The original book was produced in collaboration with Sheperdson College and the Elcho Island Community. The story was shared by Senior Traditional Owner Djuŋatjuŋa Yunupiŋu and the translation done by Helen Rrikawuku Yunupiŋu. Additional thanks for assistance in editing go to Daisy Nywarranywarra Gondarra, Rhoda Goluŋ Dhurrkay, Helen Nuŋgalurr Bukulatjpi. The illustrations were made with children from Years 4 and S working with Liz Thompson.
Thanks go to all those senior community members consulted during the production of the book, particularly Dhangal Gurruwiwi, Rrikawuku Yunupiŋu, Djuŋatjuŋa Yunupiŋu, James Daymaŋu Bukulatjpi and Johnny Barrmula Burarrwaŋa.
Shepherdson College is grateful to Liz Thompson and Djuŋatjuŋa Yunupiŋu for granting permission to produce a Djambarrpuyŋu version of Djulpan for use at Shepherdson College.
This resource is not produced by the LPC - Shepherdson College and is not able to be accessed digitally. Please contact the LPC for copies of this book.
Page 2
Waŋganymirriy waluy maṉḏa gan nhinan Ḻaḻu ga Ŋaḻindi yurr galki mayaŋmirriŋur wäŋaŋur.
Yurr ḻundu'manydji maṉḏa ŋunhi yolŋuny, ga…
Once, Parrotfish and Moon lived together near a riverbank. They were very good friends, until…
Page 4
…waŋganydhun walu maṉḏa ŋarrtjunminan.
Bala ŋayiny Ḻaḻun waŋanan bitjarra, "Ŋarrany dhu dhuwal balan marrtji ḏamurruŋ'lil gapulila bay, ga ŋunhiliyin nhini gi, bala ŋarra dhu djuḻuḻ'yurra gadharralila miṯtjilil, märr nheny ŋarrany dhu bäyŋun bulu nhäŋu."
…one day they had an argument.
Parrotfish said, "I will go to the saltwater and sit there. I will hide under the coral reef so that you will never see me again".
Page 6
Yurr ŋayin Ŋaḻindin nhanŋu ŋaramurryinan dhika, bala ŋayi bitjarra waŋan, "Ma', gatjuy marrtjin ga ŋunhi nhe dhu godarr'tja rakunydhi ga balan-bala yan gupa-ḏälnha.
Bäyŋuny nhe dhu buluny walŋadhi. Bay bili ŋarrany dhu godarr' rakunydhi, ga ḻurrkun' yan waluy.
Ga bulu ŋarra dhu godarr' walŋadhi".
This made Moon angry at her, so he answered her like this, "Okay, off you go, and when you die, it will be forever. You won't come back to life. But when I die, it will only be for three days. After three days I will live again."
Page 8
Bala ŋayiny Ḻaḻun marrtjinan bala nhinan ḏamurruŋ'ŋur gapuŋura bala ŋayi djuḻuḻ'yurra gadharralila miṯtjilil.
Bitjarr bili ŋunhiliyin ŋayi gan nhinan dhuŋgarra ga dhuŋgarra, ga yan ḻinygu rumbal ŋayi marrtjin miny'tjimirriyiny balanya nhakun gadharran mala.
Then Parrotfish went to sit in the sea and hid in the coral reef.
She lived like this for years and years, until her body became colourful just like the coral reef.
Page 10
Ga ŋayiny Ŋaḻindin marrtjin balan garramatlila ga nhinan gan ŋunhiliyin bili garramatnha maŋanŋura. Ga bitjan bili ŋuli Ŋaḻindin rakunydhinya ga bay ŋuli ḻurrkun' walu djuḻkthun ga bulu ŋayi ŋuli walŋathirr.
Ga wiripun ŋayi ŋuli Ŋaḻindi djälthirr nhänharaw nhanŋu Ḻaḻuw yurr bäyŋun ŋayi ŋuli maḻŋ'maramany ŋanya, ḻinygu ŋayi ŋuli ŋunhi malthun ŋurikiyin gadharrawnha miny'tjiw.
Moon rose up into the sky and sat amongst the clouds. Moon died, and when three days passed, he lived again.
Moon wanted to see Parrotfish but couldn't find her, because her body matched the colour of the coral.
Page 12
Bala, waŋganydhun walu ŋayi Ḻaḻuny rakunydhinan, yurr gupa-ḏälnha yan bili ŋayi Ŋaḻindiy ŋäthil nhanukal lakaram.
