 Australian Legendary Tales Folklore This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs. K. Lango Parker Preface and Introductory A neighbour of mine exclaimed when I mentioned that I proposed making a small collection of the folklore legends of the tribe of blacks I knew so well living on the station. But have the blacks any legends? Thus showing that people may live in a country and yet know little of the Aboriginal inhabitants. And though there are probably many who do know these particular legends, yet I think that this is the first attempt that has been made to collect the tales of any particular tribe and publish them alone. At all events, I know that no attempt has been made previously, as far as the folklore of the Noongar boroughs is concerned. Therefore, on the authority of Professor Max Muller, that folklore of any country is worth collecting. I am emboldened to offer my small attempt at a collection to the public. There are probably many who, knowing these legends, would not think them worth recording. But on the other hand, I hope there are many who think, as I do, that we should try, while there is yet time, to gather all the information possible of a race fast dying out and the origin of which is so obscure. I cannot effect to think that these little legends will do much to remove the obscurity, but undoubtedly a scientific and patient study of the folklore throughout Australia would greatly assist there too. I alas am but an amateur, moved to my work by interest in the subject and in the blacks, of whom I have had some experience. The time is coming when it will be impossible to make even such a collection as this, for the old blacks are quickly dying out, and the young ones will probably think beneath the dignity of their so-called civilization, even to remember such old women's stories. Those who have themselves attempted the study of an unknown folklore will be able to appreciate the difficulties a student has to surmount before he can even induce those to talk, who have the knowledge he desires. In this, as in so much else, those who ready to be guerrillas, know little. I have confined this little book to the legends of the Naran tribe, known among themselves as Nungaburras. It is astonishing to find, within comparatively short distances, a diversity of language and custom. You may even find the same word in different tribes, bearing a totally different meaning. Many words too have been introduced, which the blacks think are English, and the English think are native. Such, for example, as Piccinini, and as far as these outside blacks are concerned, Burmering is regarded as English, their local word being Burren. Yet nine out of ten people whom you meet think both are local native words. Though I have written my little book in the interests of folklore, I hope it will gain the attention of and have some interest for children of Australian children, because they will find stories of old friends among the bushbirds, and of English children, because I hope that they will be glad to make new friends, and so establish a free trade between the Australian and English nurseries, wingless and laughing birds, in exchange for fairy godmothers and princes in disguise. I must also acknowledge my great indebtedness, who, when once they understood what I wanted to know, were most ready to repeat to me the legends repeating with the utmost patience. Time after time, not only the legends, but the names, that I might manage to spell them, so as to be understood when repeated. In particular, I should like to mention my indebtedness to Peter Hippie, King of the Noongar boroughs, and to Hippitha, Marta, Baragari, and Bimani. I have dedicated my booklet to Peter Hippie, in grateful recognition of his long and faithful service to myself and my husband, which has extended with few intervals over a period of twenty years. He too is probably the last king of the Noongar boroughs, who are fast dying out, and soon their weapons, bartered by them for tobacco or whiskey, alone will prove that they ever existed. It seemed to me a pity that some attempt should not be made to collect the folklore of the quickly disappearing tribe, a folklore embodying probably the thoughts, fantasies, and beliefs of the genuine Aboriginal race, and which, as such, deserves to be, indeed, as Max Muller says, might be and ought to be collected in every part of the world. The legends were told to me by the blacks themselves, some of whom remember the coming of Mitchell, as they called Major Mitchell, the explorer of these back creeps. The old blacks laugh now when they tell you how frightened their mothers were at the first wheel tracks they saw. They would not let the children tread on them, but carefully lifted them over, lest their feet should break out in sores, as they were supposed to do if they trod on a snake's track. But with all their fear, little did they realize that the coming of Mitchell was the beginning at their end, or that fifty years afterwards, from the remnant of their once numerous tribe, would be collected the legends they told in those days to their picaninis round their campfires, and those legends used to make a Christmas booklet for the children and their whites the planters. I can only hope that the white children will be as ready to listen to these stories as were, and indeed are, the little picaninis, and lest the sale of this booklet be such as to enable me to add frocks and tobacco when I give their Christmas dinner, as in my yearly custom to the remnant at the Nungaburras. Kay Linglo Parker Banggate Narron River New South Wales June 24th, 1895 Introduction Australia makes an appeal to the fancy, which is all its own. When Cortes entered Mexico in the most romantic moment of history, it was as if the men had found their way to a new planet. So strange, so long hidden from Europe, was all that they beheld. Still they found kings, nobles, peasants, palaces, temples, a great organized society, fauna and flora, not so very different from what they had left behind in Spain. In Australia, all was noble, and while seeming fresh, was inestibly old. The vegetation differs from ours. The monotonous grey gumtrees did not resemble our varied forests, but were antique, melancholy, featureless, like their own continent of rare hills. In frequent streams and interminable deserts, concealing nothing within their wastes, yet promising a secret. The birds and beasts, kangaroo, platypus, emu are ancient types, rough grotesques of nature, sketching as the child draws. The natives were erased without a history, far more antique than Egypt, nearer the beginnings than any other people. Their weapons are the most primitive. Those at the extinct, Tasmanians, were actually paleolithic. The soil holds no pottery. The cave walls, no pictures drawn by men, more advanced. The sea hides no ruined palaces. No cities are buried in the plains. There is not a trace of inscriptions or of agriculture. The varying places contain relics of men, perhaps even lower than the existing tribes. Nothing attests the presence in any age of men, more cultivated. Perhaps myriads of years have gone by since the Delta, or the lands besides Euphrates and Tigris were as blank of human modification as was the whole Australian continent. The manners and rites of the natives were far the most arctic of all, with which we are acquainted. Temples they had none, no images of gods, no altars of sacrifice, scarce any memorials of the death. Their worship at best was offered in hymns to some vague, half-forgotten deity or first maker of things. A god decrepit from age, or all but careless of his children. Spirits were known and feared, but scarcely defined or described. Sympathetic magic and perhaps a little hypnotism were all their science. Kings and nations they knew not. They were wanderers, houseless and homeless. Custom was king, yet custom was tenacious, irresistible, and as complex in minute details as the etiquette of Spanish kings, or the ritual of the flamends of Rome. The archaic intricacies and taboos of the customs and regulations of marriage might puzzle a mathematician, and may, when unraveled, explain the less complicated prohibitions of a totemism less antique. The people themselves in their struggle for existence had developed great ingenuities. They had the boomerang and the wheat-wheat, but not the bow, the throwing stick, but not, of course, the sword, the message stick, but not hieroglyphs, and their art was almost purely decorative, in geometrical patterns, not representative. They deemed themselves akin to all nature, and called cousins with rain and smoke, with clouds and sky, as well as with beasts and trees. They were adroit hunters, skilled trackers, born sportsmen. They now ride well, and for savages play cricket fairly. But being invaded by the practical immigrant or the careless convict, the natives were not studied when in their prime, and science began to examine them almost too late. We have the works of Sir George Gray, the two brief pamphlet of Mr. Gideon Lang, the more learned labours of messes, fizzan, and howick, and the collections of Mr. Browse Smith. The mysteries bore of the natives. The initially writes, a little of the magic, a great deal of the social customs are known to us, and we have fragments of the myths. But till Mrs. Langlow Parker wrote this book, we had but few with the stories which Australian natives tell by the campfire or in the gum-tree shade. These, for the most part, are kinder Martian, though they include many atological myths, explanatory of the markings and habits of animals, the origin of constellations, and so forth. They are a savage addition of the metamorphosis, and few unbiased students now doubt that the metamorphosis are a very late and very artificial version of traditional tales as savage in origin as those of the Nungaburra. I have read Mrs. Parker's collection with very great interest, with human pleasure, merely for the story's sake. Children will find here the Jungle Book, never before printed, of black little boys and girls. The sympathy with and knowledge of beast life and bird life are worthy of Mr. Kipling, and the grotesque names are just what children like. Diamond and Gumball Govind should take their place with Ricky Tickey, and Mr. Kipling's are the delightful creatures, but there is here no Mowgli set apart in the jungle as a man. Man, bird and beast are all blended in the Australian fancy, as in that are Bushmen and Red Indians. All are one, kindred, all shade into each other, all obey the Bush Law as they obey the Jungle Law in Mr. Kipling's fascinating stories. This confusion, of course, is not peculiar to Australian marching. It is the prevalent feature of our own popular tales, but the Australians do it more natural. The stories are not the heritage of a traditional and dead, but the flowers of a living and actual condition of the mind. The stories have not the ingenuous dramatic turns of our own marching, where there are no distinctions of wealth and rank. There can be no cinderella and no pulsing boots. Many stories are rude, atological myths. They explain the habits and characteristics of the birds and beasts, and account in a familiar way for the origin of death. Baalu, the Moon and the Danes. The origin of fire is also accounted for in what may almost be called a scientific way. Once discovered, it is, of course, stolen from the original proprietors. A savage cannot believe that the first owners of fire would give the secret away. The inventors of the myth of Prometheus were of the same mind. On the whole, the stories, perhaps, most resemble those from the Zulu in character, though these represent a much higher grade of civilisation. The struggle for food and water, desperately absorbing, is the perpetual theme, and no wonder for the narratives dwell in a dry and thirsty land, until not, nor so, nor keep any domestic animals. We see the cunning