Margie and Wolf: The Series

By Lynette Collins

Margie and Wolf: The Series is a story about an indigenous girl whose name is Margie. She has a wolf whose name is Wolf, and he is her best friend. Margie lives with the fear of being taken away from her tribe, family, friends, and the only home she has ever known, the Australia bush. But with the help of her animal and fairy friends, the fear soon goes away. On her journey, Margie makes lots of different friends but never sees that they are different from her. All she sees is friendship and love, which makes up eleven beautiful stories of warm fun and safe love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Aug 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524516543

Lynette Collins

Lynette Collins loves to write stories that light up children’s imaginations. She spends her free time making them into books for children, in the hope that the readers will enjoy her characters as much as she enjoys creating them.

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by Lynette Collins.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2016913374

ISBN:                Hardcover                         978-1-5245-1645-1

                          Softcover                            978-1-5245-1644-4

                          eBook                                  978-1-5245-1654-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 07/01/2019

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Contents

When They Were Free

Catch us if you can

Going to free the others

New friends

The Surprise Party

The Hidden Caves

Zoe and How She Became Forget-Me-Not

Zoe has come home

The Storm

Through Her Eyes

Wolf Has Gone

Margie’s Family

Woolroo is Waratah’s brother

Animals

Miss Possum and her babies

Willow the emu

Willy Wagtail the bird

Bobby and Joey the kangaroos

Terrace the koala

Jake the snake

Emily the wallaby

Lisa the fruit bat

Miss Owl

Miss Sally and her pups, both are girls

William the rabbit

Belinda the rabbit

Jillian the butterfly

Fairy friends

Jonathan

Kelly

Blueberry and Gully her bubble bee

Raspberry and Meadow who is her lady beetle

Blackberry and Tea tree who is her firefly

Wild berry and Gilly who is her wasp

Their Mother Poison berry and Primrose who is her flying ant, who is very nice you just cannot eat her berry

Plum fairy

Cherry fairy

Apricot fairy

Miss Walnut and her children

Peanut her daughter

Hazelnut her son

Seedpod who turns into snow gum in winter

When They Were Free

A s Wolf and Margie woke to the sound of the many different birds saying good morning from up high in their trees, a Willy wagtail flew down and sat with Margie, wagged his cheeky tail, and said, ‘Good morning, Margie and Wolf! How are you two today?’

‘Why, very well, Willy’, Wolf replied.

As they looked up to see Willow the emu coming their way, Willow stopped and asked, ‘Would you like to play a game of tag today?’

‘Well’, Margie said to Wolf, ‘we have not got anything special on today, so would you like to go and play?’

Wolf replied, ‘Okay, as long as I’m not in first today.’

Willow replied, ‘We have to say, one potato, two potato, first. Whoever it falls on is in first for the game today.’

Wolf grumbled, ‘Mm . . . okay, where would you like to play?’

Willow replied, ‘We are all going to the meadow, where the wild flowers grow, and there is a big patch of grass in the middle of the grassy plains.’

Margie said, ‘That sounds like a great place to play! Let’s go!’

Margie whispered to Wolf, ‘I will not tip you if you do not tip me.’ Margie began to giggle, and Wolf nodded his head.

Willy the Wagtail came and perched on Wolf’s back and asked Wolf, ‘Where are we going?’ while Wolf was walking quite fast.

Wolf was pretending that he was not fussed on the playing tag, but, in fact, he was always the first one there waiting to play.

Wolf replied, ‘We are going to the meadows to play tag for the day. Do you want to come and play too?’

‘Oh, yes, please. I love that game.’

Willy said to Wolf, ‘Should I fly ahead to see how many of our bush friends would like to come play?’

‘The more of us, the more fun the games will be today’, Willy replied.

‘That would be great! I’m not going to be far behind, mate’, Wolf replied.

As they came across a stream of water, Margie saw one of the elders from her tribe and yelled to him, ‘Have you seen Father?’

As her father popped his head out from behind a tree, he said, ‘Hey, Margie, what’s up?’

‘Wolf and I are going to the meadows to play tag for the day, is that okay?’

‘Yes, Margie, that will be fine. Just be home before dark. We are going to the lagoon to catch some fish for tonight.’

‘Okay, Father’, Margie replied.

Wolf said to Father, ‘I will have them all back home before dark.’

‘Okay’, Father replied to Wolf. ‘Have fun and be careful.’

Margie’s father’s tribal name is Waratah. He was named after the tree. He was born beneath, and he is the son of their chief, whose name is Blue Gum.

As Margie was walking, Margie heard the sound of the white Cockatoo squawking from the top of the honey blossom tree.

As Margie stopped to look up, the sun was shining through the branches.

Margie closes her eyes to feel the soft sunlight touch her face; it made her feel very happy.

