太阳以眩目的强光照耀着大地;天空是蓝色的，平原是宽阔的，在瓦尔格特的盐沼平原被烧得光秃秃的，在巴温那边——巴温河悠闲地从瓦尔格特镇流过。来了一个陌生人——一只“凤头鹦鹉”——这个词的意思是农夫，大家都知道，他住在这片土地上，袋鼠在黎明大声吠叫，白眼乌鸦在牧场的栅栏上高唱，看着小羊羔从这里经过。这个被太阳晒得黝黑的陌生人憔悴而黝黑，但很快就看出他是在藐视乡下城镇的铁律，那就是——这个陌生人必须大喊大叫。“如果他不大喊大叫，我们就必须把他打倒，”沃尔格特镇的乡绅们说。他们在陷阱里放了一个狡猾的诱饵，狡猾的诱饵，因为他们在谈论一个新朋友，他最近买了一匹非常懒的马;他们敢打赌，没有人能骑着他穿过瓦尔格特镇。这个陌生人生在马皮上;于是，他接受了赌注，用他辛苦赚来的钱兑现了赌注——但他的希望破灭了，因为这匹马是一匹木头做的衣服马!那是一匹有名的马，曾在沃尔格特镇撞倒过许多陌生人。陌生人带着病态的微笑笑了——失败者才会露出病态的微笑——他说他旅行了好一阵子——想卖一些有袋动物的皮。 "And I thought that perhaps, as you've took me down, You would buy them from me, in Walgett Town!" He said that his home was at Wingalee, At Wingalee, where he had for sale Some fifty skins and would guarantee They were full-sized skins, with the ears and tail Complete; and he sold them for money down To a venturesome buyer in Walgett Town. Then he smiled a smile as he pouched the pelf, "I'm glad that I'm quit of them, win or lose: You can fetch them in when it suits yourself, And you'll find the skins -- on the kangaroos!" Then he left -- and the silence settled down Like a tangible thing upon Walgett Town.