of the savage in the devices for hunting, especially for chasing honeybees. The rain magic actually practised is of curious interest. In brief, we have pictures of savage life by savages, romances which are truly realistic. We understand that condition which Dr. Johnson did not think happy, the state from which we came, and to which we shall probably return. Equality, liberty, community of goods, all means savagery, and even savages, if equal, are not really free. Custom is the tyrant. The designs are from the sketchbook of an untaught Australian native. They were given to me some years ago by my brother, Dr. Lang, of Karawa. The artist has a good deal of spirit in his hunting scenes. His trees are not ill done. His emus and kangaroos are better than his men and labours. Using ink, a pointed stick, and paper, the artist shows an unwanted freedom of execution. Nothing like this occurs in Australian scratches with a sharp stone on hard wood. Probably no other member of his dying race ever illustrated a book. Andrew Lang End of Preface and Introductory Chapter 1 of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs. K. Langlo Parker Chapter 1 Diamond, the emu, and gobble-goven, the busted. Diamond, the emu, being the largest bird, was acknowledged as king by the other birds. The gobble-govens, the busted, were jealous of the diamonds, particularly with gobble-goven, the mother jealous of the diamond mother. She would watch with envy the high flight of the diamonds and mess with running, and she always fancied that the diamond mother flaunted her superiority in her face. For whenever Diamond alighted near gobble-goven, after a long, high flight, she would flap her big wings and begin booing in her pride, not the loud booing of the male bird, but a little triumphant, satisfied booing noise of her own, which never failed to irritate gobble-goven when she heard it. Gobble-goven used to wonder how she could put an end to Diamond's supremacy. She decided that she would only be able to do so by entering her wings and checking her power of flight, but the question that troubled her was how to effect descend. She knew she would gain nothing by having a quarrel with Diamond and fighting her, for no gobble-goven would stand any chance against a diamond. There was evidently nothing to be gained by an open fight. She would have to effect her end by cunning. One day, when Gobble-goven saw in the distance Diamond coming towards her, she squatted down and doubled in her wings in such a way as to look as if she had none. After Diamond had been talking to her for some time, Gobble-goven said, Why do you not imitate me and do without wings? Every bird flies. The diamonds to be the king of birds should do without wings. When all the birds see that I can do without wings, they will think I am the cleverest bird, and they will make a Gobble-goven king. But you have wings, said Diamond. No, I have no wings, and indeed she looked as if her words were true, so well were her wings hidden, as she squatted in the grass. Diamond went away after a while and thought much of what she had heard. She talked it over with her mate, who was as disturbed as she was. They made up their minds that it would never do to let the Gobble-govens reign in their steed, even if they had to lose their wings to save their kingship. At length they decided on the sacrifice of their wings. The diamond mother showed the example by persuading her mate to cut off hers with a combo or stone tomahawk, and then she did the same to his. As soon as the operations were over, the diamond mother lost no time in letting Gobble-goven know what they had done. She ran swiftly down to the plane on which she had left, Gobble-goven, and, finding her still squatting there, she said, See, I have followed your example. I have no wings. They are cut off. Ha ha ha, laughed Gobble-goven, jumping up and dancing round with joy at the success of her plot. As she danced round, she spread out her wings, flapped them, and said, I have taken you in, old, stumpy wings. I have my wings yet. You are fine birds, you diamonds, to be chosen kings. When you are so easily taken in, ha ha ha. And, laughing derisively, Gobble-goven flapped her wings right in front of Diamond, who rushed towards her to chastise her treachery. The Gobble-goven flew away, and, alas, the now wingless Diamond could not follow her. Brooding over her wrongs, Diamond walked away, veiling she would be revenged. But how? That was the question which she and her mate failed to answer for some time. At length, the Diamond mother thought of a plane and prepared at once to execute it. She hid all her young diamonds, but two, under a big salt bush. Then she walked off to Gobble-goven's plane with the two young ones following her. As she walked off the Morella Ridge, where her home was, onto the plane, she saw Gobble-goven out feeding with her twelve young ones. After exchanging a few remarks in a friendly manner with Gobble-goven, she said to her, Why do you not imitate me and only have two children? Twelve are too many to feed. If you keep so many, they will never grow big birds like the Diamonds. The food that would make big birds of two would only starve twelve. Gobble-goven said nothing, but she thought it might be so. It was impossible to deny that the young Diamonds were much bigger than the young Gobble-goven's. And discontentedly, Gobble-goven walked away, wondering whether the smallness of her young ones was owing to the number of them being so much greater than that of the Diamonds. It would be grand, she thought, to grow as big as the Diamonds, but she remembered the trick she had played on Diamond, and she thought that perhaps she was being fooled in her turn. She looked back to where the Diamonds fed, and as she saw how much bigger the two young ones were than any of hers, once more mad envy of Diamond possessed her. She determined she would not be outdone. Rather would she kill all the young ones but two. She said the Diamonds shall not be the kingbirds of the plains. The Gobble-govens shall replace them. They shall grow as big as the Diamonds, and shall keep their wings and fly, which now the Diamonds cannot do. And straight away Gobble-goven killed all her young ones but two. Then back she came to where the Diamonds were still feeding. When Diamonds saw her coming and noticed she had only two young ones with her, she called out, Where are all your young ones? Gobble-goven answered, I have killed them, and have only left two. Those will have plenty to eat now, and will soon grow as big as your young ones. You cruel mother to kill your children, you greedy mother, why, I have twelve children and I find food for them all. I would not kill one for anything, not even if so by doing. I could get back my wings. There is plenty for all. Look at the emu bush, how it covers itself with berries to feed my big family. See how the grasshoppers come hopping round so that we can catch them and fatten on them. But you have only two children. I have twelve. I will go and bring them to show you. Diamonds ran off to her salt bush where she had hidden her ten young ones. Soon she was to be seen coming back, running with her neck stretched forward, her head thrown back with pride, and the feathers of a booboo teller swinging as she ran, booming out the while her queer throat nois, the diamond song of joy, the pretty soft looking little ones with their zebra striped skins, running beside her whistling their baby diamond note. When Diamond reached the place where Google Goven was, she stopped her billing and said in a solemn tone, Now you see my words are true. I have twelve young ones, as I said. You can gaze at my loved ones and think of your poor murdered children, and while you do so I will tell you the fate of your descendants forever. By trickery and deceit you lost the diamonds their wings, and now forevermore, as long as the diamond has no wings, so long shall a Google Goven lay only two eggs and have only two young ones. We are quits now. You have your wings and I have my children. And ever since that time a diamond, or emu, has had no wings, and a Google Goven, or busted at the plains, has laid only two eggs in a season. End of Chapter One Chapter Two of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs Kay Langlow Parker Chapter Two The Gala and Ula the Lizard Ula the Lizard was tired of lying in the sun, doing nothing, so he said, I will go and play. He took his boomerangs out and began to practice throwing them. While he was doing so a gala came up and stood near, watching the boomerangs come flying back. For the kind of boomerangs Ula was throwing were the bubaras. They are smaller than others and more curved, and when they are properly thrown they return to the thrower, which other boomerangs do not. Ula was proud of having the gay gala to watch his skill. In his pride he gave the bubara an extra twist and threw it with all his might. Whizzing through the air back it came, hitting as it passed her the gala on the top of her head, taking both feathers and skin clean off. The gala set up a hideous, coring, croaking shriek and flew about, stopping every few minutes to knock her head on the ground like a mad bird. Ula was so frightened when he saw what he had done and noticed that the blood was flowing from the gala's head that he glided away to hide under a binde bush. But the gala saw him. She never stopped the hideous noise she was making for a minute, but still shrieking followed Ula. When she reached the binde bush she rushed to Ula, seized him with her beak, rolled him on the bush until every binde had made a hole in his skin. Then she rubbed his skin with her own bleeding head, now then said she, You, Ula, shall carry binde's on you always and the stain of my blood. And you, said Ula, as he hissed with pain from the tingling of the prickles, shall be a bald-headed bird as long as I am a red prickly lizard. So to this day, underneath the gala's crest, you can always find the bald patch, which the Babura of Ula first made. And in the country of the gala's are lizards, coloured reddish brown and covered with spikes like binde prickles. End of Chapter 2 Chapter 3 of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs. K. Langlo Parker. Chapter 3 Balu, the Moon and the Danes Balu, the Moon looked down at the Earth one night when his light was shining quite brightly to see if anyone was moving. When the Earth people were all asleep was the time he chose for playing with his three dogs. He called them dogs, but the Earth people called them snakes. The Deathadder, the Black Snake and the Tiger Snake. As he looked down on to the Earth with his three dogs beside him, Balu saw about a dozen Danes or black fellows crossing a creek. He called to them saying, Stop, I want you to carry my dogs across that creek. But the black fellows, though they liked Balu well, did not like his dogs. But sometimes when he had brought these dogs to play on the Earth they had bitten not only the Earth dogs, but their masters. And the poison left by the bites had killed those bitten. So the black fellows said, No, Balu, we are too frightened. Your dogs might bite us. They are not like our dogs whose bite would not kill us. Balu said, If you do what I ask you, when you die you shall come to life again. Not die and stay always where you are put when you are dead. See this piece of bark? I throw her into the water. And he threw a piece of bark into the creek. See, it comes to the top again and floats. That is what would happen to you if you would do what I ask you. First under when you die, then up again at once. If you will not take my dogs over, you foolish Danes, you will die like this. And he threw a stone into the creek, which sank to the bottom. You will be like that stone. Never rise again, Womba Danes. But the black fellows said, You cannot do it, Balu. We are too frightened of your dogs. I will come down and carry them