Ga dhiyaŋuny bala walal ga ḻaḻu mala baḏak nhina ŋunhan gadharraŋur miṯtjiŋur miny'tji wapthuna.
Then, one day Parrotfish died, and it was forever, just as Moon had told her before.
Today, other parrotfish still live under the coral, flashing their colour.
Page 14
Ga ŋunhi bili ŋunha waŋgany Ŋaḻindin ga gorrum ŋunha garramattja maŋanŋurnydja.
But the same Moon still lives in the sky amongst the clouds.
Page 16
Ŋunha ŋayi ŋuli dhiŋgam ḻurrkun' dhu waluy bitjan bili Ŋaḻindi ŋupan.
There he always follows the same pattern of dying for three days every month.
Dhuwal dhäwu Baḏurrupuy miyalkkuŋ waŋganykuŋ, miyalk yäku Yililpawuy. Djambarrpuyŋu ŋayi Yolŋuny, Djambarrpuyŋu wäŋa Ḻuŋurrpuy, Marapay ga Djarrayapuy.
This story was told by Djambarrpuyŋu elder, a lady named Yililpawuy. She is a Dhuwa person of the Djambarrpuyŋu clan and her family comes from Ḻuŋurrpuy, Marapay and Djarrayapuy in northeast Arnhem Land.
Told by Dorothy Yililpawuy Wanybarrŋa
Transcribed by Joy Bulkanhawuy Dhamarraṉdji and Hannah Harper
Illustrations by Shepherdson College students Jason Burarrwaŋa, Shanika Gemiyawuy, Martha Hewett, Basu Hammon, Neyo Ymayima, Kiki Gawla, Joshua Garrawurra, Geyonte Elisala, Eric Gaykamalju, Zebelda Yunupiŋu, Naomi Gamalaŋga, Jayron Daniels and Quinton Dhamarraṉdji.
Published by ARDS Aboriginal Corporation © 2019
This resource is not produced by the LPC - Shepherdson College and is not able to be accessed digitally. Please contact the LPC for copies of this book.
This story has been translated into Djambarrpuyŋu from
Mirriway' ga Bäruy gana ḏuttji'yurruna published by the Literature Production Centre - Milingimbi School in Gupapuyŋu © 1983
Page 1:
Maṉḏa marrtjin waṉḏin yolŋu märrma', Mirriwa' ga Bäru. Waṉḏin maṉḏa
marrtjin, dhut maṉḏa nhinan; "Way, ŋali gurtha dhiyal ḏuttji'yun, ŋe?",
bitjarr ŋayi waŋan Bäru. Ga wäŋan ŋunhi yäku Gurthamayaŋwaŋan.
"Ŋali dhu dhiyal ḏuttji'yun", bitjarr ŋayi nhanŋu yoraŋal Mirriwa'.
There were two people travelling, Mirriwa' and Bäru. The two of them walked and stopped to sit “Hey, we should make a fire here, yes?”, said Bäru.
The place there is called Gurthamayaŋwaŋan.
“We should make a fire here”, Mirriwa’ replied in agreement.
Page 3
Bala maṉḏa gan ḏuttji'yurra, ga ŋayiny nhanŋu waŋan bitjarr, "Nheny ḏuttji'yurr, ŋe?". Bitjarr ŋayi waŋan Mirriwa', "Ŋarrany ŋunha dhu man'pili buma, boy'-puyyunaraw; märr ga ŋayi dhu nhära ŋuruŋiyi man'piliy".
"Yow'. Gatjuy litjalaŋ.", bitjarr ŋayi Bäruny waŋan.
And so the two went to make a fire, and Bäru said to him, “You make the fire, yes?”.
Mirriwa’ said “I will collect soft bark from over there, to blow on, so that the soft bark catches fire.”
“Yes, off you go for us.” said Bäru.
Page 5
Bala ŋayi ŋunhi marrtjinan Mirriwany' man'pilinha. Bal', pal', pal', pal' ŋayi; ga baṯ ŋayi ŋayathaŋal dharpa gaḏayka. Ga bili ŋayi gan ŋunhi yirrparnha ŋunhi dharpany man'piliwnha; yirrpara, yirrpara, yirrpara, ga burdji-burdjimaraŋal.
Bala ŋayi marrtjin gäŋalnha ŋayi ŋunhi man'piliny nhanukal. Gäŋal ŋayi marrtjin ŋunhi man'piliny, ga gurray gurrupar nhanukal Bäruwal, ŋayiny märraŋal ŋunhi man'piliny, bala maṉḏa gan ḏuttji'yurra. Yan bili, ga nhäran maṉḏaŋguŋ.
