Provenance

I just need to go into the Zoo Shop, said Sweezus. I want to buy presents for Marie and Belle et Bonne.

Presents! said Farky. They won't want tacky Zoo Shop presents.

It'll show I was thinking of them, said Sweezus. Are you coming in?

No, said Farky. There might be questions about the provenance of my Panda hat. I'll wait outside.

Alright, said Sweezus, going into the shop.

The Zoo Shop wasn't like the Panda Shop. The Panda Shop sold only Panda products. The Zoo Shop sold all sorts of furry zoo animal toys (except for Pandas), books, jigsaw puzzles, pencils and spoons. Sweezus picked up a toy zebra. It didn't have any eyes. He didn't think Marie or Belle et Bonne would like that.

Eventually, he left without purchasing anything.

Go back to the Panda Shop, suggested Farky. Buy them a Wang Wang and a Funi.

What! said Sweezus, I can't give one of them a Wang Wang and the other a Funi !

Yes, you can said Farky. They won't fight over toys. They're grown up women.

I don't know, said Sweezus. Women are funny about things like that. Who would get the Wang Wang?

Well, said Farky, slowly, buy them two Funis.

That would be wrong, said Sweezus. Everyone knows Wang Wang and Funi are a pair.

Okay, buy two Wang Wangs and two Funis, and give them each a pair, said Farky.

I'm not made of money, said Sweezus sadly.

I know what you can give them! said Farky. And it will only cost you two dollars. I mean three dollars, he added quickly.

What? asked Sweezus.

Buy another Panda Hat, said Farky. They only cost two dollars. And I'll let you have mine for a dollar.

A dollar? said Sweezus. Done!

Panda Hat

They stopped at the new Panda Enclosure. At first they couldn't see any pandas. Then Wang Wang wandered out from behind a rock.

Oh look! said Farky. There's Wang Wang!

Oops, said Sweezus. I forgot to bring my notebook.

Never mind, said Farky, let's go over to the Panda Shop. They're sure to have souvenir notebooks.

I don't want a souvenir notebook, said Sweezus. It'll have pandas on the front.

Beggars can't be choosers, said Farky. Come on.

They went inside the Panda Shop. It was a wonderland of Panda products, from Boy and Girl Panda Dolls to Panda Beercan Holders, Panda Bookmarks, Panda Chocolates and Panda Hats.

Sweezus handed over the money for an expensive Panda Notebook.

Can I have a Panda Hat? asked Farky.

No, snapped Sweezus.

Farky made himself scarce. When Sweezus met him outside the shop he was wearing a Panda Hat.

You nicked that! said Sweezus, shocked.

I didn't think you'd care, said Farky. What's the difference between sneaking in under a fence and stealing a Panda hat?

I would only have considered sneaking in under the fence for you, said Sweezus.

The Panda Hat is for me, said Farky.

I sometimes forget you're a dog, said Sweezus.

Chocolate Wang Wang

We're not just getting Wang Wang
at the Adelaide Zoo

We're soon to take delivery
of his partner Funi too

She requires her own imported
English climbing Tree

Girl Pandas don't like Boy Pandas
all that much you see

Now why this Panda Exercise
no longer seems so Wise is

That we are in the Middle
of a big Financial Crisis

Already Certain People dressed
in Panda Suits have started

Trying to get the General Public
and its Money parted

And Haighs, who made the Murray Cod
and Chocolate Easter Bilby

Have come up with a Giant Chocolate Panda
or soon Will Be.