over myself to show you that they are quite safe and harmless. And down he came. The black snail crawled around one arm, the tiger snake around the other, and the death adder on his shoulder, coiled towards his neck. He carried them over. When he had crossed the creek, he picked up a big stone and he threw it into the water saying, Now you cowardly Danes, you would not do what I, Balu, asked you to do. And so forever you have lost the chance of rising again after you die. You will just stay where you were put, like that stone does under the water and grow as it does to be part of the earth. If you had done what I asked you, you could have died as often as I die and have come to life as often as I come to life. But now you will only be black fellows while you live and bones when you are dead. Balu looked so cross and the three snakes hissed so fiercely that the black fellows were very glad to see them disappear from their sight behind the trees. The black fellows had always been frightened of Balu's dogs and now they hated them and they said, If we could get them away from Balu, we would kill them. And henceforth, whenever they saw a snake alone, they killed it. But Balu only sent for more, for he said, As long as there are black fellows, there shall be snakes to remind them that they would not do what I asked them to do. End of Chapter 3 Chapter 4 of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs Kay Langlow Parker. Chapter 4 The Origin of the Naran Lake Old Biney said to his two young wives, Birignoulu and Kanambili, I have stuck a white feather between the hind legs of a bee and I'm going to let it go and then follow it to its nest that I may get honey. While I go out for the honey, go you two out and get frogs and yams, then meet me at the Kurigul Spring, where we will camp, for sweet and clear is the water there. The wives, taking their gulays and yam sticks, went out as he told them. Having gone far and dug out many yams and frogs, they were tired when they reached Kurigul and seeing the cool, fresh water, they longed to bathe. But first they built a bow shade and there left their gulays holding their food and the yams and frogs they had found. When their camp was ready for the coming of Bayami, who having wooed his wives with a Nullanulla, they kept them obedient by fear of the same weapon, then went the girls to the spring to bathe. Gladly they plunged in, having first divested themselves of their gumulas, which they were still young enough to wear and which they left on the ground near the spring. Scarcely were they enjoying the cool rest the water gave their hot, tired limbs when they were seized and swallowed by two curriers. Having swallowed the girls, the curriers dived into an opening in the side of the spring, which was the entrance to an underground watercourse leading to the Naran River. Through this passage they went, taking all the water from the spring with them into the Naran, whose course they also dried as they went along. Meantime Bayami, unwitting the fate of his wives, was honey-hunting. He had followed the bee with the white feather on it for some distance. Then the bee flew on to some buddha flowers and would move no further. Bayami said, something has happened, or the bee would not stay here and refuse to be moved on towards its nest. I must go to Kurigul spring and see if my wives are safe. Something terrible has surely happened. And Bayami turned in haste towards the spring. When he reached there, he saw the bow shed his wives had made. He saw the yams they had dug from the ground and he saw the frogs. But Birignulu and Kananbele, he saw not. He called aloud for them. But no answer. He went towards the spring. On the edge of it, he saw the gumulas of his wives. He looked into the spring and seeing it dry, he said, it's the work of the curriers. They have opened the underground passage and gone with my wives to the river. And opening the passage has dried the spring. Well, I do know where the passage joins the Naran and there will I swiftly go. Arming himself with spares and waguras, he started in pursuit. He soon reached the deep hole where the underground channel of the Kurigul John the Naran. There he saw what he had never seen before, namely this deep hole dry. And he said, they have emptied the holes as they went along, taking the water with them. But well know I the deep holes of the river. I will not follow the bend, thus trebling the distance I have to go. But I will cut across from big hole to big hole. And by so doing, I may yet get ahead of the curriers. On swiftly sped by me, making shortcuts from big hole to big hole. And his track is still marked by the Morillo ridges that stretched down the Naran pointing in towards the deep holes. Every hole as he came to it he found dry until at last he reached the end of the Naran. The hole there was still quite wet and muddy. Then he knew he was near his enemies and soon he saw them. He managed to get unseen a little way ahead of the curriers. He hid himself behind a big dowel tree. As the curriers came near they separated, one turning to go in another direction. Quickly by me hurled one spear after another, wounding both curriers, who ride with pain and lash their tails furiously, making great hollows in the ground, which the water they had brought with them quickly filled. Thinking they might again escape him, by me drove them from the water with his spears and then at close quarters he killed them with his waguras. And ever afterwards at flood time the Naran flowed into this hollow which the curriers in their writhings had made. When by me saw that the curriers were quite dead he cut them open and took out the bodies of his wives. They were covered with wet slime and seemed quite lifeless. But he carried them and laid them on two nests of red ants then he sat down at some little distance and watched them. The ants quickly covered their bodies, cleaned them rapidly off the wet slime and soon by me noticed the muscles of the girls twitching. Ah he said there is life, they feel the sting of the ants. Almost as he spoke came a sound of a thunder clap but the sound seemed to come from the ears of the girls. And as the echo was dying away slowly the girls rose to their feet. For a moment they stood apart, a dazed expression on their faces. Then they clung together, shaking as he stricken with a deadly fear. But by me came to them and explained how they had been rescued from the curriers by him. He bade them to beware of ever bathing in the deep holes of the Naran. Less such holes be the haunt of curriers. Then he bade them look at the water now at Bagheera and he said, Soon will the black swans find their way here, the pelicans and the ducks, where there was dry land and stones in the past, in the future there will be water and waterfowl. From henceforth when the Naran runs it will run into this hole and by the spreading of its waters will a big lake be made. And what by me said has come to pass. As the Naran lake shows with its large sheet of water spreading for miles the homes of thousands of wildfowl. End of Chapter 4 Chapter 5 of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore This is a VibriVox recording. All VibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs K. Langlow Parker Chapter 5 Galoo the Magpie and the Waragar Galoo was a very old woman and a very wicked old woman too as this story will tell. During all the past season when the grass was thick with seed she had gathered much dune bur which she crushed into meal as she wanted it for food. She used to crush it on a big flat stone with a small flat stone. The big stone was called Dayall. Galoo ground a great deal of dune bur seed to put away for immediate use. The rest she kept whole to be ground as required. Soon after she had finished her first grinding a neighbouring tribe came along and camped near where she was. One day the men all went out hunting leaving the women and the children in the camp. After the men had been gone a little while Galoo the Magpie came to their camp to talk to the women. She said, why do you not go hunting too? Many are the nest of the warananas around here. Thick is the honey in them. Many in ripe are the bumbles hanging now on the humble trees. Red is the fruit of the Garooys. Opening with ripeness the fruit of the Gwebeats. You sit in the camp and hunger until your husbands return with the dinner one and Bower. They have gone forth to slay. Go women and gather off the plenty that surrounds you. I will take care of your children the little Waragubs. Your words are wise the women said. It is foolish to sit here and hunger when near at hand yams are thick in the ground and many fruits wait but the plucking. We will go and fill quickly our combies and goulays but our children we will take with us. Not so said Galoo. Foolish indeed were you to do that. You would tire the little feet of those that run and tire yourselves with the burden of those that have to be carried. No take forth your combies and goulays empty that you may bring them back the more. Many other spoils that wait only the hand of the gatherer. Look ye I have a dairy made of fresh doombus seed cooking just now on that bark between two fires. That shall your children eat and swiftly shall I make them another. They shall eat and be full ere their mothers are out of sight. See they come to me now for dairy and well will I feed them. Haste ye then that ye may return in time to make ready the fires for cooking the meat your husbands will bring. Glad will your husbands be when they see that ye have filled your goulays and combies with fruits and your worries with honey. Haste ye I say and do well. Having listened to the words of the goulay the women decided to do as she said and leaving their children with her they started forth with empty combies and armed with combos with which to chop out the bee's nests and opossums and with yam sticks to dig up yams. When the women had gone Golud gathered the children round her and fed them with dairy hot from the coals. Honey too she gave them and bumbles which she had buried to ripen. When they had eaten she hurried them off to her real home built in a hollow tree a little distance away from where she had been cooking her dairy. Into her house she hurriedly thrust them followed quickly herself and made all secure. Here she fed them again but the children had already satisfied their hunger and now they missed their mothers and began to cry. The crying reached the ears of the women as they were returning to their camp. Quickly they came at the sound which is not good in a mother's ears. As they quickened their steps they thought how soon the spoils that lay heavy in the combies would come for their children and fed their waragas with the dainties they had gathered for them. Soon they reached the camp but alas where were the children and where was Golud the magpie? They are playing wagyu they said and have hidden themselves. The mothers hunted all around for them and called aloud the names of their children and Golud but no answer could they hear and no trace could they find and yet every now and then they heard the sound of children wailing but seek as they would they found them not. Then loudly wailed the mothers themselves for their lost waragas and wailing returned to camp to wait the coming of the black fellas. Heavy were their hearts and sad were their faces when their husbands returned. They hastened to tell the black fellas when they came how Golud had persuaded them to go hunting promising if they did so she would feed the hungry waragas and care for them while they were away but and here they wailed again for their poor waragas. They told how they had listened to her words and gone truth had she told of the plenty round their combies and gulays were full of fruits and spoils they had gathered but alas they came home with them laden only to find their children gone and Golud gone too and no trace