‘The Great Cold is coming,’ said Magpie as Crow shivered in her nest. ‘You must leave before it’s too late.’
‘I know,’ Crow said fearfully, ‘but I can’t leave, I have an egg to look after.’
‘Then you and your baby will freeze,’ said Magpie sadly, and with a flap of his wings he left his friend and flew away.
Crow knew where Magpie was going. It was the same place all the other animals were going — the Cavern. The animals were gathering there because soon it would be the only safe place. Snow had fallen that morning and the creeks had ice in them now. Everything had changed when Moon began fighting with Sun. Moon was jealous of Sun’s brilliant glow, she wanted to be the most dazzling light in the sky. But if Moon won her battle with Sun, there would be no more light on earth and everything outside the Cavern would freeze.
Crow settled deeper into her nest. Beneath her was a small, warm egg. She couldn’t leave him. He was her first egg and she knew in her heart he was a very important bird.
Just then, something cold and white landed softly on Crow’s head. As it sank into her feathers a terrible chill crept across her. It was snowing again. Crow felt sick. What should she do? If the snow continued, her nest would be covered. If she was buried under the snow, then her egg would die with her. She had to do something, but what?
Suddenly Crow had an idea. She would take the nest with her. It would be very hard, flying all that way to the Cavern with a nest in her beak. It could even be too late, but it was her only chance. Quickly she flew down and gathered some fallen gum leaves. She placed them over her egg to shelter it from the cold, then she grasped the nest in her beak and flew after Magpie. Crow was sure she heard her little egg faintly cry, ‘Don’t worry, Mum, we’ll be okay!’
As Crow flew towards the Cavern, she noticed how much the land had changed. It was like an icy hand had reached out and turned the beautiful warm earth of her country into a winter wasteland.
A nearby creek had frozen over and small fish lay trapped beneath the clear surface. Frogs shivered and slipped on the smooth ice, and a fat wombat struggled to reach his burrow deep inside the riverbank. Crow felt a great sadness in her heart. She would have liked to help the animals far below her, but she had to save her egg.
The further Crow flew, the harder her journey became. Her wings grew heavy with cold and the tips of her feathers crusted over with jagged icy chips. It was hard to breathe, too. The air felt thin and sharp. When it slipped through her beak and down inside her body, her chest tightened painfully. Crow thought how awful it would be to freeze from the inside out.
A chilling gust of wind whipped up some of the gum leaves covering her egg. Crow was scared. Would her egg survive the journey to the Cavern? Crow forced herself to fly faster. Then she saw it, the small dark cave that hid the entrance to the great underground Cavern. Joyfully Crow dipped her wings and flew down, landing on the soft, sandy ground inside the cave. It was much warmer here. Crow laid her nest down in a nice snug spot. She pushed back the gum leaves and looked anxiously at her egg.
Was it all right?
Crow rested the tip of one wing against her egg. It was still warm. Gently, she placed the gum leaves back over her egg and set about looking for the entrance to the Cavern. Magpie had told her that once all the animals arrived, the entrance would be sealed by a wall of coloured stones.
‘When the wall closes, Crow,’ he had warned, ‘no-one else will be able to enter.’
Crow hoped she wasn’t too late.
There was a tunnel leading off from the cave. Crow flew down the dark passage searching for the entrance to the Cavern. The deeper she went, the noisier it became. What is in this tunnel, Crow wondered.
Suddenly she was surrounded by hundreds of bats, flying at her crossly. Crow stumbled forward with the bats chasing her until she saw a faint light up ahead.
But what was it?
As she got closer, Crow’s heart sank. Shimmering in the darkness was a wall of softly glowing stones. The entrance to the Cavern was sealed.
‘I’m too late,’ Crow thought miserably.
She returned to the cave and hopped into her nest, sharing her warmth with her egg. How long will it be before we both freeze, Crow wondered. How long before the cold claims the warm cave too?
‘I love you!’ she told her little egg.
