Tiddalick the Frog... an Australian folktale

 

Since we are currently in Australia on our around the world virtual trip, I told this folktale to my students this past week. I even had one student who was able to retell the whole story to the group. Here is a rather similar version that I found on youtube. I prefer to orally tell the story before I share a link for a youtube version. Otherwise, they think the youtube verison is "the truth" and can get upset if the oral version is slightly different. If I tell it first, then I can explain how stories have been passed down and changed by each teller.  Here is the youtube version, which is just one of many if you search for it.

You can use this stoy to discuss drought and weather. Or you can discuss greed and sharing. Here are a few discussion questions to get you started: Was it fair that the frog drank up all the water? How should the water be shared for the animals? How can you persuade someone else to do something? How can you make someone laugh?