could they find of either though at times they heard a sound as of children wailing forth with the men saying what mothers are ye to leave your young to a stranger and that stranger a Golud ever a treacherous race did we not go forth to gain food for you and our children saw ye ever your husbands return from the chase empty handed then why when you knew we were going hunting must ye too go forth and leave our helpless ones to a stranger oh evil evil indeed our mother forgets her child stay ye in the camp while we go forth to hunt for our lost waragas heavy will be our hands on the women if we return without them the men hunted the bush round for miles but found no trace of the lost waragas though they too heard at times a noise as of children's voices wailing but beyond the wailing which echoed in the mothers ears forever no trace was found of the children for many days the women sat in the camp mourning for their lost waragas and beating their heads because they had listened to the voice of Golud End of Chapter 5 Chapter 6 of Australian Legendary Tales Four Claw this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Ted Newton Australian Legendary Tales Four Claw by Mrs. K. Langlaw Parker Chapter 6 the women's and the piggy billa two women brothers went out hunting one brother was much younger than the other and smaller so when they sighted the nimu the younger one said to the younger you stay quietly here and do not make a noise or piggy billa whose camp we passed just now will hear you and steal the emu if I kill it he is so strong I will go on and try to kill the emu with his stone the little we who been watched his big brother sneak up to the emu crawling along almost flat on the ground he saw him get quite close to the emu then spring up quickly and throw the stone with such an accurate aim as to kill the bird on the spot the little brother was so rejoiced that he forgot his brother's caution and he called the loud in his joy the big we who been looked around and gave him a warning sign but too late piggy billa had heard the cry and was hastening to watch them quickly big we who been laughed the emu and joined his little brother piggy billa when he came up said what have you found nothing said the big we who been nothing but some recent old berries it must have been something more than that or your little brother would not have called down so loudly little we who been was so afraid that piggy billa would find the emu and take it that he said I um I hid a little bird with a stone and I was glad I could throw so straight it was no cry for the killing of a little bird all for the fighting of mistletoe berries that I heard it was for something much more than neither or it would not have called down so joyfully if you do not tell me at once I will kill you both the we who been brothers and for piggy billa was the great fighter and very strong so when they saw he was really angry they showed him the dead emu just what I want for my supper he said and so saying dragged it away to his own camp the we who been followed him and even help him to make a fire and took the emu hoping by so doing to get the share given to them but piggy billa would not give them any he said he must have it all for himself angry and disappointed the we who been smudged straight off and told some black fellows who lived near that piggy billa had a fine fat emu for supper up jump the black fellows sees the spears but the we who been quickly lead them to piggy billa's camp promising them for so doing a share of the emu when they were within range of spear short the black fellows formed a circle took him and threw the spears at piggy billa as the spears fell thick on him sticking out all over him piggy billa cried loud being gallant being gallant you can have it you can have it but the black fellows did not desist until piggy billa was too wounded even to cry out then they left him in a box of spears and turned to look for the emu but to their surprise they found it not then for the first time they missed the we who been looking around they saw their tracks go into where the emu had evidently been then they saw that they had the emu to their new new which was a humpy made of grass when the we who been saw the black fellows coming they caught hold of the emu and dragged it to a big hole they knew of with a big stone at the entrance which stone only they knew the secret of moving they moved the stone got the emu and themselves into the hole and the stone in place again before the black fellows the black fellows tried to move the stone but could not yet they knew that the we who means must have done so for they had tracked them right up to it and they could hear the sound of their voices on the other side of it they saw there was a crevice on either side of the stone between it and the ground through these crevices they drove in the spears thinking they must surely kill the brothers but the we who means to assume these crevices and had anticipated the spears so they had placed the dead emu before them to act as their shield and into his body were driven the spears of the black fellows extended for the we who means having driven the spears well in the black fellows went off to get help to move the stone but when they had gone a little way they heard the we who means laughing back they came and speared again and again started for help only as they left to hear once more the laughter of the brothers the we who means after only brought back the black fellows to a fresh attack determined to keep quiet which after the next peering they did quite sure when they heard their spear shot followed by neither conversation nor laughter that they had killed the we who means at last the black fellows hurried away to bring back the strength to remove the stone the we who means hurriedly discussed what plan they had better adopt to elude the black fellows for well they knew that should they ever meet any of them again they would be killed without mercy and as they talked they satisfied their hunger by eating some of the emu flash after a while the black fellows returned and soon was the stone removed from the entrance some of them crept into the hall where to their surprise they found only the remains of the emu and no trace of the we who means as those who had gone in first crept down and told of the disappearance of the we who means of the others in graduates of such a story crept in to find it confirmed they searched round for tracks seeing that their spears were all in the emu it seemed to them probable the we who means had to skip the life but if so wither they had gone their tracks would show but so just they would they find all they could see were two little birds which sat on a bush near the hall watching the black fellows all the time the little birds flew round the hall sometimes but never away always returning to the bush and seeming to be discussing the whole affair but what they said the black fellows could not stand but as time went on and no sign was ever found of the we who means the black fellows became sure that the brothers had turned into the little white throated birds which has sat on the bush by the hall so they supposed to escape their vengeance and ever afterwards the little white throats were called we who means and the memory of piggybilla is perpetuated by a sort of porcupine and eater which bears his name and whose skin is covered closely with miniature spears sticking all over it end of chapter 6 Chapter 7 of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore this is the library box recording all library box recordings in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librarybox.org Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs. K. Langlow Parker Chapter 7 Betulgar the Crane and Ganu the kangaroo rat the fire makers in the days when Betulgar the Crane married Ganu the kangaroo rat there was no fire in their country they had to eat their food raw or just dried in the sun they were having two pieces of wood together he saw a faint spark sent forth and then a slight smoke look he said to Ganu see what comes when I rub these pieces of wood together smoke would it not be good if we could make fire for ourselves with which to cook our food so as not to have to wait for the sun to dry it Ganu looked and seeing the smoke she said great indeed would be the day when we could make fire split your stick Betulgar and place in the opening bark the grass that even one spark may kindle a light and hearing wisdom in her words even as she said Betulgar did and lol after much rubbing from the opening came a small flame for as Ganu had said it would the spark lit the grass the bark smoldered and smoked and so Betulgar the Crane and Ganu the kangaroo rat discovered the art of fire making this we will keep a secret they said from all the tribes go into the bingo wingle scrub there we will make a fire and cook our food in secret we will hide our fire sticks in the open mouth seeds of the bingo wingles one fire stick we will carry always hidden in our cumbie Betulgar and Ganu cooked the next fish they caught and found it very good when they went back to the camp they took some of their cooked fish with them the blacks noticed it looked quite different from the usual sun dry fish what did they do to that fish let it lie in the sun they said not so said the others but that the fish was sun dried Betulgar and Ganu persisted day by day passed and after catching their fish these two always disappeared returning with their food looking quite different from that of the others at last being unable to extract any information from them it was determined by the tribe to watch them Baloural the Night Owl and Quarian the Parrot pointed to follow the two when they disappeared to watch where they went and find out what they did accordingly after the next fish were caught when Betulgar and Ganu gathered up their share and started for the bush Baloural and Quarian followed on their tracks they saw them disappear into a bingo wingle scrub where they lost sight of them seeing a high tree on the edge of the scrub they climbed up it and from there they saw all that was to be seen they saw Betulgar and Ganu throw down their load of fish open up their kumbi and take from it a stick which when they had blown upon it they laid in the midst of a heap of leaves and twigs and at once from this heap they saw a flame leap which the firemakers fed with bigger sticks then as the flame died down they saw the two place their fish in the ashes that remained from the burnt sticks then back to camp of their tribes went Baloural and Quarian back with the news of their discovery great was the talk amongst the blacks the query is how to get possession of the kumbi with a fire stick in it when next Betulgar and Ganu came into the camp it was at length decided to hold a corroborey and it was to be one on a scale not often seen probably never before by the young of the tribes the greybeards proposed to so astonish Betulgar and Ganu as to make them forget to guard their precious kumbi and as soon as they were intent on the corroborey and off guard someone was to seize the kumbi fill the fire stick and start fires for the good of all most of them had tasted the cooked fish brought into the camp by the firemakers and having found it good, hungered for it Biaga the hawk was told to feign sickness to tie up his head and to lie down near wherever the two sat to watch the corroborey lying near them he was to watch them all the time and when they were laughing and unthinking of anything but the spectacle before them he was to steal their kumbi having arranged their plan of action they all prepared for a big corroborey they sent word to all the surrounding tribes asking them to attend especially they begged the Braulgos to come as they were celebrated for their wonderful dancing which was so wonderful as to be most likely to absorb the attention of the firemakers