Then she began to cry softly.
Crow cried so much, her tears flooded the cave floor.
‘What’s going on?’ a voice grumbled.
Crow peered over the edge of her nest.
An old, angry goanna stared back at her. ‘I don’t like water,’ he said. ‘You’ve made my skin all wet with your tears.’
‘I … I’m sorry,’ stammered Crow.
‘What are you crying for, anyway?’
‘The Great Cold is coming. I was trying to reach the Cavern with my egg, but it’s too late. The wall has already closed.’
‘Is that all?’ sniffed Goanna. ‘I’ve lived here all my life, I know another way in.’
Crow couldn’t believe her luck. ‘Will you show me?’ she asked eagerly.
Goanna didn’t reply.
Crow shook out her lovely black wings nervously. ‘Please!’ she begged. ‘I have to save my egg.’
Goanna stared at her shiny feathers in envy. He had always dreamed of flying. Cunningly, he said, ‘If you give me four of your wing feathers, I will show you.’
Crow quickly agreed.
‘Come on, then,’ said Goanna.
Crow picked up her nest and followed Goanna to a dark corner. Goanna tipped over a rock. Behind it was a small passageway. ‘You go in first,’ he said. ‘I have to put the rock back.’
Crow and her nest only just fitted in and when Goanna caught up with her it was very crowded.
‘I can carry your nest if it’s too heavy,’ Goanna offered.
‘No thank you,’ said Crow. She didn’t trust anyone to look after her egg except herself.
Crow could hear running water in the distance. They turned a bend and came upon a waterfall.
‘You must not drink the water,’ Goanna warned. ‘It’s from the Great Cold, it will freeze you.’
Crow wasn’t worried about drinking the water, she was worried about how they would get past it.
Goanna winked at her, then he filled his mouth with small brown pebbles and spat them at the waterfall. It lifted like a curtain. Tucked away behind it was a large opening.
‘Hurry,’ Goanna said. ‘The water will come back very soon.’
They entered the tunnel behind the waterfall. The ground was so wet and slippery, Crow and Goanna lost their footing and went sliding deeper and deeper into the earth.
A large spongy tree fern broke their fall. Its fringed leaves caught them, wrapped around them warmly, and they both fell into a deep sleep.
Crow and Goanna woke to find themselves in the green world of the Cavern. It was a magical place filled with trees and bushes. A small freshwater creek ran through the centre. All the animals who had fled from the Great Cold were there.
‘Goanna saved me and my egg,’ Crow told everyone. ‘He’s a hero.’
They all made a fuss of Goanna.
Goanna felt embarrassed. He hadn’t set out to be a hero. All he really wanted was Crow’s wing feathers.
Crow’s friend Magpie came over. He was very happy to see Crow and her egg. ‘Come on,’ he said. ‘I’ll help you and Goanna find a nice spot to live.’
Crow quickly settled into her new home in a lovely gum tree. Nearby, Goanna snuggled into a warm rock crevice.
‘Goanna,’ Crow called from her tree. ‘Catch!’ And four of Crow’s best wing feathers floated down.
Goanna was very excited. He stuck two feathers on each side of his body. Then he ran along trying to fly. He jumped and rolled and fell off rocks and landed on his head.
‘Just keep practising, Goanna,’ Crow told him. ‘That’s what baby birds do.’
‘What else do baby birds do?’ Goanna asked eagerly.
‘They live in trees,’ laughed Crow.
Goanna scuttled up a tree and climbed to the top.
‘Be careful you don’t fall and hurt yourself!’ Crow cried.
Goanna threw himself from the tree, flapping his wing feathers all the way down to the ground. Luckily he landed on a sleeping wombat.
‘You’re a lizard not a bird!’ the wombat grumbled. ‘Lizards don’t fly!’
Crow felt sorry for Goanna when she saw him slump down in the sand. It was true, he was just a goanna. But Crow thought he might be special too, just like the baby in her egg. As she watched, tiny black feathers sprouted all around the larger wing feathers Goanna had strapped to his body.
