A long time ago, animals weren't animals - they were people. Koobor the koala was a boy. His parents were dead and he lived with relatives in a very dry part of the country, where there was never enough water.
Everyone in the family was given water each evening, but Koobor was always given his drink last and he never thought it was enough.
"I'm still thirsty!" he cried, "I want more water."
"Be quiet, Koobor" shouted his relatives. "You're an orphan and we've given you a home. You should be grateful and take what you are given." If he complained again, they beat him and called him ungrateful.
When they were going out to look for food, they hid their water buckets so that Koobor couldn't drink any more water.
Koobor learned how to take moisture from gum leaves, but it was never enough to stop him feeling thirsty.
One day when the relatives left Koobor alone and went to find food, they forgot to hide their water buckets. As soon as they were out of sight, he drank all the water his stomach could hold. For the first time he wasn't thirsty, but his body swelled up like a balloon.
When the sun started to rest for the night, Koobor knew that his relatives would come back soon. They would beat him and take all the water and he would be thirsty again.
He collected all the water buckets and climbed into the branches of a small tree.
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