When explorers brought these strange creatures back with them to Europe in 1797, people
thought it was just a trick. Certainly such a unique animal couldn't be
real.
They hatch from eggs like a reptile, but have have fur like a mammal. (Their hair is so thick
that platypuses don't get wet, even though they spend much of their time
in water. They also have "ear lids" so they don't get "swimmer's
ear.")
Platypuses have a bill which looks like a duck's--and so the name "Duckbill Platypus".
But this is no ordinary bill! It has an electronic "radar" system
that allows platypuses to find food in the water with their eyes closed. That's
good because they feed at night. Their food is stored as fat in beaver-like
tails.
Platypuses are
poisonous like a reptile, but they don't have fangs in their mouths. Poisonous
"spurs" grow on the back of the male's feet. (Never pick up Mr.
Platypus by his foot!)
Even the spelling
of their name is strange--"platypuses" is a correct word
for more than one platypus, even though the plural ending for "us"
is usually "i."
Why was I made?
A poem by Perkins P. Platypus . . .
Illustration by Jim Padgett
It looked kind of strange, it looked sort of odd,
Lying there shining on billabong sod.
It looked round and square, it looked thin and fat,
Platypuses stared and asked, "What is that?!"
They stroked at their bills and gave it some thought.
One platypus said, "I think that we ought
“To run to our home and bring back some cheese,
"These six shiny strings will slice it with ease."
Platypus Two cried, "No, no, no, no, no!"
"You'll lose six slices right down that black hole!"
"I've given it thought. I think that I know.
“This is the world's only six-arrow bow!"
Three tapped his flippers and thumped with his tail,
"No, no, no, no! It's the world's smallest jail!
"These six tiny bars keep criminals snug,
"They’ll lock up a snail, or crayfish and slugs."
The fourth creature said, "There's no way it's that!
"This strange looking thing--it's a fancy door mat!
"Just rub your flippers over these strings,
"And mud 'tween your toes is gone with a zing!"
Proudly they placed it outside of their door,
Their billabong floor was muddy no more,
"We finally know why this thing is made,
By Gibson Guitars in U. S. of A."
But soon their doormat was no longer there
Cleaning the floor of their platypus lair.
One of those creatures, the ones with no fur,
Had taken their prize with him or with her.
Yep, a human took their doormat away.
It pulled out the cheese and dug out the clay.
It turned some bright knobs on top of the thing,
It strummed on the wires and started to sing.
The platypuses thought, It doesn't slice cheese,
Shoot arrows, jail snails, clean flippers with ease.
Guitars make music. That's why they are played!
I wonder, they thought why people were made.
As the human sang and strummed the guitar
the four heard the sounds with bills all ajar
The he or the she seemed to sing to the air,
At least to Someone who didn't seem there.
"I will praise You, God, I'm wonderfully made.
To love and adore You all of my days,
Your wonderful works are worthy of song,
From morning to night and all the day long."
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14
© 1987, 2001 James N. Watkins
