Beth Twindler stared out the window as she stirred the cabbage-stew for dinner. She thought about Christmas, one day away, and how she and her sister, Hannah, would most likely get no presents. Only cabbage-stew, as always. But she was grateful for the fact that she had food to eat everyday.
Alice Springs red dirt whipped under the front door, shaking the bare Christmas tree. The blazing fire spat embers onto the hearth. Right beside it slept Beth’s older sister, Hannah. She was up late setting up the old pine tree, so she was now resting.
Their Mother, Flora Twindler, was very poor and could only afford a small shack with a pine tree for Christmas, a bunk-bed with a pullout trundle bed for her to sleep in, The Nativity Scene, and a fireplace with a cooking pot. The Nativity Scene was chipped and broken. The camel had lost his leg and one of the Three Wise men had lost his presents to Jesus. But the girls lived their happy lives just like anyone else. Just in the Australian desert.
Meanwhile, Flora Twindler was out searching for water. She had told the girls not to worry if she wasn’t back by dark. ‘Just go to bed and sleep tight.’, were the words she said. ‘I’ll be back by morning.’ Right now she was on her way back from the water pump. But suddenly she stopped dead, almost stepping on a King Brown snake. Quickly tacking a few paces back, she realised it was lashing its tongue out at a pregnant dingo.
Then it sunk its fangs into the dingos flesh. The dingo dropped dead and the snake slithered away. Flora watched it as it went away. Then she urned back to the dingo. Quick as lightning, she pulled out her red pocket knife, and gently cut open the dingos body open, and pulled out the last breathing pup out. Then she wrapped it up in her woollen jacket, giving it warmth. She grabbed her metal pail and walked home. She finally had a Christmas present for Hannah and Beth.
‘Morning Han,’ said Beth sleepily, hanging over the bunk. ‘Merry Christmas.’ ‘You too,’ yawned Hannah. Beth slid down the ladder from the bunk. She looked under the Christmas tree and, ‘look guys, oh, look, look, look!There is a present under the Christmas tree!’ And there, nestled in the jumper, under the pine tree, was the little dingo (now wide awake with all the shouting.) ‘Oh Mummy, she’s beautiful,’exclaimed Hannah, as she jumped out of bed and patted its soft velvety head. ‘Merry Christmas,’ said Flora.