all the tribes agreed to come and soon all were engaged in great preparations each determined to outdo the other in their quaintness and brightness of their painting for the corroborey each tribe as they arrived again great applause never before had the young people seen so much diversity in colouring and design Belir the black cockatoo tribe came with bright splashes of orange red on their black skins the pelicans came as a contrast almost pure white only a touch here and there of their black skin showing where the white paint had rubbed off the black divers came in their black skins but these polished to shine like satin then came the millius the beauties of the kangaroo rat family who had their home on the marillas after them came the buck and deer or native cat tribe painted in dull colours but in all sorts of patterns mairas and petty melons came too in haste to take part in the great corroborey after them walking slowly came the braulgos looking tall and dignified as they held up their red heads painted so in contrast to their french grey bodies which they deemed too dull a colour unbrightened for such a gay occasion amongst the many tribes there too numerous to mention were the rose and grey painted glass the green and crimson painted belay most brilliant were they were their bodies grass green and their sides bright crimson so afterwards gaining them the name of crimson wings the bright little gidgerigars came too great was the gathering that betulga the crane and gunoo the kangaroo rat found assembled as they hurried onto the scene betulga had warned gunoo that they must only be spectators and take no active part in the corroborey as they had to guard their cumby obedient to his advice gunoo seated herself beside him and slung the cumby over her arm betulga warned her to be careful and not forget she had it but as the corroborey went on so absorbed did she become that she forgot the cumby which slipped from her arm happily betulga saw her do so replaced it and bade her to take heed so balking beaga who had been about to his vigilant was unceasing and deemed him sick almost unto death the tomb whom lie was watching took no heed of him back he crouched moaning as he turned but kept keeping an eye on gunoo and soon was he rewarded now came the turn of the braulgos to dance and every eye but that of the watch war one was fixed on them as slowly they came into the ring first they advanced bowed and retired then they repeated what they had done before and again each time getting faster and faster in their movements changing their bows into pirouettes craning their long necks and making such antics as they went through the figures of their dance and replacing their dignity with such grotesqueness as to make their large audience shake with laughter they themselves keeping throughout all their grotesque meshes a solomere which only seemed to heighten the effect of their antics and now came the chance of being aga the hawk in the excitement of the moment gunoo forgot the cumbie as did betulga they joined in the mirthful applause of the crowd and gunoo threw herself back helpless with laughter as she did so the cumbie slipped from her arm then up jump the sick man from behind a cease the cumbie with his combo cut it open snatched forth the fire stick and set fire to a heap of grass ready near where he had lain and all before the two realized their loss when they discovered the precious cumbie was gone up jump betulga and gunoo after beaga ran betulga but beaga had a start and was fleet or on foot so distance his pursuer quickly as he ran he fired the grass with the stick he still held betulga finding he could not catch beaga and seeing fires everywhere retired from the pursuit feeling it was useless now to try and guard their secret for it had now become the common property of all the tribes there assembled end of chapter 7 chapter 8 of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs Kay Langlow Parker chapter 8 Weeder the Mockingbird Weeder was playing a great trick on the black fellas who lived near him he had built himself a number of grass newnoos more than 20 he made fires before each to make it look as if someone lived in the newnoos first he would go into one newnoo or humpy and cry like a baby then to another and laugh like a child then in turn as he went the round of the humpys he would sing like a maiden robbery like a man call out in a quavering voice like an old man and in a shrill voice like a woman in fact imitate any sort of voice he had ever heard and imitate them so quickly in succession that anyone passing would think there was a great crowd of blacks in that camp his object was to entice as many strange black fellas into the camp as he could one at a time then he would kill them and gradually gain the whole country round for his own his chance was when he managed to get a single black fella into his camp which he very often did then by his cunning to gain his end and the black fella's death this was how he attained that end a black fellow probably separated from his fellows in the excitement of the chase would be returning home alone passing within air shot of wedas camp he would hear the various voices and wonder what tribe could be there curiosity would induce him to come near he would probably peer into the camp and only seeing wedas standing alone would advance towards him would be standing at a little distance a big glowing fire where he would wait until the strange black fella came quite close to him then he would ask him what he wanted the stranger would say he had heard many voices and had wondered what tribe it could be so he had come near to find out weda would say but only I am here how could you have heard voices see look around I'm alone bewildered the stranger would look around and say in a puzzle tone of voice where are they all gone as I came I heard babies crying men calling women laughing many voices I heard but you only I see and only I am here the wind must have stirred the branches of the bala trees and you must have thought it was the wailing of children the laughing of the go go go you heard and thought at the laughter of women and mine must have been the voice as of men that you heard alone in the bush as the shadows fell a man breathed strange fancies see by the light of this fire where are your fancies now and laugh no babies cry only I weda talk as weda was talking he kept edging the stranger towards the fire when they were quite close to it he turned swiftly see stim and throw him into the middle of the place this scene was repeated time after time until at last the ranks of the blackfellas living around the camp of the weda began to get thin malian the eagle hawk determined to fathom the mystery for as yet the blackfellas had no clue as to how or where their friends had disappeared malian when beaga his cousin returned to his camp no more made up his mind to get on his track and follow it until at length he solved the mystery after following the track of beaga as he had chased the kangaroo to where he had slayed it on he followed his homeward trail over stone and ground he tracked him and through sand across plains and through scrub at last in a scrub and still on the track of beaga he heard the sounds of many voices babies crying women singing men talking peering through the bush finding the track took him nearer the spot when came the sounds he saw the grass humpies who can these be he thought the track led him right into the camp where alone weda was to be seen malian advanced towards him and asked where were the people whose voices he had heard as he came through the bush weda said how can I tell you I know of no people I live alone but said malian the eagle hawk it is crying women laughing and men talking not one but many and I alone am here ask off your ears what trick they played you or perhaps your eyes fail you now can you see any but me look for yourself and if as indeed it seems you only are here what did you do with beaga my cousin and where are my friends many are there trails that I see coming into this camp but none going out here you alone can answer me what no I of you or your friends nothing ask of baloo the moon who looks down on the earth by night ask you the son that looks down by day but ask not weda who dwells alone and knows not of your friends but as weda was talking he was carefully edging malian towards the fire malian the eagle hawk too was cunning and not easy to trap he saw a blazing fire in front of him he saw the track of his friend behind him he saw weda was edging him towards the fire and it came to him in a moment the thought that if the fire could speak well could it tell where were his friends but the time was not yet come to show that he had fathomed the mystery so he affected to fall into the trap but when they reached the fire before weda had time to act his usual part with a mighty grip malian the eagle hawk seized him saying even as you serve beaga the hawk my cousin and my friends so now serve i you and right into the middle of the blazing fire he threw him then he turned home woods in haste to tell the black fellas that he had solved the fate of their friends which had so long been a mystery when he was some distance from weda's camp he heard the sound of a thunder clap but it was not thunder it was the bursting of the back of weda's head which had burst with a bang as a thunder clap and as it burst out from his remains had risen a bird weda the mockingbird which bird to this day has a hole at the back of his head just in the same place as weda the black fellas head had burst and whence the bird came forth to this day weda makes grass playgrounds through which he runs imitating as he plays in quick succession any voices he has ever heard from the crying of a child to the laughing of a woman from the mowing of a cat to the barking of a dog and hence his name weda the mockingbird. End of Chapter 8 Chapter 9 of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs Kay Langlow Parker Chapter 9 the Gwinnaboo's The Red Breath Gwinnaboo and Gamay the water rats were down at the creek one day getting muscles for food went to their astonishment a kangaroo hopped right into the water beside them well they knew he must be escaping from hunters who were probably pressing him close so Gwinnaboo quickly seized her yam stick and knocked the kangaroo on the head he was caught fast in the weeds in the creek so could not escape when the two old women had killed the kangaroo they hid its body under the weeds in the creek fearing to take it out and cook it straight away lest the hunter should come up and claim it the little son of Gwinnaboo watched them from the bank after having hidden the kangaroo the women picked up their muscles and started for their camp when up came the hunters Coraine and Gijiraga who attract the kangaroo right to the creek seeing the woman they said did you see the kangaroo the woman answered no we saw no kangaroo they're strange for we had tracked it right up to here we have seen a kangaroo see we have been digging out muscles for food come to our camp and we will give you some when they are cooked the young men puzzled in their minds followed the woman to their camp and when the muscles were cooked the hunters joined the old women at their dinner the little boy would not eat the muscles he kept crying to his mother Gwinnaboo I want kangaroo I want kangaroo Gwinnaboo there said Coraine your little boy has seen the kangaroo and want some it must be here somewhere oh no he cries for anything he thinks of some days for kangaroo he's only a little boy he does not know what he wants said old Gwinnaboo but still the child kept saying Gwinnaboo Gwinnaboo I want kangaroo I want kangaroo Gamai was so angry with little Gwinnaboo for keeping on asking for kangaroo and thereby making the young men suspicious that she hit him so hard on the mouth to keep him quiet that the blood came rickled