Fortune Flavours

What are you doing here? asks Banjo's mother.

I bear gifts, says Squattu. And an invitation.

What gifts? asks Banjo's mother.

An apple chunk and a barley sugar, says Squattu. You can make your own apple cider.

Banjo won't need apple cider, says Banjo's dad. He's doing much better.

Good to hear, says Squattu. Would he be well enough to accept our invitation?

Yes! says Banjo.

That depends what it is, says Banjo's mother.

A play date, says Squattu. With Terence.

Yes yes yes! says Banjo. 

Who can deny the wishes of their no-longer-coughing baby?

Not his mother.

All right, says his mother.

Are you sure, dear? asks Banjo's dad.

DAD! says Banjo. Mum already said yes.

Half an hour tops, says Banjo's mother. We're going out again. It's a good night for spiders.

Get me one, says Banjo.

No need, says his dad. You've just eaten those lerps.

Come on! says Squattu. Half an hour's started!

She heads out of the hollow and back down the tree.

Banjo follows.

You came! says Terence.

I'm allowed to stay for half an hour, says Banjo. What shall we play?

Let's swap names, says Terence.

No way! says Banjo. Then I wouldn't be named after a poet.

Who's ever heard of a poet called Banjo? says Terence.

Then why do you want to? asks Banjo.

There's Banjo Paterson, says Gaius. He was a poet.

Is he famous? asks Terence.

Couldn't be more famous, says Gaius. He wrote Waltzing Matilda.

How does that go? asks Pierre-Louis.

O you know, says Gaius. Once a jolly swagman....

That's not it, says Terence.

No, that's not it, says Banjo.

You'd be more famous if you were named after Terence, says Terence. You'd have said fortune flavours the brave.

Gaius is about to say no you wouldn't, and you've got it wrong, but decides against an intervention.

Banjo is looking impressed.

Fortune flavours! says Banjo. That's good. Okay let's swap names.

Done. Terence and Banjo swap names.

Now what?

Know any jokes? asks Banjo (formerly Terence).

Only one, says Terence. What do you call an Irish possum?

I don't know, says Banjo. What do you call an Irish possum?

Opossum, says Terence.

It's not a bad joke, but will the real Terence get it?