Goolahwilleel the Topknot Pigeons

Young Goolahwilleel deceived his family by pretending to hunt, instead crafting a kangaroo model from wattle-gum. When he presented it as real meat, his mother and sisters grew angry, realizing they were still without food. They punished him and vowed never to let him hunt alone again. Henceforth, Goolahwilleels always foraged together, ensuring cooperation and avoiding further trickery.

Source
Australian Legendary Tales
collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker
London & Melbourne, 1896

► Themes of the story

Trickster: Goolahwilleel deceives his family by crafting a kangaroo model from wattle-gum, pretending it to be real meat.

Community and Isolation: Goolahwilleel’s actions lead to his punishment and the decision that he should no longer hunt alone, reflecting on the importance of cooperation within the community.

Origin of Things: The story explains why Goolahwilleels (topknot pigeons) always forage together, attributing it to the ancestral behavior of ensuring cooperation and avoiding deceit.

► From the same Region or People

Australia
- Narran Lore

Learn more about the Aboriginal Australians

Young Goolahwilleeel used to go out hunting every day. His mother and sisters always expected that he would bring home kangaroo and emu for them. But each day he came home without any meat at all. They asked him what he did in the bush, as he evidently did not hunt. He said that he did hunt.

“Then why,” said they, “do you bring us nothing home?”

“I cannot catch and kill what I follow,” he said. “You hear me cry out when I find kangaroo or emu; is it not so?”

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“Yes; each day we hear you call when you find something, and each day we get ready the fire, expecting you to bring home the spoils of the chase, but you bring nothing.”

“To-morrow,” he said, “you shall not be disappointed. I will bring you a kangaroo.”

Every day, instead of hunting, Goolahwilleel had been gathering wattle-gum, and with this he had been modelling a kangaroo–a perfect model of one, tail, ears, and all complete. So the next day he came towards the camp carrying this kangaroo made of gum. Seeing him coming, and also seeing that he was carrying the promised kangaroo, his mother and sisters said: “Ah, Goolahwilleel spoke truly. He has kept his word, and now brings us a kangaroo. Pile up the fire. To-night we shall eat meat.”

About a hundred yards away from the camp Goolahwilleel put down his model, and came on without it. His mother called out: “Where is the kangaroo you brought home?”

“Oh, over there.” And he pointed towards where he had left it.

The sisters ran to get it, but came back saying: “Where is it? We cannot see it.”

“Over there,” he said, pointing again.

“But there is only a great figure of gum there.”

“Well, did I say it was anything else? Did I not say it was gum?”

“No, you did not. You said it was a kangaroo.”

“And so it is a kangaroo. A beautiful kangaroo that I made all by myself.” And he smiled quite proudly to think what a fine kangaroo he had made.

But his mother and sisters did not smile. They seized him and gave him a good beating for deceiving them. They told him he should never go out alone again, for he only played instead of hunting, though he knew they starved for meat. They would always in the future go with him.

And so for ever the Goolahwilleels went in flocks, never more singly, in search of food.

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Dinewan the Emu, and Wahn the Crows

Dinewan and his two wives camped out during a rainstorm, sheltering under a bark humpy. Dinewan repeatedly sabotaged the shelter to force his wives outside, finding amusement in their struggles. Realizing his mischief, the wives sought revenge, tossing hot coals onto him. Burned, Dinewan fled into the rain, while his wives stayed dry, laughing at his plight.

Source
Australian Legendary Tales
collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker
London & Melbourne, 1896

► Themes of the story

Trickster: Dinewan repeatedly deceives his wives by sabotaging their shelter, finding amusement in their discomfort.

Revenge and Justice: The wives, upon discovering Dinewan’s mischief, retaliate by throwing hot coals on him, delivering retribution for his actions.

Moral Lessons: The narrative imparts a lesson about the consequences of deceit and the importance of treating others with respect.

