Let me tell you a story: The Kangaroo and the Koala

En la grandiosa llanura Australiana cabalgaba un solitario canguro de color amarillo rojizo, tenía unas grandes patas traseras que usaba para saltar largas distancias con su cola larga y musculosa y su pequeña bolsita al pecho, con ese pelaje suavecito y acogedor llegando a las faldas de un árbol muy viejo que tenia una gran sombra que era fresca, mirando a la enorme llanura ya que se encontraba solito porque había perdido a su familia.

On the great Australian plain, a solitary reddish-yellow kangaroo rode. It had large hind legs that it used to jump long distances with its long, muscular tail and its small pouch on its chest. Its soft, cozy fur reached the foot of a very old tree that provided a large, cool shade. It looked out over the vast plain, as it was all alone because it had lost its family.

Con la esperanza de encontrarla caminaba dando saltitos en esas bastas llanuras, de repente se postro cerca de un gran árbol que le proporcionaba frescura y escucho un sonido apenas perceptible – ¡Crush, crush, crush! – levanto sus oreja y afino de donde venia ese sonido dio unos cuantos saltitos y allí lo encontró ¡Carambolas! Estaba aferrado a una débil ramita, tan peludito de color gris y con unos ojos azules tan expresivos y en su carita una panchita de pelos que parecía tener una pequeña mascarita natural, muy quieto y demasiado asustado, fuertemente aferrado a su rama tembloroso estaba un pequeño koala.

Hoping to find her, he hopped along on those vast plains. Suddenly, he prostrated himself near a large tree that provided him with some fresh air and heard a barely perceptible sound—»Crush, crush, crush!» He pricked up his ears and tuned in to where the sound was coming from. He hopped a few times, and there he found it. «Crush!» He was clinging to a weak twig, so furry and grey, with such expressive blue eyes and on his little face a little tuft of hair that seemed to have a small natural mask, very still and very scared, tightly clinging to his trembling branch was a little koala.

Seguía temblando ante su presencia, conmovido aquel canguro se acerco sutilmente y le dijo ¡hola soy kanguringo! ¿Y tú’? y con mucha ternura le extendió los brazos y le pregunto ¿estas solito? El pequeño koala asistió solo con la cabeza, kanguringo le volvió a extender sus brazos ¡No tengas miedo, no te hare daño! Confía en mi ¿tienes frio? Y ofreció su bolsita que de manera natural traía en su pecho.

Still trembling in its presence, the kangaroo, moved, approached gently and said, «Hello, I’m a kangaroo! And you?» Very tenderly, he extended his arms and asked, «Are you alone?» The little koala nodded, and the kangaroo extended his arms again. «Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you! Trust me, are you cold?» He offered the pouch he naturally carried on his chest.

Ven pequeño, el koala soltó solo una garrita de la ramita y eso fue suficiente para saber que si quería venir, el kanguringo feliz lo sujeto y lo coloco en su bolsita y sintiendo la calidez el pequeño koala cerro sus ojitos y sonrió, ambos sintieron una linda energía, ¡recontrachispas! se sentía tan feliz nuestro canguro que brincaba despacio para no despertarlo.

Come, little one,» the koala let go with just one paw from the twig, and that was enough for him to know that he wanted to come. The happy kangaroo grabbed the koala and placed him in his pouch. Feeling the warmth, the little koala closed his eyes and smiled. They both felt a wonderful energy, sparks! Our kangaroo felt so happy that he hopped slowly so as not to wake him.

Al otro día, al despertar saco su cabecita y dijo, hola kanguringo, me llamo yiyi, gracias y sonrió el pequeño, le conto que había perdido a su familia y con él se sentía seguro y tranquilo, el kanguringo le acaricio feliz, ya no estaría solito.

The next day, when he woke up, he stuck his little head out and said, «Hello kangaroo, my name is Yiyi, thank you,» and the little one smiled. He told him that he had lost his family and that he felt safe and calm with him. The kangaroo caressed him happily. He wouldn’t be alone anymore.

Fueron entonces a buscar fruta, hojitas de bambú y a ir a conocer a un pequeño rio cristalino de los que hablaban tanto los otros animales.

They then went to look for fruit, bamboo leaves, and to visit a small, crystal-clear river that the other animals talked so much about.

Yiyi un día le dijo a su amigo inseparable ¡no tengas miedo! confía en mi yo te cuidare y te defenderé si es preciso ¿Sabes algo? Te quiero bonito, el cangurito sonrió muy feliz, se volvieron inseparables aun sabiendo que venían de mundos tan distintos se sentían familia, conocieron juntos el valle de los leones, el prado dorado, la montaña fría, el rio cristalino y muchos lugares más,  gran parte de las llanuras Australianas siempre juntos, ahora ya no buscaban nada, solo disfrutar cada uno de su compañía, cariño y protección, ambos crecieron y tuvieron muchas aventuras juntos y sus lazos de familia se hicieron inseparables, aunque encontraron familias de su propia especie y en algunas cosas eran completamente diferentes ambos sabían que ellos ya formaban su propia familia, original y única basada en la confianza y el amor bonito.

One day, Yiyi said to her inseparable friend, «Don’t be afraid! Trust me, I’ll take care of you and defend you if necessary. You know something? I love you, darling.» The little kangaroo smiled happily. They became inseparable, even though they came from such different worlds. They felt like family. Together, they visited the Valley of the Lions, the Golden Meadow, the Cold Mountain, the Crystal River, and many other places, a large part of the Australian plains, always together. Now they were no longer looking for anything, just to enjoy each other’s company, affection, and protection. They both grew up and had many adventures together, and their family bonds became inseparable. Although they found families of their own species and in some ways were completely different, they both knew that they had already formed their own family, original and unique, based on trust and beautiful love.

Un día el menos pensado encontraron a su familia… pero esa es otra historia.

One day, out of the blue, they found their family… but that’s another story.

©Maggy Vázquez