Bitsy the Bossy Bilby

Bitsy Bitsy the Bossy Bilby

the Bossy Bilby

Skye Parry-Jones & Emma Pavlich

Skye Parry-Jones & Emma Pavlich

In the middle of Australia, that big and dusty land, there’s a hole in the ground, a burrow in the sand.

And in that little burrow, lives a little Aussie— Bitsy, the bubbly bilby. It’s a shame she’s just so bossy!

Bitsy acts like she’s the boss, tells her friends what to do.

If Bitsy says ‘do it like this’, you’d better follow through.

She hears cockatoos singing and lifts her pointed nose.

‘You sound awful, cockatoos, that isn’t how it goes!

Birds should sing a pretty song, not screech an ugly call.

And if you can’t sing it right, you shouldn’t sing at all!’

Bitsy hops away proudly, she doesn’t look behind.

She doesn’t see them crying, she doesn’t think they’ll mind.

Then Mummy Possum climbs down, her baby holding tight.

‘Hi, Bitsy’, they smile at her, but Bitsy shouts ‘Not right!’

‘You can’t hold your baby there! Good thing I know what’s best.

On your belly, not your back, is where your baby ought to rest.’

Bitsy stops at the billabong and finds a shady space.

‘When I’m in charge of things, the world’s a better place!’

‘I should be the boss of all, not just of living things.

But of the earth and sea and sky … THE BOSS OF EVERYTHING!’

‘Billabong! Start flowing— I want a fresher drink.

Trees! You should stop growing— I want you my size, SHRINK!’

‘Sun! Yellow is boring—I want you shining pink.

Stars should be out all the time, that’s what I think!’

But not one thing changes for her, the world does not obey.

She blubbers and cries out ‘NO! You must do what I say!

You’re all wrong!

And I am right! You just don’t understand!’

But then a friendly shadow is cast upon the sand.

‘Fiz!’ Bitsy cries. ‘You’re a funny looking bat.

If I was in charge, you wouldn’t look like that.

Birds’ wings have feathers and you have leathery skin.

Don’t you think that I should be the boss of everything?’