► From the same Region or People

Australia
- Narran Lore

Learn more about the Aboriginal Australians

Dinewan and his two wives, the Wahn, were camping out. Seeing some clouds gathering, they made a bark humpy. It came on to rain, and they all took shelter under it. Dinewan, when his wives were not looking, gave a kick against a piece of bark at one side of the humpy, knocked it down, then told his wives to go and put it up again. When they were outside putting it up, he gave a kick, and knocked down a piece on the other side; so no sooner were they in again than out they had to go. This he did time after time, until at last they su spected him, and decided that one of them would watch.

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The one who was watching saw Dinewan laugh to himself and go and knock down the bark they had just put up, chuckling at the thought of his wives having to go out in the wet and cold to put it up, while he had his supper dry and comfortably inside. The one who saw him told the other, and they decided to teach him a lesson. So in they came, each with a piece of bark filled with hot coals. They went straight up to Dinewan, who was lying down laughing.

“Now,” they said, “you shall feel as hot we did cold.” And they threw the coals over him. Dinewan jumped up, crying aloud with the pain, for he was badly burnt. He rolled himself over, and ran into the rain; and his wives stayed inside, and laughed aloud at him.

Ouyan the Curlew

Ouyan, a man pressured by his mother, Beeargah, to hunt for food, resorts to cutting flesh from his own legs to avoid returning empty-handed. His deception is uncovered by women sent to follow him. Enraged, Beeargah and the women beat Ouyan, cursing him to forever have thin, red legs. Ouyan disappears, but a bird with red legs, crying mournfully, becomes his legacy.

Source
Australian Legendary Tales
collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker
London & Melbourne, 1896

► Themes of the story

Sacrifice: Ouyan endures self-inflicted pain by cutting flesh from his own legs to provide food for his family, highlighting the lengths one might go to fulfill familial duties.

Cunning and Deception: Ouyan deceives his mother and the women by presenting his own flesh as emu meat, leading to eventual discovery and consequences.

Divine Punishment: Upon uncovering the truth, Ouyan’s mother and the women curse him, resulting in his transformation into a bird with thin, red legs, symbolizing a form of retribution.

► From the same Region or People

Australia
- Narran Lore

Learn more about the Aboriginal Australians

Bleargah the hawk, mother of Ouyan the curlew, said one day to her son: “Go, Ouyan, out, take your spears and kill an emu. The women and I are hungry. You are a man, go out and kill, that we may eat. You must not stay always in the camp like an old woman; you must go and hunt as other men do, lest the women laugh at you.”

Ouyan took his spears and went out hunting, but though he went far, he could not get an emu, yet he dare not return to the camp and face the jeers of the women.

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Well could they jeer, and angry could his mother grow when she was hungry. Sooner than return empty-handed he would cut some flesh off his own legs. And this he decided to do. He made a cut in his leg with his comebo and as he made it, cried aloud: “Yuckay! Yuckay,” in pain. But he cut on, saying: “Sharper would cut the tongues of the women, and deeper would be the wounds they would make, if I returned without food for them.” And crying: “Yuckay, yuckay,” at each stroke of his comebo, he at length cut off a piece of flesh, and started towards the camp with it.

As he neared the camp his mother cried out: “What have you brought us, Ouyan? We starve for meat, come quickly.”

He came and laid the flesh at her feet, saying: “Far did I go, and little did I see, but there is enough for all to-night; to-morrow will I go forth again.”

The women cooked the flesh, and ate it hungrily. Afterwards they felt quite ill, but thought it must be because they had eaten too hungrily. The next day they hurried Ouyan forth again. And again he returned bringing his own flesh back. Again the women ate hungrily of it, and again they felt quite ill.

Then, too, Beeargah noticed for the first time that the flesh Ouyan brought looked different from emu flesh. She asked him what flesh it was. He replied: “What should it be but the flesh of emu?”

But Beeargah was not satisfied, and she said to the two women who lived with her: “Go you, to-morrow, follow Ouyan, and see whence he gets this flesh.”