Margie began running to catch up to the others while Wolf smiled at her.

When they got to the meadow, Willy Wagtail was there already. He must have flown all over the bush, for all Margie and Wolf’s animal friends were waiting to play. They had all come to play.

There was Wally the wombat, who would be easy to catch, then there was Willow the emu, Bobby and Joey the kangaroos, Sally the fox, who was very cunning, Florins the pig, who Margie would leave to last (for if Florins was ‘in’, the game would go on for too long because Florins was too kind to tip any of them ‘in’), and Maggie the magpie, who would fly—just to name a few.

Terrace the Koala was heading straight for the gum trees, as Margie yelled, ‘Terrace, are you coming to play with us?’ Terrace replied, ‘Am a bit sleepy, Margie. I will watch from up here, high in the tree’, as he climbed up to a branch full of fresh leaves.

They started, ‘One potato, two potato—Sally you are the first one in’, as they ran from side to side.

Maggie was the first to be tipped, then Margie, and then Wolf. Whilst they were running around, it felt so good to be free.

‘Oh, whoops!’ Margie nearly stumbled on Wally the wombat. ‘Sorry, mate, I didn’t see you there. Are you okay, Wally?’ Margie asked.

‘Yes, my dear, but that was a close one.’

‘I know’, Margie replied to him.

Then Margie stopped, with her hands on her hips, and exclaimed, ‘Willy Wagtail, you have to fly lower! I cannot reach you up there.’ As Willy came closer to her, he said to Margie, ‘Is this low enough, Margie?’

‘Yes, that is perfect’, as Margie tipped him and cried, ‘You’re in’!

Willy was not happy. He said to Margie, ‘That was not fair.’

‘Oh, yes it is, Willy. You were silly enough to fall for my trick.’

‘I will get you back’, Willy said to Margie. ‘Just you wait and see. I am the king of trickery out here in the bush. Just ask, and they will tell you, Margie.’

As Margie started laughing so much her sides began to hurt, she said, ‘Oh, Willy, I am sorry. I did not mean to make you feel sad. I was just tired and wanted to stop for a while. Please don’t be mad.’

‘Oh, I am not really mad Margie. I forgive you but only because it would have been something I would have done myself’, as the cheeky little bugger chuckled to himself and flew away.

One after another, they were all out, and whoever was first to be tipped was to start in for the next game. Maggie stood up and said, ‘Well, that must be me. Everyone must pick which side of the meadow they wanted to start on.’

The first game is over; now the second one has begun. Maggie was tagged first, so she is in. Maggie tagged Willy first, so now it would be easy with two up in the air, as he swooped down . . . two, three, and four tagged . . . then five, and now six.

Margie was still running. ‘Catch me’, cried Margie, as she fell and hurt her knee. Willow the emu was the first one to come see if Margie is okay. ‘It is just a scratch’, Margie mumbled, as she rubbed her knee, and Wolf bounces over to her. ‘Margie, let me see.’

‘It is okay. It just startled me.’ Margie ran off, and Sally tagged her.

‘The game is over’, Wally announces to all of them. ‘It is time for a rest’, as they all walked over to lie beneath the trees, where there are wild flowers growing free–all different colours. It is really a sight to see. The smell was sweet, as they just laid quietly beneath as they fell asleep.

Then as they all wake, Wolf said, ‘Let’s go to the stream for a swim.’ They all jumped up and wandered down to the stream.

Sally the fox said, very loudly and cunningly, ‘Last one in stinks’, and they all ran to jump in, splashing and kicking the water everywhere and laughing and giggling as they all played.

Then up jumped a frog who said, with a croak in his voice, ‘Shush over there! Stop being so darn noisy.’

Then Mr Platypus popped up from the bottom of the stream and said, ‘Oh, don’t worry about Mr Cranky Pants over there.’

Mr Frog then said, ‘Well, I was sleeping and having the most wonderful dream.’

Margie said, ‘We are so sorry. We didn’t mean to disturb you.’ Mr Frog looked into Margie’s big beautiful brown eyes, showing such concern for him. ‘Oh that’s okay. It really is too hot for a sleep today, and you are much prettier than my dream, so you can stay and play in my stream and make as much noise as you please.’

Margie replied, ‘You have a wonderful home here. Thank you for letting us stay and play.’

‘Why, thank you, my dear. That is really a kind thing for you to say. My friends and I like it a lot, for this summer has been very hot.’

‘There is Cooper the turtle, who has a wonky eye, sometimes he can be quite shy. Over there is Toby the platypus, who you have already met, and if you look carefully, you will see sitting on the leaf. Over there is Miss Firefly who, when she looks in the water, doubles her size and thinks she is quite tall, and we don’t have the heart to tell her otherwise.’