down his breast staining it red when she saw this old Gwinnaboo grew angry in her turn and hit old Gamai who returned the blow and so a fight began more words than blows so the noise was great the women fighting little Gwinnaboo crying not quite knowing whether he was crying because Gamai had hit him because his mother was fighting or because he still wanted kangaroo Coraine said to Gijiriga they have the kangaroo somewhere hidden let us slip away now in the confusion we will only hide then come back in a little while and surprise them they went quietly away and as soon as the two women noticed they had gone they ceased fighting and determined to cook the kangaroo they watched the two young men out of sight and waited some time so as to be sure that they were safe then down they hurried to get the kangaroo they dragged it out and were just making a big fire on which to cook it when up came Coraine and Gijiriga saying ah we thought so you had our kangaroo all the time little Gwinnaboo was right but we killed it said the woman but we hunted it here said the men and so saying caught hold of the kangaroo and dragged it away to some distance where they made a fire and cooked it Gamai, Gwinnaboo and her little boy went over to Coraine and Gijiriga and begged for some of the meat but the young men would give them none they little Gwinnaboo cried piteously for some but no they said they would rather throw what they did not want to the hawks than give it to the women or child at last seeing that there was no hope of getting any the women went away they built a big dada for themselves shutting themselves and the little boy up in it then they began singing a song which was to invoke a storm to destroy their enemies so for now they considered Coraine and Gijiriga for some time they chanted Mugire, Mugire, May, May, Ihood, Ihood, Ongara first they would begin very slowly and softly gradually getting it quicker and louder until at length they almost shrieked it out the words they said meant come hail stones, come wind, come rain, come lightning while they were chanting little Gwinnaboo kept crying and would not be comforted soon came a few big drops of rain then a big wind as that lulled more rain then came thunder and lightning the air grew bitterly cold then there came some pitiless hail storms hail stones bigger than a duck's egg fell cutting the leaves from the trees and bruising their bark Gijiriga and Coraine came running over to the dada begged the women to let them in no shriek Gwinnaboo above the storm there was no kangaroo meat for us there is no dada shelter for you ask shelter of the hawks whom you fed the men begged to be let in said they would hunt again and get kangaroo for the women not one but many no again shriek the women you would not even listen to the crying of a little child it is better such as you should perish and fierce raged the storm and louder sang the women Mugire, Mugire, May, May Ihu, Ihu, Dongara so long and so fierce was the storm that the young men must have perished had they not been changed into birds first they were changed into birds in the sky where they are now Gijiriga and Coraine with the kangaroo between them still bearing the names that they bore on the earth. End of Chapter 9 Chapter 10 of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore This is a LibriVox recording LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs K. Langlow Parker Chapter 10 Miyame the Seven Sisters Morana had had a long day's hunting and he came back to the camp tired and hungry he asked his old mother for Dari but she said there was none left then he asked some of the other blacks to give him some doom burst seeds that he might make Dari for himself but no one would give him anything he flew into a rage and he said I will go to a far country and live with strangers my own people would starve me and while he was yet hot and angry he went gathering up his weapons he strode forth to find a new people in a new country after he had gone some distance he saw a long way off an old man chopping out beastness the old man turned his face towards Warana and watched him coming but when Warana came close to him he saw that the old man had no eyes though he seemed to be watching him long before he could have hurt him it frightened Warana to see a stranger having no eyes yet turning his face towards him as if seeing him all the time but he determined not to show his fear but go straight on towards him which he did when he came up to him the stranger told him that his name was Maruna Milda and that his tribe were so called because they had no eyes but saw through their noses Warana thought it very strange and still felt rather frightened and kind for he gave Warana whom he said looked hungry a bark weary filled with honey told him where his camp was and gave him leave to go there and stay with him Warana took the honey and turned as if to go to the camp but when he got out of sight he thought it wiser to turn in another direction he journeyed on for some time until he came to a large lagoon where he decided to camp he took a long drink of water and then lay down to sleep when he woke in the morning he looked towards the lagoon but saw only a big plane he thought he must be dreaming he rubbed his eyes and looked again this is a strange country he said first I made a man who has no eyes and yet can see then at night I see a large lagoon full of water awake in the morning and see none the water was surely there for I drank some and yet now there is no water as he was wondering how the water could have disappeared so quickly he saw a big storm coming up he took it into the thick bush for shelter when he had gone a little way into the bush he saw a quantity of cut bark lying on the ground now I am right he said I should get some poles and with them and this bark make a dudur in which to shelter myself from the storm I see coming he quickly cut the poles he wanted stuck them up as a framework for his dudur then he went to lift up the bark as he lifted up a sheet of it he saw a strange looking object of no tribe that he had ever seen before this strange object cried out I am Balgananu in such a terrifying tone that Wurrano dropped the bark picked up his weapons and ran away as hard as he could quite forgetting the storm his one idea was to get as far away as he could from the Balgananu on he ran until he came to a big river which hemmed him in on three sides the river was too big to cross so he had to turn back yet he did not retrace his steps he turned in another direction as he turned to leave the river he saw a flock of emus coming to water the first half of the flock were covered with feathers but the last half had the form of emus but no feathers Wurrano decided to spear one for food for that purpose he climbed up a tree so that they should not see him he got his spear ready to kill one of the featherless birds as they passed by he picked out the one he meant to have through his spear and killed it then climbed down to go and get it as he was running up to the dead emu he saw that they were not emus at all but black fellas of a strange tribe they were all standing around their dead friend making savage signs as to what they would do by way of vengeance Wurrano saw that little would avail him the excuse that he had killed the black fellow in mistake for an emu his only hope lay in flight once more he took to his heels hardly daring to look around for fear he would see an enemy behind him on his bed until at last he reached a camp which he was almost into before he saw it he had only been thinking of danger behind him unheeding what was before him however he had nothing to fear in the camp he reached so suddenly for in it were only seven young girls they did not look terrifying in fact seemed more startled than he was they were quite friendly towards him when they found that he was alone and hungry they gave him food and allowed him to camp there the night he asked them where the rest of their tribe were and what their name was they answered that their name was Miame and that their tribe were in a far country they had only come to this country to see what it was like they would stay for a while and then return whence they had come the next day Wurrano made a fresh start and left the camp of the Miame as if he were leaving for good but he determined to hide near and watch what they did and if he could get a chance he would steal a wife from amongst them he was tired of travelling alone he saw the seven sisters all start out with the yam sticks in hand he followed at a distance taking care not to be seen he saw them stop by the nests of some flying ants with the yam sticks they dug all around those ant holes when they had successfully unearthed the ants they sat down throwing the yam sticks on one side to enjoy a feast for these ants were esteemed by them a great delicacy while their sisters were busy at their feast they sneaked up to the yam sticks and stole two of them then taking the sticks with him sneaked back to his hiding place when at length the Miame had satisfied the appetites they picked up their sticks and turned towards their camp again but only five could find their sticks so those five started off leaving the other two to find theirs supposing they must be somewhere near and finding them they would soon catch them up the two girls hunted all around the ants nest but could find no sticks Wurrano crept out and stuck the lost yam sticks near together in the ground then he slipped back into his hiding place when the two girls turned around there in front of them they saw their sticks with a cry of joyful surprise they ran to them and caught hold of them to pull them out of the ground in which they were firmly stuck as they were doing so out from his hiding place jumped Wurrano he seized both girls around their ways holding them tightly they struggled and screamed but to no purpose to hear them and the more they struggled the tighter Wurrano held them finding their screams and struggles in vain they quietened at length and then Wurrano told them not to be afraid he would take care of them he was lonely he said and wanted two wives they must come quietly with him and he would be good to them but they must do as he told them if they were not quiet he would swiftly quieten them with his Marilla but if they would come quietly with him he would be good to them the resistance was useless the two young girls complied with his wish and travelled quietly on with him they told him that someday their tribe would come and steal them back again to avoid which he travelled quickly on and on still further hoping to elude all pursuit some weeks passed and outwardly the two Miyame seemed settled down to their new life and quite content in it though when they were alone together they often talked off their sisters and wondered what they had done and they realised their loss they wondered if the five were still hunting for them or whether they had gone back to their tribe to get assistance that they might be in time forgotten and left with Wurrano forever they never once for a moment thought one day when they were camped Wurrano said this fire will not burn well go you two and get some bark from those two pine trees over there no they said we must not cut pine bark if we did you would never more see us go I tell you cut the pine bark I want it see you not that the fire burns but slowly if we go Wurrano we shall never return you will see us no more in this country we know it go women stay not to talk did you ever see talk make a fire burn then why stand you there talking go do as I bid you talk not so foolishly if you ran away soon should I catch you and catching you would beat you hard I talk no more the Miyamu went taking with them their combos with which to cut the bark they went each to a different tree and each with a strong hit drove her combo into the bark as she did so each felt the tree that