The Puddin' Owners are Curious

Describe what happened when the puddin’ thieves made an appearance carrying a bran bag in their hands. Who was the rightful owner of the bag?

The possum and the wombat were carrying a white flag and were calling for peace. They were holding a bran bag, and when they saw Bill and Sam Sawnoff and Bunyip Bluegum they hurried over and said, “We make peace for all of the bad things we have done to you and your puddin’. To say sorry, we have brought you a little present, but of course you will have to look in the bag.”

“No!” said Bill, “You are going to hurt us or do something bad.”

“No, we’re making peace,” they said, and they held out the bag.

They were all with such curiosity that they just had to look in the bag. Finally Sam Sawnoff, Bunyip Bluegum and Bill could resist no longer. They said, “We’ll have a look, but if there isn’t anything there and you’re trying to play a trick on us, you’ll be sorry, you will.”

“No, we don’t want to play a trick on you. We’re making peace.” They held the bag open still longer. Then they said, “If you really don’t trust us then we can just all look in at the same time.” “Now that’s a good idea,” cried Sam Sawnoff, who really just wanted to look inside the bag. Everyone agreed to this – except Bill, who always disagreed. But all the same they all looked in. Of course Bill did not want to miss out so he stuck his head in too. Straight after everyone’s head was in, the puddin’ thieves brought the bag right over their heads, wrapped them up in rope and snatched the puddin’.

“Better luck next time, they called.

“Oh, I’m going to give that possum a beatin’ on the snout” said Bill, from inside the bag. “So am I,” said Sam, who hated having his flippers trodden on. Everyone agreed, and they all hated having the bag on their heads, especially Bunyip Bluegum because he was trying to think of a way to escape. Everybody agreed that they should not have trusted the puddin’ thieves.

After having walked about three miles in this bag not knowing where they were going and treading on each other’s toes they came upon Benjimen Brandysnap. They begged him to untie the rope and he said, “Hmmm, what have we got here?” They all cried out, “We are puddin’ owners and our puddin’ has been snatched. Luckily, Ben Brandysnap had some eggs in his basket. They were shared around and were eaten very heartily.

Bill said in a dull voice, It is all very well having eggs, but what if your whole diet for your whole life has been on puddin’? Steak and Kidney puddin’,” put in Bill, who didn’t like to forget things. “Don’t fret everybody,” said Bunyip Bluegum, “We’re going to get those puddin’ thieves and give ‘em a beatin’ on the snouts,” said Sam, who really did mean that he wanted to beat them.

Ben Brandysnap was the owner of the bag in his vegetable patch. The puddin’ thieves had snuck in when he was busy tending to his vegetables and had stolen his bag.

(With apology to Norman Lindsay and his wonderful children's book, The Magic Pudding.)