Boggle the Gymboot Bird - BookLife - Resources and tools for … · 2014. 7. 18. · Boggle’s huge eyes. ‘You’re stuck,’ said the ant, an amused look on his face. Boggle couldn’t

Boggle the Gymboot Bird

Story and Photography

by Inge Meldgaard

Illustrations

by Lucy Gao

Published by Inge Meldgaard 18 Colby Drive, Belgrave Heights

Victoria, Australia 3160

Edited by Kathryn Deering

International distributor: Lulu Press, Inc. 3101 Hillsborough St Raleigh, NC 27607

United States www.lulu.com

Copyright © 2012 Inge Meldgaard, Lucy Gao

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:

Author: Inge Meldgaard Illustrator: Lucy Gao

Title: Boggle the Gymboot Bird ISBN: 978-0-646-59123-0

Dewey Number: A823.4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner, without the written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations contained in

critical articles or reviews.

Artwork and photography by Inge Meldgaard Website: redmatilda.deviantart.com

‘Gymboot Bird’ papier-mâché and resin sculpture created by Graeme Davis, circa 1976.

All rights reserved.

Boggle the Gymboot Bird

Boggle carefully put on his beautiful new gymboots. Using his beak, he tied their shoelaces, just as his mother had shown him that morning. His Aunt Mirandah had suggested the shoes because Boggle couldn’t fly. His wings were too small and walking on the ground was very, very difficult, as it is for all kookaburras. He put one foot forward to see how the gymboots looked, decided they were just fine, took a cautious step…and fell on his face. His beak sank into the soft earth and there he lay, stranded.

Several minutes went by and still Boggle lay there, wondering what to do. A large ant came to investigate. Tilting his head to the side, he peered into one of Boggle’s huge eyes. ‘You’re stuck,’ said the ant, an amused look on his face. Boggle couldn’t reply, of course, so fluttered his long eyelashes instead. ‘Lift one leg and try to roll over,’ suggested the ant, folding his front two arms. Boggle tried, but the gymboot on his foot was too heavy for him to lift his leg high enough. ‘I’m too small to help,’ said the ant. ‘I’ll try to find someone who can.’ He hurried off and soon returned with his friend the spiny anteater. She was an unusual echidna who didn’t like the taste of ants and ate millipedes instead.

Boggle’s mother was so grateful for the help his new friends had given him that she invited them to dinner the very next day. Boggle proudly wore his new shoes, and he was already so good at walking that he could do a little dance. Ant, Echidna, Lizard and Mister Possum cheered and joined in, while Boggle’s mother laughed with pleasure. Aunt Mirandah soon came in to see what all the noise was about. ‘Well, young Boggle,’ she said, ‘I can see you’ll be a fine kookaburra, even if you can’t fly!’

Now that Boggle could walk properly, he sometimes left the forest where his family lived and had all sorts of adventures. Boggle liked having adventures, but was still happy to go home to his family at sunset. His mother would tuck him into his little bed and then sing until he fell soundly asleep.