The next day, the two woman followed Ouyan when he went forth to hunt. They followed at a good distance, that he might not notice that they were following. Soon they heard him crying as if in pain: “Yuckay, yuckay, yuckay nurroo gay gay.” When they came near they saw he was cutting the flesh off his own limbs. Before he discovered that they were watching him, back they went to the old woman, and told her what they had seen.

Soon Ouyan came back, bringing, as usual, the flesh with him. When he had thrown it down at his mother’s feet, he went away, and lay down as if tired from the chase. His mother went up to him, and before he had time to cover his mutilated limbs, she saw that indeed the story of the women was true. Angry was she that he had so deceived her: and she called loudly for the other two women, who came running to her.

“You are right,” she said. “Too lazy to hunt for emu, he cut off his own flesh, not caring that when we unwittingly ate thereof we should sicken. Let us beat him who did us this wrong.”

The three women seized poor Ouyan and beat him, though he cried aloud in agony when the blows fell on his bleeding legs.

When the women had satisfied their vengeance, Beeargah said: “You Ouyan shall have no more flesh on your legs, and red shall they be for ever; red, and long and fleshless.” Saying which she went, and with her the other women. Ouyan crawled away and hid himself, and never again did his mother see him. But night after night was to be heard a wailing cry of, “Bou you gwai gwai. Bou you gwai gwai,” which meant, “My poor red legs. My poor red legs.”

But though Ouyan the man was never seen again, a bird with long thin legs, very red in colour under the feathers, was seen often, and heard to cry ever at night, even as Ouyan the man had cried: “Bou you gwai gwai. Bou you gwai gwai.” And this bird bears always the name of Ouyan.

Mooregoo the Mopoke, and Bahloo the Moon

Mooregoo the Mopoke, proud of his handmade weapons and opossum rugs, refused to lend or give any to Bahloo, the moon, who sought shelter on a cold night. Bahloo built his own shelter, and a relentless rain flooded the land. Mooregoo drowned, his creations scattered or ruined. The tale warns against selfishness and the consequences of hoarding one’s creations.

Source
Australian Legendary Tales
collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker
London & Melbourne, 1896

► Themes of the story

Divine Intervention: Bahloo, representing the moon, influences mortal affairs by causing a flood.

Conflict with Nature: Mooregoo faces the devastating force of a relentless flood.

Moral Lessons: The narrative warns against selfishness and the consequences of hoarding one’s creations.

► From the same Region or People

Australia
- Narran Lore

Learn more about the Aboriginal Australians

Mooregoo the Mopoke had been camped away by himself for a long time. While alone he had made a great number of boomerangs, nullah-nullahs, spears, neilahmans, and opossum rugs. Well had he carved the weapons with the teeth of opossums, and brightly had he painted the inside of the rugs with coloured designs, and strongly had he sewn them with the sinews of opossums, threaded in the needle made of the little bone taken from the leg of an emu. As Mooregoo looked at his work he was proud of all he had done.

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One night Babloo the moon came to his camp, and said: “Lend me one of your opossum rugs.”

“No. I lend not my rugs.”

“Then give me one.”

“No. I give not my rugs.”

Looking round, Bahloo saw the beautifully carved weapons, so he said, “Then give me, Mooregoo, some of your weapons.”

“No, I give, never, what I have made, to another.”

Again Bahloo said, “The night is cold. Lend me a rug.”

“I have spoken,” said Mooregoo. “I never lend my rugs.”

Barloo said no more, but went away, cut some bark and made a dardurr for himself. When it was finished and he safely housed in it, down came the rain in torrents. And it rained without ceasing until the whole country was flooded. Mooregoo was drowned. His weapons floated about and drifted apart, and his rugs rotted in the water.