And so, Mirriwa’, walked off to get soft bark. Pat, pat, pat, pat, he reached and held the wood of the stringybark tree. And then he scraped the soft bark from that tree, scrape, scrape, scrape, and rubbed the bark together.
And so he walked off, carrying the soft bark with him. He walked with the soft bark, and threw it down to Bäru, he took that soft bark, then they went to make a fire. The two of them would work until they got the fire going.
Page 7
"Ŋay' dhuwana, boy'yurra litjalaŋ", bitjarr ŋayi Mirriwa' Bäruw, ga ŋayiny bitjarr Bäruny,
"Yaka. Nhe litjalaŋ boy'-puyyurr".
"Manymak", bitjarr Mirriwa'; bala ŋayi boy'-puyyurr ŋunhi gurthany maṉḏaŋ. Boy', puy', puy', bala baṯnha ŋurrkaŋal. Bala nhäranan ŋunhi gurthany, ŋala'-ŋalapthurra.
“Here, you take it, blow on it and spark it for us.”, Mirriwa’ said to Bäru, and Bäru said,
“No. You blow on it for us.”
“Fine,” said Mirriwa’, and then he began to blow on the embers so that they could have a fire. Woosh, woosh, woosh, fanning the flames into a fire. And then there was a fire, the flames flared and burned brightly.
Page 9
Bala maṉḏa ŋunhi ŋunhiliyiny djambi warrakan'thinan. Nhakun bäruthinan, ga mirriwa'thinan.
Ga manymak, ga ŋayi nhanŋu waŋan bitjarr Bäru, "Mak bala ŋathil ḏawa'yurr, ŋunhi nhä nhäŋu dhärra ga". Ga ŋayi gan bitjarr bala ḏawa'yurr, bala ŋayi Bäruynydja djaw'yurra ŋunhi gurthany, gapulila ŋayi ḻupthurra. Ga bitjarr bala ŋayi ḏawa'yurr ŋunhi Mirriwany', ga nhäŋal Bärunydja bäyŋuny.
And then the two of them changed and became animals then and there, just like, the crocodile and the frill-necked lizard.
All was well, Crocodile said to him, “Maybe, take a look behind you, look what is standing over there”. Then he looked over his shoulder, and Crocodile snatched the fire, and submerged himself into the water. He did this while Frill-necked lizard was looking over his shoulder, and did not see Crocodile disappear.
Page 11
"Ye---e, gurtha ŋarraku ŋunha djaw'yurr Bäruy", bitjarr ŋayi Mirriwa' waŋan. Bala ŋayi waṉḏinan, bal', pal', pal', ŋunhal; ga ŋal'yurra ŋayi dharpaŋur, ga yan bäyŋu. Waṉḏin ŋayi waŋgany'ŋulilnydja muka, ga bal', pal', pal', ŋunhal; ŋal'yurr ŋayi ga yan bäyŋu. Ga bulu bal', pal', pal', pal', ga ŋal'yurr ŋayi, ga bäyŋu.
“Arghh, Crocodile, that’s my fire you stole.” Frill-necked lizard cried out. He ran, pat, pat, pat, and not too far away, he climbed up into a tree but saw nothing. He ran to another tree, pat, pat, pat and climbed it but saw nothing. He ran to one more, pat, pat, pat, climbed it but never saw any sign of Crocodile.
Page 13
Ga ŋayiny ŋunhi Bäruny waŋan bitjarr, "Dhuwal gurtha ŋarra djaw'yurr, dhuwal ŋarraku; yalala ŋarra dhu ga mulka nhina dhiyaŋ gurthay." Ga wäŋany ŋunhi yäku Gurthamayaŋwaŋan.
Then Crocodile said, “This is the fire I stole, this is mine, later I will use the fire to keep me warm.” This place has the name Gurthamayaŋwaŋan.
GURRUḺANGALAŊUWUY DHÄWU
Dhuwandja dhäwu baman'puy ŋurruṉaŋgalpuy, ŋunhi Gurruḻan gan nhinan dhiyal wäŋaŋur. Nhinan ŋayi, bala ŋayi marrtjinan, ga märraŋalnha dharpa biḻparr, bala djarrktjarrk-thurrnha ŋunhiyi biḻparrny't ja. Ga bulu ŋayi ḏuwaṯthurr bala djaḻumbuw, bala ŋayi gulkthurra ŋuriŋi Gurruḻandhu djaḻumbuny, bala ŋayi batharnha.