her combo had struck rising higher out of the ground and bearing her upward with it higher and higher grew the pine trees and still on them higher and higher from the earth went the two girls hearing no chopping after the first hits he saw the pine trees growing taller even as he looked at them and clinging to the trunks of the trees high in the air he saw his two wives he called to them to come down but they made no answer time after time he called them as higher and higher they went but still they made no answer steadily taller grew the two pines until at last their tops touched the sky as they did so from the sky the five Miyame looked out caught the tree on the pine trees bidding them not to be afraid but to come to them quickly the two girls climbed up when they heard the voices of their sisters when they reached the tops of the pines the five sisters in the sky stretched forth their hands and drew them in to live with them there in the sky forever and there if you look you may see the seven sisters together you perhaps know them as Pleiades but the black fellows call them End of Chapter 10 Chapter 11 of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by David Lawrence Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs. K. Langlow Parker Chapter 11 The Cuckoo Burrows and the Gula-Gool Gugar the Iguana was married to Moudai the Apostle and Cuckoo Burra the Laughing Jackass Cuckoo Burra was the mother of three sons one growing up and living away from her the other two only little boys they had their camps near a Gula-Gool whence they obtained water a Gula-Gool is a water holding tree of the iron bark or box species it is a tree with a split in the fork of it and hollow below the fork after heavy rain this hollow trunk would be full of water which water would have run into it through the split in the fork a Gula-Gool would hold water for a long time the blacks knew a Gula-Gool amongst other trees by the mark which the overflow of water made down the trunk of the tree discoloring the bark Gugar the Iguana and his two wives went out hunting leaving the two little Cuckoo Burras at the camp they had taken out water for themselves and their Apostle skinned water bags but they had left none for the children who were too small to get any from the Gula-Gool for themselves so nearly perished from thirst their tongues were swollen in their mouths and they were quite speechless when they saw a man coming toward them when he came near it was Cuckoo Burra, their big brother they could not speak to him and answer when he asked where his mother was then he asked them what was the matter all they could do was point toward the tree he looked at it and saw it was a Gula-Gool so he said did your mother leave you no water they shook their heads he said they nodded go he said a little way off and you shall see how I will punish them for leaving my little brothers to perish of thirst he went toward the tree climbed up it and split it right down as he did so out gushed the water in a swiftly running stream soon the little fellows quenched their thirst and then in their joy bathed in the water which grew in volume every moment in the meantime those who had gone forth to hunt were returning and as they came toward their camp they met a running stream of water what is this they said our Gula-Gool must have burst and they tried to dam the water but it was running too strongly for them they gave up the effort and hurried on toward their camp but they found a deep stream divided them from their camp the three Cucaburas saw them and the eldest one said to the little fellows you call out and tell them to cross down there where it is not deep the little ones called out as they were told and where they pointed Gura and his wives waded into the stream finding she was getting out of her depth Cucabura, the laughing jackass, cried out Gura Gura Guga Gura Gura Guga give me a stick, give me a stick but from the bank her sons only answered in derision Gura Gura Guga and the three hunters were soon engulfed in the rushing stream drawn down by the current and drowned End of Chapter 11 Recording by David Lawrence in Brampton, Ontario December 6th, 2008 Chapter 12 of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore This is a LibriVox recording LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs Kaye Langlow Parker Chapter 12 The Mayama The blacks had all left their camp and gone away to attend Bora Nothing was left in the camp but one very old dog two old to travel After the blacks had been gone about three days one night came their enemies the GUIAS intending to surprise them and kill them Painted in all the glory of their war paint came the GUIAS the hair tied in top knots and ornamented with feathers and kangaroos teeth Their way was off paddy, melon and kangaroo rat skins cut in strips round their waist were new and strong holding firmly some of their boomerangs and waguras which they had stuck through them But prepared as they were for conquest they found only a deserted camp containing naught but one old dog They asked the old dog where the blacks were gone but he only shook his head Again and again they asked him and again and again he only shook his head At last some of the black fellas raised their spears and their marillas or nulla nullas saying if you don't tell us where the blacks are gone we shall kill you Then spoke the old dog saying only gone to the Bora and as he spoke every one of the GUIAS and everything they had with them was turned to stone Even the waiwas around their waist the top knots on their heads and their spears in their hands even these turned to stone and when the blacks returned to their camp long afterwards when the Bora was over and the boys who had been made young men gone out into the bush to undergo their novitiate each with his solitary guardian then saw the blacks their enemies the GUIAS standing around their old camp as if to attack it But instead of being men of flesh they were men of stone They, their weapons, their waiwas and all that belonged to them And at that place are to be found stones or mayamas of great beauty striped and marked and coloured by men painted And the place of the mayama is on one of the mounts near Beemory End of Chapter 12 Chapter 13 of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore This is a LibriVox recording LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs Kay Langlow Parker Chapter 13 The Bun Bun Delui The mother Bun Bun Delui put her child a little boy Bun Bun Delui who could just crawl into her goulay Goulay is a sort of small netted hammock slung by black women on their backs in which they carry their babies and goods in general Bun Bun Delui the pigeon put her goulay across her back and started out hunting When she had gone some distance she came to a clump of bannia At the foot of one of these she saw some large yulimara or grubs which were good to catch She picks them up and dug with her yam stick around the roots of the tree to get more She went from tree to tree getting grubs at everyone That she might gather them all she put down her goulay and hunted further around Soon in the excitement of her search she forgot the goulay with the child in it and wandered away Further and further she went from the dania clump to everyone's thinking of her poor birely or baby On and still on she went until at length she reached a far country The birely woke up and crawled out of the goulay First he only crawled about but soon he grew stronger and raised himself and stood by a tree Then day by day he grew stronger and walked alone and stronger still he grew and could run Then he grew on into a big boy and then into a man The mother saw while he was growing from birely to man But in the far country at length one day Bumbundalui the mother remembered the birely she had left Oh she cried, I forgot my birely I left my birely where the dania grow in a far country I must go to my birely, my poor birely I forgot it Mad must I have been when I forgot him My birely, my birely And away went the mother as fast as she could travel back to the dania clump When she reached the spot she saw the tracks of her birely first crawling then standing then walking and then running bigger and bigger were the tracks she followed until she saw they were the tracks of a man She followed them until she reached a camp No one was in the camp but a fire was set so she waited and while waiting looked around she saw her son had made himself many weapons and many opossum rugs which he had painted gaily inside Then at last she saw a man coming towards the camp and she knew he was her birely grown into a man As he drew near she ran out to meet him saying Bun Bundelui I am your mother the mother who forgot you as a birely and left you but now I have come to find you my son long was the journey my son and your mother was weary but now that she sees once more her birely who has grown into a man she is no longer weary but she sing in her joy ah Bun Bundelui my son Bun Bundelui my son and she ran forward with her arms out as if to embrace him but stern was the face of Bun Bundelui the son and no answer did he make with his tongue but he stooped to the ground and picked there from a big stone this swiftly he threw at his mother hitting her with such force that she fell dead to the earth End of Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs. K. Langlow Parker Chapter 14 Urnair and Guinaray Urnair the diver and Guinaray the eagle hawk told all the pelicans black swans, cranes and many others that they would take their net to the creek and catch fish if some of them would go and beat the fish down towards the net gladly went the pelicans black swans and the rest to the creek and splashed the water about to scare the fish down towards where Urnair and Guinaray were stationed with their net presently little Deeree Rea the wagtail and Buran Jin the peewee who were on the bank sitting on a stump called out look out we saw the back of an alligator in the water the diver and eagle hawk called back they were immune towards him go back or he will smell you but Deeree Rea and Buran Jin were watching the fish and did not heed what was said to them soon the alligator smelt them and he lashed out with his tail splashing the water so high and lashing so furiously that all the fishermen were drowned even Deeree Rea and Buran Jin on the bank and red was the bank of the creek and red the stump whereon Deeree Rea and Buran Jin had sat with the blood of the slain and the place his call grew made and is read forever End of Chapter 14 Chapter 15 of Australian Legendary Tales Folklore This is a Libravox recording all Libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information auto-volunteer please visit Libravox.org Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs. K. Langlow Parker Chapter 15 Naradan the Bat Naradan the Bat Wanted Honey He watched until he saw a Warren Nanna or be a light feather between its hind legs let it go and followed it He knew he could see the white feather and so followed the bee to its nest He ordered his two wives of the Bilba tribe to follow him with worries to carry home the honey in Night came on and Warren Nanna the bee had not reached home Naradan caught him imprisoned him under bark near until next morning When it was light enough to see Naradan let the bee go again and followed him to his nest in a gunny, yummy tree marking the tree with his combo that he might know it again He returned to hurry on his wives who were some way behind He wanted them to come on climb the tree and chop out the honey When they reached the marked tree the women climbed up She called out to Naradan that the honey was in a split in the tree He called back to her to put her hand in it and get it out She put her arm in but found she could not get it out again Naradan climbed up to help her but found when he reached her that the only way to free her was to cut off her