How The Kookburra Got Its Laugh

This is how the kookaburra got his laugh. Once there was a kookaburra and he lived like all birds do but then it was dark. So all the animals kept bumping into each other so all the animals had a meeting. After that meeting they decided to consult the people. One woman volunteered to climb up into the sky each morning.

Each morning she lit a fire up in the sky but she always woke up late. So she asked the kookaburra to shout at the top of his voice each morning to wake her up. Instead of shouting, the kookaburra burst out with laughter and this is how he woke up the sun woman each morning.

Retold and illustrated by Elspeth and Hannah.

Elanora Heights Primary School
Sydney - Australia

This page was last modified on 23rd June, 1999