Ga ŋayiny marrtjin beŋur Buṉḏawiliŋur Gämuny. Bala ŋayiny nhäŋalnha ŋanya Gurruḻandhuny, bala ŋayi ŋurrkaŋalnha biḻparrny'tja, bala ŋunhi wäŋany dhuwal yindithinan guḻundja.
Ga ŋäthilnydja gan dhuwal wäŋa dhärran bäyŋu guḻun, ga bäyŋu gapu ganha yindi bäninya; nyumukuṉiny yän dhärran maŋutji, yurr Gurruḻan-guŋ. Ga ŋunhi ŋayi ŋurrkaŋalnydja biḻparrny'tja bala marrtjinan ganarrthamha ŋunhi dhuwal wäŋany. Yurr rrambaŋi maṉḏa ŋunhi marrtjinany; ŋayiny Gämuny garrwarkurr ga ŋayiny Gurruḻandja munathakurr marrtjinan. Bala ŋayiny gan ŋunhi marrtjinany Dhalmurralilnha, ŋayiny gan ŋunhi ŋäthil nhinan Girkirwa. Ga ŋayiny Gämuny marrtjin balan Burrum'lilnha.
Bilin dhuwal dhäwuny Gurruḻangalaŋuwuy baman'puy dhawar'yurra.
GURINIWUY DHÄWU
Guriniy djaw'yurr miyalk Gudhurruny, bala ŋayi Gurininy marrtjinan ḏakawaw'nha. Ga walalnydja gan nhinan Gudhurruwnydja bäpa’mirriŋu ga ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋu, ŋuriki miyalkkuny bäpa'mirriŋu ga ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋu. Bala ŋayiny marrtjinan bumarnha Guriniynydja ḏakawany, bala ŋayi gurthan baṯthurr ŋuriki ḏakawaw bathanaraw, bala ŋayi batharnha gan ḏakawany. Ga beŋuruyiny ŋayi marrtjinan, bala ŋayi bunanan walalaŋ bäpa’mirriŋuw ga ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋuw, bala ŋayi ḻakaraŋalnha walalaŋ ḏakawany. Ga ŋayiny maḻamarryuny yapa’mirriŋuy Gudhurruy yänguŋal yukuyuku'mirriŋuny nhanŋuwuy ŋayi. Ga Gurininy waŋan bitjarr, "Yaka, ŋayipi dhu marrtji yapa'mirriŋu nhuŋu," bitjarr. Bala ŋayipin marrtjin maḻamarrnha yapa'mirriŋu ŋuriki yutjuwaḻaw yapa'mirriŋuw. Ga ŋayiny Gurininy ŋoy-ŋamathinan, bala ŋayi gurrupar wiṉ'kuŋuy nhanŋu ḏakawany, ga dhunupa'ŋuynydja ŋayi waṉan ŋanya ŋayathaŋal. Bala ŋayi djaw'yurrnha
Ŋanya märramban Gurininynydja dhiyal.
Ga dhawar'yurrnha Guriniwuy dhäwu.
DHUWANDJA DHÄWU MOKUYPUY DHARPUNHAWUY
Waŋganymirr yolŋu gan marrtjin baman' birr. Marrtjinany ŋayi ŋunhi, bala ŋayi wäyinnha bumar ŋuriŋi yolŋuy. Bala ŋayi gurthan baṯthurr wäyingu, bala ŋayi batharnha wäyindja nhanŋuwuy ŋayi, yurr walu gärrinyaray. Bala ŋayi ḻukanan ŋunhi wäyindja. Ḻukanany ŋayi gan, bala ŋayi ŋal’yurra dharpalilnha. Ŋunhiliny ŋayi gan ŋorranany makaṉbiŋurnha garrwar dharpaŋur munhawuny. Bala ŋayi ŋäkul, ŋayi marrtjin dirrŋgu dirrŋgu. Bitjarr waŋan ŋayi marrtjin ŋunhiny mokuynydja bitjarr gam', "Yolthu ŋarraku wäŋany gungaŋal? Yolthu ŋarraku wäŋany gungaŋal?" ga bitjarr ŋayi marrtjin waŋanany ŋunhiyiny mokuynydja. Bala ŋayi ŋunhi yolŋuny ŋamathanhaminan garrwarnydja. Bala ŋayi garan märraŋal ŋuriŋiny yolŋuy, bala ŋayi yarrarra’maraŋal. Ga ŋayiny marrtjin ŋal'yurra ŋunhi mokuynydja, guwatjmar ŋanya marrtjin bala garrwarlil. Bala ŋayiny ŋunhi yolŋuynydja
ŋanya dharpuŋalnha, bala ŋayi rakunydhinan ŋunhi mokuynydja.