arm This he did before she had time to realise what he was going to do and protest So great was the shock to her that she died instantly Naradan carried down her lifeless body and commanded her sister, his other wife to go up chop out the arm and get the honey She protested declaring the bees would have taken the honey away by now Not so he said go at once Every excuse she could think of to save herself she made But her excuses were in vain and Naradan only became furious with her for making them and brandishing his boondi drove her up the tree She managed to get her arm in beside her sister's but there it stuck and she could not move it Naradan who was watching her saw what had happened and followed her up the tree Finding he could not pull her arm out in spite of her cries he chopped it off as he done her sister's After one shriek as he drove his cumbo through her arm she was silent He said come down and I will chop out the bee's nest but she did not answer him and he saw that she too was dead Then he was frightened and climbed quickly down the ground with him He laid it beside her sister's and quickly he hurried from the spot taking no further thought of the honey As he neared his camp two little sisters of his wives ran out to meet him thinking their sisters would be with him and that they would give them a taste of the honey they knew they had gone out to get But to their surprise Naradan came alone and as he drew near to them they saw his arms were covered with blood and his face had a fierce look on it which frightened them from even asking where their sisters were They ran and told their mother that Naradan had returned alone that he looked fierce and angry Also his arms were covered with blood Out went the mother at the bilbers and she said where are my daughters Naradan Both went they this morning to bring home the honey you found You come back alone You bring no honey Your look is fierce as of one who fights and your arms are covered with blood Tell me I say Where are my daughters Ask me not Bilba Ask Wara Nanna the bee He may know Naradan the bat knows nothing and he wrapped himself in a silence and could peace Leaving him there before his camp the mother of the bilbers returned to her Dador and told her tribe that her daughters were gone and Naradan their husband would tell her nothing of them but she felt he knew their fate and certain she was that he had some tale to tell for his arms were covered with blood The chief of her tribe listened to her when she had finished and begun to wail for her daughters whom she thought she would see no more he said Mother of the bilbers your daughters shall be avenged if ought has happened to them at the hands of Naradan Fresh are his tracks and the young men of your tribe shall follow whence they have come and finding what Naradan has done swiftly shall they return Then shall we hold a corroborey and if your daughters fell at his hand Naradan shall be punished The mother of the bilbers said Well have you spoken, O my relation Now speed ye the young men lest the rain fall or the dust blow and the tracks be lost Then forth went the fleet as footed and the keenest died of the young men of the tribe O long back they came to the camp with the news that night was the corroborey held the women sat round in a half circle enchanted a monotonous chant keeping time by hitting some of them two boomerangs together and others beating their rolled up opossum rugs Big thighs were lit on the edge of the scrub throwing light on the dancers as they came dancing out from their camps painted in all manners of designs waywares round their waist tufts of feathers in their hair and carrying in their hands painted wands Heading the procession as the men filed out from the scrub into a cleared space in front of the women came Naradan The light of the fires lit up the treetops the dark barlas showed out in fantastic shapes and weird indeed was the scene as slowly the men danced round louder clipped the boomerangs and louder grew the chanting of the women higher were the fires piled until the flames shot their coloured tongues round the trunks of the trees and high into the air One fire was bigger than all and towards it the dancers' edge Naradan then the voice of the mother of the bilbas shrieked in the chanting above that of the other women As Naradan turned from the fire to dance back he found a wall of men confronting him These quickly seized him and hurled him into the madly leaking fire before him where he perished in the flames and so were the bilbas avenged End of Chapter 15 Chapter 16 of Australian Tales Folklore This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Australian Legendary Tales Folklore by Mrs. K. Langlow-Parker Chapter 16 Malianga The Morning Star Malian, the Eagle Hawk built himself a home high in a yarn tree there he lived apart from his tribe with Mudar the opossum his wife and Mudar the opossum his mother-in-law with them too was Buttergar a daughter of the Bagu or flying squirrel tribe Buttergar was a friend of Mudar the wife of Malian and a distant cousin to the Mudar tribe Malian, the Eagle Hawk was a cannibal that was the reason of his living apart from the other blacks in order to satisfy his cannibal cravings he used to sell a fourth with the big spear a spear about four times as big as an ordinary spear if he found a black fellow hunting alone he would kill him and take his body up to the house in the tree there the Mudar would cook it and all of them would eat the flesh for the women as well as Malian were cannibals this went on for some time until it last so many black fellows were slain that their friends determined to find out what became of them and they tracked the last one they missed they tracked him to where he had evidently been slain they took up the tracks of his slayer and brought them right to the foot of the Yarra and Tree in which was built the home of Malian they tried to climb the tree but it was high and straight and they gave up the attempt after many efforts in their despair at their failure they thought of the Bibis a tribe noted for its climbing powers they summoned two young Bibis to their aid one came bringing with him of the climbing rat tribe having heard what the blacks wanted them to do these famous climbers went to the Yarra and Tree and made a start at once there was only light enough that first night for them to see to reach a fork in the tree about half way up there they camp watch Malian away in the morning and then climbed on at last they reached the home their chance and then sneaked into his humpy when they were safely inside they hastened to secrete a smouldering stick in one end of the humpy taking care they were not seen by any of the women then they went quietly down again no one the wiser of their coming or going during the day the women heard sometimes a crackling noise as of burning but looked round they saw nothing and as their own fire was safe they took no notice thinking it might have been caused by some grass having fallen into their fire after their descent from having hidden the smouldering fire stick Bibi and Marawanda found the blacks and told them what they had done hearing that the plan was to burn out Malian and fearing that the tree might fall they all moved to some little distance there to watch and wait for the end great was their joy at the thought that at last their enemy was circumvented and proud were Bibi and Marawanda as the black fellows praised their prouds after dinnertime Malian came back when he reached the entrance to his house he pulled down his big spear outside then he went in and threw himself down to rest long had he walked and little had he gained in a few minutes he heard his big spear fall down he jumped up and stuck it in its place again he had no sooner thrown himself down than again he heard it fall once more he rose and replaced it as he reached his resting place again outburst the flame of fire from the end of his Humpy he called out to the three women who were cooking and they rushed to help him extinguish the flames but in spite of their efforts the fire only blazed the brighter Malian's arm was burnt off the mudah had their feet burnt and butagar was badly burnt too seeing they were helpless against the fire they turned to leave the Humpy to its fate and made good their own escape but they had left it too late and they were thrown to descend the tree the roof of the Humpy fell on them and all that remained when the fire ceased were the charred bones of the dwellers in the Yarra and Tree that was all that the blacks found of their enemies but their legend says that Malian, the eagle hawk lives in the sky as Malian got the morning star on one side of which is a little star which is his one arm on the other a larger star which is Mudah the opossum his wife End of Chapter 16 Gumbelgubbin the bastard his two wives Biaga the hawk Anui and the Curly with the two children of Biaga had their camps right away in the bush their only water supply was a small dungle or gill guy-hole the wives and children camped in one camp and Gumbelgubbin a short distance off in another one day the wives asked their husband to lend them the direl stone that they might grind some doombird to make dairy so they asked him several times they knew he did not want to use it himself for they saw his dairy on a piece of bark between two fires already cooking they determined to be revenge so said we will make some water bags off the opossum skins we will fill them with water and some day when Gumbelgubbin is out hunting we will empty the dungle of water take the children and run away when he returns he will find his wives and children gone and the dungle empty so that he would not lend us a direl the wives soon caught some opossums killed and skinned them plucked all the hair from the skins saving it to roll into string to make gamillas cleaned the skins of all flesh sewed them up with the sinews leaving only the neck opening when they finished they blew into them filled them with air tied them up and left them to dry for a few days when they were dry and ready to be used they chose today when Gumbelgubbin was away filled the water bags having travelled for some time they length-reached the river they saw two black fellows on the other side who when they saw the runaway wives and the two children swam over to them and asked whence they had come and whether they were going we are running away from our husband Gumbelgubbin who would lend us no direl to grind our doomburon and we ran away lest we and our children should starve for we could not live on meat alone but whether we are going we know not except that it must be far away Gumbelgubbin followed and killed us the black fellows said they wanted wives and would each take one in both care for the children the women agreed the black fellows swam back across the river each taking a child first and then a woman for as they came from the back country where no creeks were the women could not swim Gumbelgubbin came back from hunting and seeing no wives called aloud for them but heard no answer then he went to their camp and found them not then turning towards the dungle he saw that it was empty the tracks of his wives and children going towards the river great was his anger and vowing he would kill them when he found them he picked up his spears and followed their tracks until he too reached the river there on the other side he saw a camp and in it he could see strange black fellows his wives and his children he called aloud for them to cross him over for he too could not swim but the sun went down and still they did not answer he camped where he was that night and in the morning he saw the camp opposite had been deserted and set fire to the country all around was burnt so that not even the tracks of the black fellows and his wives could be found even had he been able to cross the river and never again did he see or hear of his wives