Goomblegubbon, Beeargaii, and Ouyan

Goomblegubbon the bustard refused to share his grinding stone with his wives, Beeargah and Ouyan. Seeking revenge, they emptied their shared water source, fled with Beeargah’s children, and met two black fellows by a river. The men took them as wives, escaping Goomblegubbon’s pursuit by burning their tracks. Goomblegubbon, unable to cross the river, never saw his family again.

Source
Australian Legendary Tales
collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker
London & Melbourne, 1896

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: Beeargah and Ouyan devise a clever plan to escape, including emptying the water source and burning their tracks to prevent Goomblegubbon from following them.

Journey to the Otherworld: The wives’ departure from their home and crossing the river symbolizes a transition into a new phase of life, leaving behind their past.

Loss and Renewal: The story concludes with Goomblegubbon losing his family, while Beeargah and Ouyan find new partners, signifying an end and a new beginning.

► From the same Region or People

Australia
- Narran Lore

Learn more about the Aboriginal Australians

Goomblegubbon the bustard, his two wives, Beeargah the hawk, and Ouyan the curlew, with the two children of Beeargah, had their camps right away in the bush; their only water supply was a small dungle, or gilguy hole. The wives and children camped in one camp, and Goomblegubbon a short distance off in another. One day the wives asked their husband to lend them the dayoorl stone, that they might grind some doonburr to make durrie. But he would not lend it to them, though they asked him several times. They knew he did not want to use it himself, for they saw his durrie on a piece of bark, between two fires, already cooking.

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They determined to be revenged, so said:

“We will make some water bags of the opossum skins; we will fill them with water, then some day when Goomblegubbon 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; then he will be sorry that he would not lend us the dayoorl.”

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 goomillahs, cleaned the skins of all flesh, sewed them up with the sinews, leaving only the neck opening. When 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 a day when Goomblegubbon was away, filled the water bags, emptied the dungle, and started towards the river.

Having travelled for some time, they at 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 whither they were going.

“We are running away from our husband Goomblegubbon, who would lend us no dayoorl to grind our doonburr on, and we ran away lest we and our children should starve, for we could not live on meat alone. But whither we are going we know not, except that it must be far away, lest Goomblegubbon follow and kill us.”

The black fellows said they wanted wives, and would each take one, and 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.

Goomblegubbon 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. Then he saw 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 round 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 or his children.

Mullyangah the Morning Star

Mullyan, the eagle hawk, a cannibal, lived in a yaraan tree with his wife, her mother, and a friend. Mullyan preyed on solitary hunters, sparking outrage among his tribe. Two expert climbers secretly set a fire in his home. When the fire erupted, Mullyan and his companions perished. Legend says Mullyan became the morning star, accompanied by stars symbolizing his family.

Source
Australian Legendary Tales
collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker
London & Melbourne, 1896

► Themes of the story

Good vs. Evil: The narrative centers on Mullyan, the eagle hawk, who engages in cannibalism, preying upon his own tribe members. His malevolent actions starkly contrast with the tribe’s efforts to stop his atrocities, highlighting the classic struggle between opposing moral forces.

Divine Punishment: Mullyan’s heinous deeds do not go unpunished. The tribe devises a plan to set his home ablaze, leading to his demise. This outcome reflects the theme of retribution from higher powers or the community for transgressions.

Transformation: After his death, Mullyan is transformed into the morning star, accompanied by stars representing his family. This metamorphosis signifies a change from his earthly existence to a celestial form, embodying the theme of transformation.

► From the same Region or People

Australia
- Narran Lore

Learn more about the Aboriginal Australians

Mullyan, the eagle hawk, built himself a home high in a yaraan tree. There he lived apart from his tribe, with Moodai the opossum, his wife, and Moodai the opossum, his mother-in-law. With them too was Buttergah, a daughter of the Buggoo or flying squirrel tribe. Buttergah was a friend of Moodai, the wife of Mullyan, and a distant cousin to the Moodai tribe.

Mullyan the eagle hawk was a cannibal. That was the reason of his living apart from the other blacks.