Bilin dhuwal dhäwuny.
MURAYANAWALAŊUWUY DHUWANDJA DHÄWU
Murayanany gan nhinan; ŋayi gan yiḏaki djäma manymak. Ŋunhi ŋayi gan djämany, bala ŋayi ḏopthurra ŋoy birrka'yurr. Yän yätjkurr warray, bala ŋayi buthuru-bitjurrnha yän, walal ŋunhal ḏopthurr, bala ŋayi Murayanaynydja ŋäkulnha Wubulkarrawuŋun. Ŋunhi ŋayi ŋäkulnydja bala ŋayi marrtjinan rirrakay ŋuparnha, bala ŋayi waṉḏinan. Ga gandarrŋurnydja ŋayi dhärran buthuru-bitjurr; yän ŋayi ŋäkulnha ŋamathaŋalnha, bala ŋayi djuḏupthurrnha marrtjin walalaŋgal. Ŋunhi ŋayi nhäŋalnydja yiḏakiny, bala ŋayi yiŋarra'yurrnha. Bala yarrupthurr ŋayi wäŋalilnha, guwatjmarnha walalany. Bala ŋayiny nhäŋalnha walalany, bala Wubulkarrany mala nhanŋu märr-ŋamathinan mirithinan, ga ŋayi märr-ŋamathindhi walalaŋ bitjarrdhi bili. Ga Wubulkarrany waŋan Murayanaw bitjarr, "Nhaku nhe ga marrtjiny, gutharra?"
Ga Murayanany waŋan bitjarr, "Yän ŋarra ga marrtji märiwal. Mak limurr giritjirrnha märiwal buŋgulnha." Bala walal giritjinan buŋgulnha, ga ŋayiny Murayanany waŋganymirr giritjin walalaŋgal. Bala ŋayi waṉḏinan walalaŋgalaŋuŋur märr barrkuwal. Ga walal nhanŋu ḏopthurr, bala ŋayiny waṉḏin bala warraw'lilnha. Ga bulu nhanŋu walal ḏopthurr, bala ŋayiny märraŋalnha yiḏakiny, bala djaw'yurrnha, bala walal warguguyurrnha mirithinan. Wubulkarrany mala.
Bala ŋayiny Murayanany waṉḏinan roŋiyinan rälin Mandjalilnha. Waṉḏinany ŋayi, bala gandarrŋurnydja ŋayi ḏopthurra, walalnydja nhanŋu yiŋgathinan. Beŋur ŋayi roŋiyinany, bala ŋayi ḏopthurr bulu, bala walalnydja ŋäkul nhanukalnydja yolŋuy, bala yiŋgathinan nhanŋu. Ga waŋganymirrnha walal giritjinany, bala ŋayiny Murayanany marrtjin balan
Guḻkuḻalilnha. Ga marrtjinany ŋayi, ga gandarrŋur ŋayi ḏopthurr, bala waṉḏinan. Ga ŋunhi ŋayi waṉḏinany, ga gandarrŋurnydja ŋayi gukuw dhupuŋal, yurr bäyŋu. Bala ŋayi waṉḏinan, bala wäŋan nhäŋal. Ga ŋunhayin ŋayi ga nhinany, ga Guḻkuḻan wäŋaŋurnha nhanukiyingal. Dhiyalnydja ga dhäwu dhawar’yunna Murayanaw. Ga ŋathany walal ŋunhi djalkthurrnha yukuwany, yurr dhuyu ŋunhi ŋathany.
Ŋäthil baman' walal marrtjin wakir'lil, bäpa'mirriŋu djeṯ ga ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋu djeṯ ga momu'mirriŋu djeṯ ga yothu ḏirramu djeṯ.
Maṉḏany ŋunhi momu'mirriŋuny ga ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuny gärrin retjalila ganguriwnha. Ga maṉḏany yothuny ga bäpa'mirrŋuny gan nhinan raŋiŋur, ṉakuw maṉḏa gan djäga.
