Alitji and her sister were playing in a creek-bed when a white kangaroo hopped past and disappeared into a hole in the ground.
Alitji, now small again, found herself swimming in a pool of her own tears -- and so was a Hopping Mouse.
They were indeed a miserable party that climbed out of the water, wet and bedraggled.
This is Lewis Carroll’s original hand-lettered manuscript version of the “Long Tale”, slightly adapted; the version published in <i>Alice In Wonderland</i> was completely rewritten.
Alitji tried to help the White Kangaroo find his woomera and dilly bag.
Alitji gazed up into a tree and saw a large witchety grub.
Inside the wurlie the Spirit of the North Wind was nursing a baby, while another woman was cooking itunypa roots. A wild cat lay by the fire, grinning.
The Horse and the Stockman were drinking tea around a fire, and resting their elbows on a koala who was fast asleep between them.
The balls for this game were echidnas and they were being hit with storks.
The North Wind Spirit and Alitji walked off arm in arm.
A great crowd had assembled.
Alitji woke up to find it had all been a strange dream.