‘Goanna!’ Crow cried. ‘You’re changing! Look at yourself in the water.’
Goanna shuffled over and looked at his reflection. His mouth fell open when he saw his new feathers. ‘What am I?’ he asked in awe. ‘I’m not a goanna anymore, but I’m not a bird either. I must be a Goannabird!’
The following morning Crow woke to find Goanna had grown even more feathers overnight. His wing and tail feathers looked so long and strong, she was sure he would be able to fly higher than any other bird.
When the other animals saw what had happened, they rushed over.
‘There’s no doubt about it,’ Emu said as he inspected Goanna. ‘They’re proper feathers. You know, Goanna, if your dream is to fly then I believe you will.’
‘So do I,’ said Crow smugly. She felt very proud of her friend Goanna.
Filled with confidence, Goanna marched to the tallest tree in the Cavern and climbed to the very top. Everyone had faith in Goanna, but just in case he got into trouble, a large group of wombats lay around the base of the tree to give him a soft landing.
‘You can do it, Goanna!’ called Crow.
Goanna launched himself from the highest branch. And this time, instead of falling, he flew.
He soared over his friends in long, graceful swoops.
‘Goannabird!’ Crow cried out gleefully.
Soon all the animals were chanting, ‘Goannabird! Goannabird!’
The next day another exciting thing happened. Crow felt her egg move. There was one small peck and a little black-feathered head poked out of the eggshell.
Crow was overjoyed. ‘How much happiness can one bird have?’
News of the baby bird’s arrival spread quickly through the Cavern.
By the time the other birds had gathered to look at him, the baby bird was almost completely out of his egg. But when the last piece of shell fell away, they all gasped in shock. Baby Bird was missing his wing feathers.
‘He’s a bird who will never fly,’ said Magpie sadly.
Goanna looked at Crow’s baby and felt very guilty. Had Baby Bird been born without wing feathers because of him? Goanna began to cry.
‘It wasn’t your fault,’ Crow said, but the old goanna kept on crying.
Then a strange thing happened. The little bird stumbled over to Goanna and snuggled up to him.
Goanna smiled. ‘I will be his wings, Crow. Your baby will fly with me.’
From then on, Goanna flew with Baby Bird on his back. Goanna’s eyes were growing weak, so Baby Bird helped to guide him safely. Together, they were like one big, beautiful bird. At night Goanna and Baby Bird would return to Crow. She had built a much larger nest so they could all sit and talk about the adventures of the day.
‘If you could have one wish, Mum,’ Baby Bird said one night, ‘what would it be?’
‘I’d wish for Moon to stop fighting with Sun. Then we could all return to our homes,’ she replied. ‘What would you wish, Baby Bird?’ Crow asked her son. But Baby Bird did not reply, he was already fast asleep.
The next day a meeting was called.
‘We have a problem,’ Red Kangaroo reported. ‘The Great Cold is spreading. If it reaches the wall of coloured stones, this place will no longer be safe for us.’
‘The cold must be stopped!’ cried Emu.
‘Has Moon finally won her battle with Sun?’ asked Wombat in a worried voice.
‘No,’ Red Kangaroo replied. ‘But Moon has played a trick that has made things worse.’
‘What trick?’ asked Crow.
‘Moon offered to stop fighting with Sun if he let her see what his place in the heavens was like. Sun agreed, and now Moon is blocking all his warmth from the earth. We don’t know how long it will be before Sun can take his place back.’
‘If it’s not soon, it could be too late,’ moaned Magpie.
Then Goanna spoke up. ‘I can shift Moon. My feathers are so long and strong I can fly to great heights.’
Crow was fearful. ‘But Goanna,’ she cried. ‘Once Moon is not blocking him, Sun will shine so brightly you’ll be burnt!’
‘There must be another way,’ the animals agreed, and they all returned to their homes to think about it.