Bala ŋayiny ŋunhi ḏirramuynydja märraŋal garan ga maŋal'nha, bala yarrupthurra ŋarirriw'nha, ga dharpuŋalnydja ŋayi ŋunhi ḻurrkun' ŋarirriny'.
Bala ŋayi roŋiyinan ŋunhi ḏirramuny bala wäŋalila, bala waŋgapunuŋala ŋunhi ŋarirriny' ŋurrŋgitjlila. Yaka weyin bala ŋayi warrkthurra ŋunhi ŋarirriny'. Bala ŋayi bäpa'mirriŋuynydja ŋäŋ'thurra ŋanya ŋarirriwnha. "Gäthu ŋarranhany gurrupula ŋarirri' go." Bitjarr.
Bala ŋayi gäthu'mirriŋuny waŋan bitjarra, "Yow, dhuwandja barrpany ŋarirri' gurrupanmirr yan". Bala ŋayi nyaŋ'thurra dhawar'maraŋala, ga bäyŋun gurrupar bäpa'mirriŋunhany. Ga ŋayiny bäpa'mirriŋuny bitjarra waŋan nhanŋu, "Yow, gäthu ḻiyalil ŋarra nhuna galkarnydja dhuwal yalalaŋuw". Bitjarr.
Ga ŋayiny muka bäpa'mirriŋuny yarrupthurr ŋarirriw, yurr ṉakuynha ŋayi marrtjinany.
Yaka weyindja ŋayi galkurr, bala nhäŋal bäpa'mirriŋunhany ŋayi marrtjin roŋiyinan. Ga ŋunhi ŋayi dhawaṯthurrnydja bala ŋayi gurthan baṯthurr, bala ŋarirriny' batha'bathara ŋurrŋgitjlila.
Ŋunhi ŋayi warrkthurrnydja ŋarirriny' bäpa'mirriŋuynydja, bala ŋayiny ŋäŋ'thurra gäthu'mirriŋuny. "Bäpa ŋarrakuny gurrupula ŋarirri' go." Ga ŋayiny bitjarra waŋan bäpa'mirriŋuny, "Bäyŋun ŋarra nhuna dhu gurrupan gäthu". Bitjarr.
Bala ŋayi yothuny ŋäthinan, yurr weyinnha ŋayi ŋunhi ŋäthinany, bala ŋayi marrtjin bulka'mirriyinan. Bala ŋayi ŋunhi yothuny bilyurra warrakan'thinan, bala ŋayi buṯthurra.
Ga dhiyaŋuny bala limurr ŋuli nhäma warrakan'nha buṯthunnawuynha ga yäkuny ŋunhi warrakan'tja djeṯnha.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Long time ago there lived a family of four, there was a father djeṯ, and a mother djeṯ and a grandma djeṯ and a young little boy.
One day they went out camping to the beach.
As they got there, the grandmother and the mother went out hunting for yams. While the father and the boy stayed behind. They were looking after the canoe.
Then the little boy decided to go fishing. He got his spear and his spear thrower and went out. He caught three fishes.
He went back to the camp, and he cooked the fish in the fire, soon the fish were cooked. The father asked the boy, if he could have some, "Son, can you give me some of the fish?"
The son said, "I can't give you this fish it's rotten". And he ate it all up. He didn't give any to his father. Then the father said to his son, "Son, you didn't give me any fish, when I go fishing later in the day, I won't give you any".
Then the father went out fishing on a canoe.
Not long the father came back from fishing, then the boy said, "Here comes father with some fish". When the father came ashore, he lit up the fire and cooked the fish.
When the fish was cooked, he got them out of the fire, and then the boy asked him for some, "Father can you give me some please?" But the father said, "I'm not going to give you any".
Then the little boy started to cry. He cried and cried for a long time, soon feathers started to grow on his body.
Then the boy changed into an eagle, and he started to fly up into the air.
Now, today you can see the eagle flying around.
Page 2-3:
Waŋganymirriy waluy maṉḏa gan nhinan, Wäk ga Wurrpaṉ'. Ga märranhaminany maṉḏa, bala maṉḏa gan nhinanany ṉäkuŋura wäŋaŋurnydja. Yurr ŋayi ŋunhi Wurrpaṉ'tja ḏuŋḏuŋ.
Once upon a time, lived Crow and Emu. They were married and lived together in a bark house. Emu was lazy.
Page 4-5:
Bala waŋganydhuny waluy ŋayi marrtjin dharyurra, bala ŋayiny ŋunhi ḏuŋḏuŋdja Wurrpaṉ' mirithinan galŋa-djulŋithin, bala ŋayi marrtjin baldhurr'yurra ŋunhi wäŋany maṉḏaŋguwuy.