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In order to satisfy his cannibal cravings, he used to sally forth with a 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 Moodai and Buttergab would cook it, and all of them would eat the flesh; for the women as well as Mullyan were cannibals. This went on for some time, until at 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 followed them right to the foot of the yaraan tree, in which was built the home of Mullyan. 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 Bibbees, a tribe noted for its climbing powers. They summoned two young Bibbees to their aid. One came, bringing with him his friend Murrawondah of the climbing rat tribe.

Having heard what the blacks wanted them to do, these famous climbers went to the yaraan 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 camped, watched Mullyan away in the morning, and then climbed on. At last they reached the home of Mullyan. They watched 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 looking 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, Bibbee and Murrawondah found the blacks and told them what they had done. Hearing that the plan was to burn out Mullyan, 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 Bibbee and Murrawondah as the black fellows praised their prowess.

After dinner-time Mullyan came back. When he reached the entrance to his house he put down his big spear outside. Then he went in and threw himself down to rest, for 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, out burst a 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. Mullyan’s arm was burnt off. The Moodai had their feet burnt, and Buttergah was badly burnt too. Seeing they were helpless against the fire, they turned to leave the humpy to its fate, and make good their own escape. But they had left it too late. As they turned 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 yaraan tree. That was all that the blacks found of their enemies; but their legend says that Mullyan the eagle hawk lives in the sky as Mullyangah 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 Moodai the opossum, his wife.

Narahdarn the Bat

Narahdarn the bat sought honey by tracking a bee with a feather. Forcing his wives to retrieve it, he cut off their arms when they got stuck, leading to their deaths. Their mother sought justice, rallying her tribe. During a ceremonial corrobboree, Narahdarn was seized and thrown into the fire, avenging the Bilber women and ending his cruelty.

Source
Australian Legendary Tales
collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker
London & Melbourne, 1896

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: Narahdarn uses a deceptive method to track the bee by attaching a feather, showcasing his cunning nature.

Revenge and Justice: The mother of the deceased wives seeks justice for her daughters’ deaths, leading to Narahdarn’s punishment during the corrobboree.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts lessons on the consequences of cruelty and the importance of justice within a community.

► From the same Region or People

Australia
- Narran Lore

Learn more about the Aboriginal Australians

Narahdarn, the bat, wanted honey. He watched until he saw a Wurranunnah, or bee, alight. He caught it, stuck a white feather between its hind legs, let it go and followed it. He knew he could see the white feather, and so follow the bee to its nest. He ordered his two wives, of the Bilber tribe, to follow him with wirrees to carry home the honey in. Night came on and Wurranunnah the bee had not reached home. Narahdarn caught him, imprisoned him under bark, and kept him safely there until next morning. When it was light enough to see, Narahdarn let the bee go again, and followed him to his nest, in a gunnyanny tree.

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Marking the tree with his comebo 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 one of the women climbed up. She called out to Narahdarn that the honey was in a split in the tree. He called back to her to put her hand in and get it out. She put her arm in, but found she could not get it out again. Narahdarn 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. Narahdarn 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 Narahdarn 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. Narahdarn, 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 had done her sister’s. After one shriek, as he drove his comebo through her arm, she was silent. He said, “Come down, and I will chop out the bees’ nest.” But she did not answer him, and he saw that she too was dead. Then he was frightened, and climbed quickly down the gunnyanny tree; taking her body to 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 Narahdarn 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 Narahdarn had returned alone, that he looked fierce and angry, also his arms were covered with blood. Out went the mother of the Bilbers, and she said, “Where are my daughters, Narahdarn? Forth 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, Bilber. Ask Wurranunnah the bee, he may know. Narahdarn the bat knows nothing.” And he wrapped himself in a silence which no questioning could pierce. Leaving him there, before his camp, the mother of the Bilbers returned to her dardurr and told her tribe that her daughters were gone, and Narahdarn, their husband, would tell her nothing of them. But she felt sure 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 aught has happened to them at the hands of Narahdarn. Fresh are his tracks, and the young men of your tribe shall follow whence they have come, and finding what Narahdarn has done, swiftly shall they return. Then shall we hold a corrobboree, and if your daughters fell at his hand Narahdarn shall be punished.”

