36
OLD MAN PLATYPUS
Far from the trouble and toil of town,
Where the reed-beds sweep and shiver,
Look at a fragment of velvet brown—
Old Man Platypus drifting down,
Drifting along the river.
A.B. Paterson, The Animals Noah Forgot
Ernest Sinclair giggled. The child was normally so solemn that Rowland was almost startled. They were reading Paterson’s The Animals Noah Forgot. The book would not be published for a few months, but Rowland had procured a signed, advance copy from Norman Lindsay who had illustrated the volume. It was to be a christening gift for his youngest nephew but, as was often the way with such things, it was Ewan’s elder brother who was getting the benefit of the book.
“Read another one, Uncle Rowly. The one about the Pladipus.”
“Platypus. I think we’ll be going