One day it rained and Lazy Emu became so happy that he started to kick their house.
Page 6-7:
Ga bitjarra bili ŋayi gan wäŋany maṉḏaŋguwuy baldhurr'yurra yan, bala ŋayiny Wäktja waŋan nhanŋu bitjarra, "Way! Nhaku nhe ga dhuwal litjalaŋ wäŋany baldhurr'yun, ŋayi dhu dhuwal ḏaw'yunna."
Lazy Emu kept kicking their house and Crow said to him, "Hey! What are you kicking our house for, you'll break it!"
Page 8-9:
Ga ŋayiny gan Wäktja nhinan djinawa wäŋaŋur. Bala ŋayi gapun nhäŋal, ŋayi marrtjin gärrin wäŋalil.
Crow was inside the house. She saw water coming in from the roof.
Page 10-11:
Bala beŋuryiny ŋayi Wäktja märr-maypathinan, bala ŋayi waŋanan Wurrpaṉ'kala bitjarra gam', "Ma', nhepi yan dhu djämany dhuwali, dhiyaŋ bala bondi yan."
After that Crow was very upset and she said to Lazy Emu, "You'll have to fix it up right now."
Page 12-13:
Ŋayiny Wurrpaṉ'thuny baḏak gan baldhurr'yurr maṉḏaŋguwuy wäŋany, bäyŋun ŋayi dhuli'na-bitjurr Wäkkuny gurrupuruŋuwnydja.
Emu kept kicking their house and didn't take any notice of poor Crow.
Page 14-15:
Ga bulu ŋayi Wäk waŋan bitjarr, "Way ḏuŋḏuŋ Wurrpaṉ', nhaku nhe ga dhuwal baḏaktja baldhurr'yun dhuwal wäŋany litjalaŋ? Muka balanya nhuŋu ŋayaŋuny, bäyŋu nhe ŋuli ga buthuru-bitjun ŋarraku, ma' nhinin gi dhiyala galkurra ŋarraku."
Crow shouted, "Hey Lazy Emu, why are you still kicking our house? So that's what you're like, you don't listen. Okay, sit here and wait for me."
Page 16-17:
Bala ŋayi Wäktja buṯthurra.
Then Crow flew away.
Page 18-19:
Yaka weyin' bala ŋayi roŋiyinan Wäktja yurr goŋ-guḻayŋumirra, ŋayiny Wurrpaṉ'thuny gan baḏaknha baldhurr'yurr ŋunhi wäŋany maṉḏaŋguwuy.
Not long after, she came back carrying a fire stick, and Emu was still kicking their house.
Page 20-21:
Bala ŋayi Wäkthuny ŋurrkaŋala ŋunhi gurthany nhanukal Wurrpaṉ'kalnydja gumurrlila, bala ŋayi nhäranan Wurrpaṉ'tja, ga ŋayiny Wäktja buṯthurra winya'yurra nhanukal.
Crow threw the firestick at Emu's chest; Emu burnt and Crow flew far away.
Page 22-23:
Ga dhiyaŋuny bala ŋayi ga baḏak gorrum nhanukal bakparrnydja gumurrŋurnydja, ŋunhi ŋäthil Wäkthu ŋanya bathar baman'birr.
Today Emu still has a burn mark on his chest from where Crow burnt him long ago.
Page 1
Ŋunhi ŋuli munhany yupthun, ŋayi ŋuli wäŋany buku-munhayirra.
When darkness falls, the place becomes darker.
Page 3
Ŋayiny ŋuli ŋaḻindiny garramatnha ga gorrum.
The moon sits up in the sky.
Page 5
Ga ganyuny mala ŋuli garramatnha ga gorrum djiwarrŋur.
And all the stars sit high up in the sky.
Page 7
Bala winyiḻany mala ŋuli dhawaṯthunna mathirraŋurnydja, bala buṯthunna ŋathawnha ḻarrum.
Then the bats come out of the caves and fly around searching for food.
Page 9
Ga ŋayiny ŋuli ḏolpurktja ŋäthin ga gämuktja.
The owls cry out at night.
Page 11
Ga dhuwana ŋayi birrku' ŋaḻindiny gitkitthun ga ya'. Maŋutji-lakaram ŋayi ŋuli gapu manymak maypalwu.
And there is the full moon smiling. It is showing us that the water is good for shellfish.