The mother of the Bilbers said: “Well have you spoken, oh 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 fleetest footed and the keenest eyed of the young men of the tribe. Ere long, back they came to the camp with the news of the fate of the Bilbers.

That night was the corrobboree held. The women sat round in a half-circle, and chanted a monotonous chant, keeping time by hitting, some of them, two boomerangs together, and others beating their rolled up opossum rugs.

Big fires were lit on the edge of the scrub, throwing light on the dancers as they came dancing out from their camps, painted in all manner of designs, waywahs round their waists, 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 Narahdarn. The light of the fires lit up the tree tops, the dark balahs showed out in fantastic shapes, and weird indeed was the scene as slowly the men danced round; louder clicked 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 edged Narahdarn; then the voice of the mother of the Bilbers shrieked in the chanting, high above that of the other women. As Narahdarn 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-leaping fire before him, where he perished in the flames. And so were the Bilbers avenged.

Oongnairwah and Guinarey

Oongnairwah, the diver, and Guinarey, the eagle hawk, organized pelicans, swans, and others to drive fish into their net. Despite warnings from Deereeree and Burreenjin about an alligator, they ignored the danger. The alligator attacked, drowning everyone and staining the creek red with blood. The site, called Goomade, remains red forever, marking the tragic event.

Source
Australian Legendary Tales
collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker
London & Melbourne, 1896

► Themes of the story

Loss and Renewal: The tragic loss of the fishermen is memorialized by the permanently red-stained creek, symbolizing the enduring impact of the event.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts a cautionary message about the consequences of ignoring warnings and underestimating natural dangers.

Sacred Spaces: The site of the tragedy, Goomade, becomes a significant location marked by the blood-red creek, holding cultural and historical importance.

► From the same Region or People

Australia
- Narran Lore

Learn more about the Aboriginal Australians

Oongnairwah, the diver, and Guinarey, 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. In they jumped, and splashed the water about to scare the fish down towards where Oongnairwah and Guinarey were stationed with their net.

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Presently little Deereeree, the wagtail, and Burreenjin, 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, “Go away, then. The wind blows from you towards him. Go back or he will smell you.”

But Deereeree and Burreenjin were watching the fishing 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 Deereeree and Burreenjin on the bank–not one escaped, And red was the bank of the creek, and red the stump whereon Deereeree and Burreenjin had sat, with the blood of the slain. And the place is called Goomade and is red for ever.

The Bunbundoolooeys

Bunbundoolooey, a mother pigeon, forgets her baby in a goolay while hunting. The baby grows into a man alone. Years later, the mother remembers and seeks him. She finds her son’s tracks leading to a camp and joyfully reunites with him. However, the son, harboring anger for her abandonment, rejects her and kills her with a stone before continuing to his camp.

Source
Australian Legendary Tales
collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker
London & Melbourne, 1896

► Themes of the story

Family Dynamics: The narrative centers on the relationship between a mother and her son, highlighting the consequences of neglect and abandonment.

Revenge and Justice: The son’s act of killing his mother upon their reunion serves as retribution for her earlier neglect, embodying the theme of revenge.

Conflict with Authority: The son’s rejection and violent response to his mother’s authority underscore a challenge to familial hierarchy.

► From the same Region or People

Australia
- Narran Lore

Learn more about the Aboriginal Australians

The mother Bunbundoolooey put her child, a little boy Bunbundoolooey, who could only just crawl, into her goolay. Goolay is a sort of small netted hammock, slung by black women on their backs, in which they carry their babies and goods in general. Bunbundoolooey, the pigeon, put her goolay across her back, and started out hunting.

When she had gone some distance she came to a clump of bunnia or wattle trees. At the foot of one of these she saw some large euloomarah or grubs, which were good to cat.

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She picked some up, and dug with her yam stick round the roots of the tree to get more. She went from tree to tree, getting grubs at every one. That she might gather them all, she put down her goolay, and hunted further round.

Soon in the excitement of her search, she forgot the goolay with the child in it, and wandered away. Further and further she went from the Dunnia clump, never once thinking of her poor birrahlee, or baby. On and still on she went, until at length she reached a far country.

The birrablee woke up, and crawled out of the goolay. 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, and his mother he never saw while he was growing from birrahlee to man.

But in the far country at length one day Bunbundoolooey, the mother, remembered the birrablee she had left.

“Oh,” she cried, “I forgot my birrahlee. I left my birrablee where the Dunnias grow in a far country. I must go to my birrahlee. My poor birrahlee! I forgot it. Mad must I have been when I forgot him. My birrahlee! My birrahlee!”

And away went the mother as fast as she could travel back to the Dunnia clump in the far country. When she reached the spot she saw the tracks of her birrablee, 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 there, so she waited, and while waiting looked round. 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 birrahlee, grown into a man. As he drew near she ran out to meet him, saying:

“Bunbundoolooey, I am your mother. The mother who forgot you as a birrahlee, 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 birrahlee, who has grown into a man, she is no longer weary, but glad is her heart, and loud could she sing in her joy. Ah, Bunbundoolooey, my son! Bunbundoolooey, my son!”

And she ran forward with her arms out, as if to embrace him.

But stern was the face of Bunbundoolooey, the son, and no answer did he make with his tongue. But he stooped to the ground and picked therefrom a big stone. This swiftly he threw at his mother, hitting her with such force that she fell dead to the earth.

Then on strode Bunbundoolooey to his camp.

The Mayamah

A group of Gooeeays, adorned in war-paint and armed, sought to ambush their enemies, only to find an empty camp guarded by an old dog. When the dog revealed the others had gone to a borah, the Gooeeays were magically turned to stone along with their weapons and adornments. The site near Beemery now holds beautiful stones, symbolizing their transformation.

Source
Australian Legendary Tales
collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker
London & Melbourne, 1896

► Themes of the story

Divine Punishment: The Gooeeays’ malicious intent leads to their petrification, serving as a form of retribution for their hostile actions.

Sacred Spaces: The site near Beemery, where the stone figures stand, becomes a place of spiritual significance, symbolizing the consequences of the Gooeeays’ actions.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts a lesson on the repercussions of harboring ill intentions and the protective power of mystical forces.

► From the same Region or People

Australia
- Narran Lore

Learn more about the Aboriginal Australians

The blacks had all left their camp and gone away to attend a borah. Nothing was left in the camp but one very old dog, too old to travel. After the blacks had been gone about three days, one night came their enemies, the Gooeeays, intending to surprise them and kill them. Painted in all the glory of their war-paint came the Gooeeays, their hair tied in top-knots and ornamented with feathers and kangaroos’ teeth. Their waywahs of paddy, melon, and kangaroo rat skins cut in strips, round their waists, were new and strong, holding firmly some of their boomerangs and woggoorahs, which they had stuck through them.

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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 fellows raised their spears and their moorillahs or nullah-nullahs, saying:

“If you do not tell us where the blacks are gone, we shall kill you.”

Then spoke the old dog, saying only: “Gone to the borah.”

And as he spoke every one of the Gooeeays and everything they had with them was turned to stone. Even the waywahs round their waists, the top-knots on their heads, and the spears in their hands, even these turned to stone. And when the blacks returned to their camp long afterwards, when the borah 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 Gooeeays, standing round their old camp, as if to attack it. But instead of being men of flesh, they were men of stone–they, their weapons, their waywahs, and all that belonged to them, stone.

And at that place are to be found stones or mayamahs of great beauty, striped and marked and coloured as were the men painted.

And the place of the mayamah is on one of the mounts near Beemery.