As Margie swam over to Wolf, Wolf said to Margie, ‘That would have to be the funniest story I have heard today.’ Mr Frog asked, ‘Please do not say a word, for we would never want to hurt her. She looked so happy over there and feeling bigger does not make her feel so scared.’ They all nodded their heads and waved to Miss Firefly and started to play again.

Then over waddled Terrace the koala. ‘Hi, everybody’, he said, as Margie asked Terrace, ‘Are you coming to play?’

Terrace mumbled, ‘Mmm . . . Margie, am a bit sleepy. I think I will just watch from up in that nice gum tree over there, but when you all leave, Margie, can you come get me, just in case I fall asleep?’ Terrace asked.

Margie said, ‘Maggie will come get you when we leave’, as Terrace waddled over to the gum tree for a sleep.

Mr Frog asked, ‘Is anyone hungry?’ They nodded their heads and said, ‘Yes.’ ‘There is a lovely blueberry bush growing right there.’ They all jumped out of the stream, and when to see, and started to eat. The bush was covered in blueberries as Margie said, ‘I cannot believe we did not see it, but are they okay to eat?’ Mr Frog said, ‘Oh, yes, my dear, they’re great to eat.’

Then out of the corner of Margie’s eye, she saw her brother Jasper, with their cousin Fern, downstream swimming around. Margie yelled and ran over to them.

Jasper said to Margie, ‘You have not been eating wild berries again, have you, Margie?’

‘You know Father forbids it, for you can get very sick. You have to let Father check the berries before you eat.’

Margie crossed her fingers behind her back and shook her head, ‘no’.

Jasper said to Margie, ‘I think you had better go for a very long swim before you come home tonight because your face is covered in blueberry ink.’

So back in the water Margie went, and she kept swimming until there was no more ink.

The air became cool, as Wolf said, ‘Margie, I think it’s time to set off for home. Father will be expecting us all home for grub soon.’ Margie asked Wolf, if her face was clean. ‘Yes’, he replied, so they all thanked Mr Frog, Mr Platypus, Ms Firefly, and Cooper the turtle for having them.

Maggie flew up to the top of the gum tree to let Terrace know it was time to leave.

They all went their own way home to their families.

Wolf and Margie were walking, as they said to each other what a great day it has been, and just when they were almost home, it began to rain, so they stopped for a while to get shelter under an old willow tree.

As they sat quietly with their own thoughts, up jumped a funny-looking rabbit who sat down beside them, and said, ‘Hi there! It’s a bit wet out there isn’t it. You two look like you have found a good place to wait out the rain. May I stay awhile and wait it out too?’ ‘Of course, you can’, Margie replied, ‘we have been swimming at the stream of Mr Frog, Cooper the turtle, and Mr platypus.’

‘Oh, I know them. I often stop for a drink and a chat. Did you get to meet Miss Firefly too?’

‘Yes, we did, she is quite lovely, isn’t she?’

‘And where are you off too so late in the afternoon, Mr Rabbit?’

‘Oh, my dear, I am not a Mr yet. My name is William the rabbit. You can just call me William.’

Margie said, ‘But you talk like you are so much older.’

‘Well, yes, I am pretending to be distinguished for Miss Belinda,’ William replied.

‘And may I ask what are your names?’

‘Well, I am Wolf, and this is my very best friend, Margie.’

‘Well, nice to meet you both. To answer your question, I am going to meet my lovely lady friend whose name is Belinda, and I am going to take her for a moonlight walk across the sand dunes and up to the lagoon, where the grass is so delicious to eat.’

‘Well, it looks like the rain has stopped’, William the rabbit said, as they all looked up to see a beautiful big rainbow shining through the trees. ‘Well, I must be off for my date tonight.’

Margie replied, ‘Good luck and nice to meet you, William’, as he hopped away.

Wolf and Margie set off for home once again. They came to the bluestone cliffs, which they sat upon and gaze down at their tribe below.

Margie’s father was chasing Pebbles around, Pebble is the youngest in their tribe, and mother was laughing with such pride.

Grandfather is sitting with Aunt Gabby, as all the children start gathering around to hear stories of times gone by. These are so they never forget who they are, their spiritual side, and the journey that they are on.

Mother looked up and saw Margie and Wolf, as she waved for them to come home. Margie and Wolf jumped up and began walking down to them while they walk through the gully listening to all the different birds in the trees, whistling and churning so happily. The coolness of the night is slowly floating in, and Margie rests her arm on Wolf’s back while Wolf watches her flick her light brown hair behind her ear. As her hair curls down onto Margie’s face, she smiles at Wolf with big white teeth.

Wolf said to Margie, ‘I am very tired tonight’, and Margie replied, ‘Me too, it has been a very big day.’

‘Some grub for us to eat, then off we go to sleep’, Margie said.

‘Sounds good to me’, Wolf replied to Margie.

As they sit down for grub, as one big family telling various stories about their day, Jasper reminds Margie about the blueberry bush and to ask Father if the berries are okay to eat.

Father said, ‘Tomorrow you go get some for me, and I will see.’

‘Yes father’, Margie replied.

Wolf and Margie are very tired tonight, as they walked over to the sand, looking out to the water that never ends. The sun is bright red, as it fades away for another day, and the moon is coming out to play. The sky is orange and pink, as the waves come to the shore lapping one after another. A pink haze lays across the top of the water, and the light slowly melts away.

Wolf lies beside Margie, as they share an unbreakable bond. Margie fell asleep listening to Maggie the magpie, and the other birds singing their songs, from high up in the trees, as they are all getting ready for sleep.

Margie and Wolf woke early the next morning and headed off to get some blueberries for father to see if they are okay to eat because Margie is dreaming of berries for tea.

As they are walking, Margie notices a butterfly following them and said to Wolf, ‘I think we are being followed. Let’s run and hide and see if it follows us.’ And as it fluttered by, Margie jumped out and said, ‘Boo!’

The butterfly began to cry. ‘I am sorry’, said Margie. ‘I was just playing around.’

‘That’s not why I am crying’, the little butterfly said to Margie, ‘I am lost and cannot find my way back home again.’

‘Well, that is a worry’, Wolf said with a concerned voice, ‘do you know what direction you came from?’

‘No, I was resting on the most beautiful blue flower, and I must have fallen asleep, and when I awoke, it was dark, and I could not see where I was going.’

‘Well, do you remember any landmarks from where you live?’

‘Yes, I live next to the big waterfall. I just don’t know how to get back there.’

As Margie and Wolf looked at one other and then looked back at the butterfly, Wolf replies, ‘Well, my dear, it is your lucky day, for Margie and I know the way to the big waterfall.’

Fluttering with joy, the little butterfly said to them, ‘My name is Jillian. What are your names?’

‘I am Margie, and this is my very best friend, Wolf.’

‘It is really nice to meet you both’, Jillian said, as Margie replies, ‘You too Jillian.’

‘I know it would be a lot to ask, but would you take me home please?’

‘Of course, we will.’

Wolf said, ‘It is a long way from here, so we had better get started if we want to be back before nightfall.’

‘If you get tired Jillian, you can jump on Wolf’s back and go for a ride. Sometimes when the ground gets too rough for my feet, I jump on Wolf’s back, and as he runs, I hold my arms out and pretend to be flying’, said Margie.

‘Okay’, Jillian said.

‘So how do you two know where the waterfall is?’

‘Well, when Wolf was a pup, he was scared of the water, so Father would take him and I to the waterfall, and you know how the light mist floats off the water as it falls?’

‘Yes’, Jillian replied, ‘that is my favourite part of the waterfall. It tickles my wings.’ ‘Well, that’s how father showed Wolf and me that water would not hurt him.’

‘Wow! That is very clever, Margie.’

‘So who lives at the waterfall with you, Jillian?’

‘Well, there is Miss Possum whose name is Shelly, and she has two joeys, Jo-by and Co-by, and then there is Mr Shingleback, whose name is Ronnie. We all live together in the cave behind the waterfall’, Jillian explained.

‘Oh, there is a cave behind the waterfall’, Margie asked.

‘Yes’, Jillian whispered, ‘but you cannot tell anyone. It’s a secret.’ Wolf and Margie laughed and said, ‘Well, it is not a secret now.’

They had been walking for a long time. As they started to get closer, they could hear the sound of the water crashing to meet the water that laid beneath. Jillian started laughing with happiness and relief to be so close to her home. As they walked through the bush, there in front of Margie and Wolf stood the beautiful big waterfall.

As everyone saw Jillian, they were so happy to see her. Miss Possum was the first one to meet them, running down from behind the waterfall.

‘Oh, my dear Jillian, you have given me such a fright. I have been up worrying all night. Come so I can check you are all right.’

‘Oh, I am so sorry, Miss Shelly, for I fell asleep and got lost last night.’

‘Well, don’t just stand there’, pointing her head towards Wolf and Margie.

‘Oh, I am so sorry. This is Margie and Wolf. They are my new wonderful friends who helped me find my way back home, and they have been walking for hours’, said Jillian.

‘Well, how can we ever repay your kindness?’ Miss Shelly said.

Margie said shyly, ‘There is something you could do.’

‘Anything!’ Miss Shelly replied.

Margie waved her hand to whispered to Jillian, ‘Can we see the cave? We promise to keep it a secret.’

Jillian pulled Miss Shelly aside to ask if it would be okay for them to see inside the cave. ‘Well, it should be okay, but you have to keep your promise.’

Margie jumped up and down with joy, Miss Shelly showed her the way into the cave. As they entered