Page 13
Ga warrnyuny mala ŋuli dhawaṯthunna gathul'ŋurnydja bala buṯthunna.
The flying foxes come out from the mangroves and fly around.
Page 15
Ga djamarrkuḻiny' walal ŋuli marrtji ŋorra'-ŋurran, wukirriwnha ga buḻ'yunnarawnha. Märr walal dhu goḏarr'nydja rur'yurra bala wukirrilil ga buḻ'yunnalil marrtji.
And the children go to sleep, ready for school and activities, so they can get up in the morning then go to school to play.
Waŋganymirriy waluy yothu yäku Ḏatam dhawal-guyaŋin Wäkwakkuŋ.
One day a baby waterlily called Ḏatam was born to Wäkwak.
Beŋurnydja ŋayi Wäkwaktja marrtjin bala bumara räkaynha. Bumar ŋayi…i…i, dhaŋaŋ.
Soon after, Wäkwak went to collect water chestnuts, She got lots and lots of them.
Roŋiyinan ŋayi Wäkwaktja, nhäŋal ŋayi Ḏatamdja gan gaḻ'-kaḻyurra, bala ŋayi waŋanan marrtjin bitjarra gam', “Ŋamala, Ŋamala, Ŋamala!”
When she came back, she saw Ḏatam crawling around calling, “Mummy, Mummy, Mummy!”
“Way! Waku marrkapmirr, dhuwal ŋarra nhunany ŋapa-raŋanmirr ganarrthaŋal,” bitjarr ŋayi waŋan Wäkwaktja.
“Hey! My dear daughter, you were just a baby when I left you a little while ago,” said Wäkwak.
“Ŋamala, barrarirr gurrupar ŋarrany Djaykuŋ'thu, bala ŋarra nhuŋun ŋäthinany.”
“Ga…a..a, yothuthu marrkapmirr! Wanha dhika ŋayi Djaykuŋ'tja? Ŋarra ŋanya yaŋara' birrirri'yun."
“Mummy, Djaykuŋ the File Snake was scaring me, so I cried out for you”. “Oh come here my darling baby! Where is Mr Djaykuŋ the File Snake? I’d like to twist his tail!”.
Ŋaḻindi…i...i ga ŋaḻindi..i..i ga ŋaḻindi ŋupan maṉḏa nhinanany, ŋayi Ḏatamdja wirrkuḻdhirra ŋuthan.
Months passed and Ḏatam grew to be the most beautiful flower in the billabong.
Waŋganymirriy waluy ŋayi ḏirramu nhanŋu djälthin, yäku Gulwaṉi. Ŋayiny nhanŋu Ḏatamdja nyarrmaḻŋ'thuna.
One day Gulwaṉi the bullrush fell in love with Ḏatam. She fell in love with him too.
Yaka wiyin'tja, bala maṉḏa märranhamirra, ga yothuny maṉḏaŋ ḻurrkun'! Märrma' miyalk, ga waŋgany ḏirramu.
Before long, they got married and had three children, two girls and a boy.
Waŋganymirr, ŋayi waluny ḏälnha dhika dhärran, ga gorrmur'thinan gapuny.
One day the sun shone very fiercely and the water in the billabong became very hot.
Bala maṉḏaŋ djamarrkuḻiny' raku-rakunydhinan. Ŋayi Ḏatamdja ŋäthin..a..a wiyin'nha dhika, bala milkarriny djuḻ'yurra walalaŋgala djamarrkuḻi'wal.
All Ḏatam and Gulwaṉi’s children died. Ḏatam cried for a long time.
Walalnydja bulu walŋa-walŋathinan. Maṉḏany Ḏatamdja ga Gulwaṉi mirithinan goŋmirriyinan.
When the tears fell on the bodies of the children, they all came back to life again. This made Ḏatam and Gulwaṉi very happy.
I will record this story from long ago. It has been recorded, but I am going to record it again. I will record the story of those two, Gandji (Jabiru) and Wurrpaṉ' (Emu). They related to each other as uncle and nephew. They were descendents of the one family. Jabiru was married to Emu’s daughter. Jabiru’s other name was Gaḏakaḏa. Those two lived at Buḻmanŋur close to Dhäraŋay. Yes, there they lived. They camped there long ago.
Long, long ago lived Wallaby and Cockroach. One day, they went to the bush for food. They collected yams, root foods and lots of other bush foods.
Page 2
Waŋganymirriy waluy, yolŋu yäku Ