The Story of Tiddalik the Frog

 

 The Tale of Tiddalik the Frog: A New Beginning

 

In the time before time, when the world was young and full of magic, there lived a small, curious frog named Tiddalik. Tiddalik was not like the other frogs in the billabong. He was always fascinated by the mysteries of the land, the sky, and especially the water. He loved the way it shimmered in the sunlight, the sound it made as it flowed over rocks, and the cool relief it provided on a hot day.

 

But Tiddalik’s curiosity soon turned to greed. One morning, as he watched the sun rise over the horizon, he felt a strange, insatiable thirst. He hopped over to the nearest stream and began to drink. He drank and drank until the stream was dry. But still, his thirst was not quenched. So he hopped to the next waterhole and drank it dry too. Then to the rivers and the lakes, and soon enough, all the water in the land had disappeared into Tiddalik’s swollen belly.

 

With all the water gone, the land began to suffer. The trees wilted, the grass turned brown, and the animals became parched and desperate. They gathered in the dry riverbed, their eyes on the bloated figure of Tiddalik, who now sat in the shade, looking quite pleased with himself.

 

 The Council of Animals

 

The animals knew they had to act quickly to save their home, so they called for a council. The wise old kangaroo, who had seen many seasons come and go, spoke first. “We must find a way to make Tiddalik laugh,” he said. “For when he laughs, all the water he has swallowed will come pouring out.”

 

The animals thought this was a good idea, but how could they make Tiddalik laugh when he was so full and content? The kookaburra, known for his hearty laugh, tried first. He told his funniest jokes, but Tiddalik did not even crack a smile. Next, the emu tried dancing around on his long, spindly legs, doing his best to look ridiculous. But Tiddalik only yawned, his belly sloshing with water.

 

One by one, the animals tried to make Tiddalik laugh. The wombat did somersaults, the echidna rolled himself into a ball and bounced around, and even the serious old lizard tried to tickle him with his tail. But Tiddalik remained as still as a rock, showing no signs of laughter.

 

 A New Approach

 

Finally, the platypus stepped forward. Platypus was not known for his jokes or his dancing, but he had a clever idea. “I think we’ve been going about this the wrong way,” he said. “Instead of trying to make Tiddalik laugh with tricks, why don’t we remind him of the joy of sharing? Perhaps that will bring a smile to his face.”

 

The animals were doubtful, but they had tried everything else, so they agreed. Platypus began to tell a story of the time when all the animals worked together to save the forest from a great fire. He spoke of the bravery of the kangaroo, the cleverness of the kookaburra, and the kindness of the echidna. As he spoke, Tiddalik listened, and something inside him began to stir.

 

Platypus then spoke about the beauty of the land when water flowed freely and how every creature played a part in keeping the world in balance. “We all need each other,” Platypus said, “and we all need water. It’s what connects us, keeps us alive, and makes our home beautiful.”

 

 The Power of Laughter and Compassion

 

As Platypus finished his story, Tiddalik felt a warmth spread through his chest. He remembered the joy of jumping in the water, of croaking with his friends by the billabong, and of feeling the coolness of the stream on a hot day. He remembered the happiness of sharing a splash with others and the laughter they used to share.

 

Tiddalik suddenly realized how selfish he had been. He looked around at all the animals who were suffering because of his actions. And then, unexpectedly, he let out a chuckle—a small, gentle laugh at first, but then it grew. He began to giggle, then guffaw, until he was laughing so hard that his whole body shook.

 

And as Tiddalik laughed, the water came pouring out of his mouth in a great rush, flowing back into the rivers, streams, and lakes. The dry ground soaked it up, the trees perked up their leaves, and the grass turned green again. The animals cheered and jumped for joy, splashing in the newly filled waterholes.

 

 A Lesson Learned

 

Tiddalik, now much smaller and feeling quite relieved, apologized to all the animals for his greed. “I am sorry for being so selfish,” he said. “I see now that the water belongs to everyone, and I will never hoard it again.”

 

The wise old kangaroo nodded. “We are all connected, Tiddalik,” he said. “The water, the land, and all the creatures—each of us plays a role in keeping the world in harmony. When one of us takes too much, we all suffer.”

 

From that day on, Tiddalik became known as the frog who learned to share. The animals never forgot the lesson he had taught them, and they lived in balance with each other and the land, always remembering the importance of sharing and laughter.

 

And so, the land thrived, full of life and laughter, with water flowing freely once more.