What is the old man saying? Is he pulling our chain?

Then I spoke as the whispering started.

Don’t be so surprised, you think all that exists, all that is real is what you understand, what you perceive, what you can see, feel, touch and smell. But don’t be so amazed at the mystery of the story of the day when the roo spoke and told me his story of his people, of his clan, of the inner workings of the life of the roos. He spoke to me this day, the old roo.

Chapter Three

The Big Red Mail Buck Kangaroo

It all happened on a day much like any other day. A bright sunny day, crisp and fresh, a beautiful day it was and a beautiful evening as usual, when all the crowds had left and it was getting later in the evening. The sun was becoming low in the sky and getting ready to go to bed. I came out upon my porch and sat and had a mug of strong coffee; a brew. I watched the sunset come down. On this particular day, I strolled out and sat in my chair quietly. I enjoyed the quietness of the evening moment when I am all alone. As I was resting on my old rocking chair, I heard someone call out, Hey you, old man, over there.

The voice was quite abrupt and almost rude or something like that. I thought it must be one of those mad radicals that don’t like my stories for whatever reason, but I gazed across as I looked in the direction of the voice. I heard nothing more and I saw no one but the big old red male buck kangaroo that usually stood in that spot in the evening, as his females and the young would grace and feed upon the slopes of my lawn, I often sat there looking at them. Sometimes I would even speak to them, saying, How are you today, old roo?

Not really ever expecting them to understand me or know what I was even saying as they were only but kangaroos. A kangaroo comes and looks nice and jumps around and eats grass and then goes back into the forest, so I thought until this day that is all they do, but wait now, for a mystery of all mysteries that shall unfold before you, as I tell now the great story. As I was sitting, I looked around and thought, It must be just my mind playing tricks on me, maybe I am getting old or it was some sort of echoing from a distant valley?

So, now as I sat back, I was just getting comfortable again, having some chilled mango to help calm my nerves, as I had dropped my last piece, as the voice that called to me frightened me a little. Then I heard the voice cry out to me again, but this time, with even more abruptness, almost sounding angry that I did not acknowledge his call. The voice said, Hey, old man, listen, look over here.

So now, once again, the voice scared me a little, as at this time was I not only comfortable but I was even starting to dose off a little with my warm blanket wrapped around me. I looked again once more, this time saying, Who was that?

I looked at the old, red male kangaroo who was still standing there, but this time looking at me with a serious look on his face. I thought, The old kangaroo must have been startled; he must have heard the voice too.

But I could not see anyone, so I said, Who is there? Show yourself now and stop hiding from me. I know you’re there, I have now heard you twice.

But no one appeared. So after a while of trying to call forth whoever must be out there, I decided to give up and forget about it and just count it as a moment of