But Baby Bird had noticed the stubborn look on Goanna’s face. What was his friend up to?
‘Can I sleep at Goanna’s place tonight?’ Baby Bird asked his mother.
‘Of course,’ said Crow.
‘I love you, Mum.’
After Baby Bird had left, Crow wondered whether there was something he wasn’t telling her. But she knew her son would be safe with Goanna.
Goanna was very surprised when Baby Bird appeared.
‘I’m sleeping the night,’ Baby Bird said.
‘All right,’ agreed Goanna. But secretly he thought, I will have to be very quiet when I sneak away for my trip to visit Moon. Otherwise Baby Bird will want to come with me.
Goanna was so worried about Baby Bird finding out what he was up to, he decided to leave before dawn. Goanna stumbled through the Cavern back to his secret entrance. The rocks there were covered in icy chips. Goanna stepped out into the frozen world then spread his wings and soared high into the pale sky.
Tucked hidden beneath Goanna’s large wings, Baby Bird looked down on the silent, white world and thought how awful it was.
‘It’s a good thing we’re doing,’ Baby Bird shouted to Goanna.
Goanna was shocked. ‘Is that you, Baby Bird?’
Baby Bird laughed. ‘I’m under your left wing. It’s nice and snug here.’
Goanna didn’t know what to do. When Crow found out Baby Bird was missing she would be sick with worry. Should he turn back?
‘Don’t even think about going back,’ said Baby Bird. ‘This is the job we were born for. You will be my wings and I will be your eyes. Together we will sort out Moon.’
Goanna knew it was the truth. He hoped Crow would forgive him if they did not return home. As Goanna and Baby Bird flew further and further from the earth, the air became thinner and colder and Goanna wondered whether they would make it.
‘You can do it!’ Baby Bird cried. ‘I can see Moon! We’re almost there.’
Goanna surged forward. Suddenly he could see Moon, too. With the last of his strength, he uncurled his tongue, wrapped it around Moon and pulled her across the sky.
When Sun realised what Goanna was doing, he waited until Goanna and Baby Bird were safely away, then he returned to his rightful place in the heavens.
At first Moon was very cross, but when Goanna and Baby Bird explained all the trouble her envy of Sun had caused, she felt ashamed.
‘I will never fight with Sun again,’ she said.
Goanna and Baby Bird hoped Moon would keep her promise.
Meanwhile, back in the Cavern the animals were very surprised to find the wall of coloured stones had disappeared.
‘What has happened?’ cried Emu. ‘And where are Goanna and Baby Bird?’
Everyone looked at Crow.
Crow knew what must have happened. She brushed away her tears.
‘I think Goanna and Baby Bird have saved us after all,’ she said. ‘If the wall has returned to the earth, they must have shifted Moon.’
‘Then it’s safe to go outside!’ laughed Wombat.
When the animals made their way back into the world, Sun was shining, the ice was melting and beautiful wildflowers were springing up everywhere.
The animals said to Crow, ‘Your son is a hero. The courage he and Goanna have shown will always be remembered.’
Crow felt very proud, but sad at the same time. ‘I’m going to be so lonely without them.’
Suddenly, there was a shout. ‘Look, what’s that?’
All the animals looked up. A strange creature was falling from the sky.
‘It’s Goannabird!’ Crow shouted excitedly.
Quickly the wombats joined together and laid themselves like a furry carpet on the ground.
Down, down, down Goanna and Baby Bird fell.
THUD!
OUCH!
Goanna rolled off the fat wombat he had landed on. He was so tired he couldn’t even stand up.
Baby Bird peeked out from beneath Goanna’s wing. ‘We did it, Mum! We really did it!’
Crow rushed over and hugged them. ‘I always knew you were special, Baby Bird. And you are special too, Goanna. Because of your friendship and bravery our world is safe once more.’
All the animals cheered.
The Red Kangaroos hoisted Goanna and Baby Bird high into the air, and headed off singing, ‘No more ice, no more snow, back to our homes we go!’
