Why Koala Has No Tail single work   short story   Indigenous story  
Issue Details: First known date: 1978... 1978 Why Koala Has No Tail
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

A retelling of a traditional story in which the Koala is punished for being selfish during a severe drought.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon Aboriginal Legends : Animal Tales A. W. Reed , Sydney : Reed , 1978 Z1479347 1978 selected work short story Indigenous story

    A selection of Aboriginal legends about animals and men collected and retold by Reed, each prefaced by a non-fiction explanation of the content of the story. This book is not intended for children, but rather presents indigenous tales for general anthropological interest.

    These stories represent a broad range of traditional stories from across the continent. Reed acknowledges in his introduction that he writes from a Western perspective, that 'they are a product of the 1970s, written by one whose skin is a different colour, and whose environment is completely foreign to that of the Aboriginals who devised [the stories].'

    Reed organises the book into chapters with short introductions:

    • Chapter One : Reptile People
    • Chapter Two : Frog People
    • Chapter Three : Tree People
    • Chapter Four : Animal People
    • Chapter Five : Flower People
    • Chapter Six : Crocodile People
    • Chapter Seven : Star People
    • Chapter Eight : Crow People
         Sydney : Reed , 1978     pg. 40-44
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Last amended 25 Aug 2008 21:48:30
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