The Story of Wombat

Wombat has not always been a fat creature with stubby little legs that waddles slowly around in the dark hours in search of food and water. Legend has it that once he was thin, agile and fast; he would hunt by day or night and was able to stay well hidden from his enemies.

Thousands of years ago in Australia, wombat made his home near an Aboriginal tribe's campsite. It had been a very hot day and wombat just could not get the energy to go out and forage for food. However, he knew that the aborigines always kept a stock of food in their camp. He had seen them storing piles of tubers they had dug from the ground and bowls full of fruits and berries that they had collected.

Wombat decided that since it had been hot and he was tired that this once it would not hurt if he were to steal a little from the campsite. He was sure that no one would notice just a little missing.

Wombat visited the camp, took as much food as he could pack into his cheeks and headed back to his burrow where he would quench his hunger and then he could go back to sleep.

Now Wombat began to get a little lazy. Quite often he would think of a reason to visit the campsite and steal his meals. Soon the tribe's people began to notice their food going missing, sometimes they even fell short and had to go out on extra trips to get enough for themselves.

Wombat stole food for many months and without realizing it he began to get fat - so fat in fact that his legs began to look short and stubby. He did not have to forage for food anymore. He was content just sleeping in his burrow and every time he felt hungry he would simply visit the campsite and steal a little food.

The tribe's people got very angry at losing so much of their food and after seeing Wombat's footprints in the dirt and dust, they decided they would set a trap for him. The tribe's people hid themselves in the bushes around the campsite in the evening and they waited. Wombat meanwhile had decided to visit the camp for a feast. Seeing no one was around, he proceeded to help himself. Then everyone jumped out from the bushes and captured him.

The wise man of the tribe came out to see the thief. He laughed at seeing how fat wombat had become. He put a spell on him so he would remain fat - which was all the punishment he would need. They let him go and to this day if you ever see a wombat you will see how fat he is with his stubby little legs and how he has to waddle along.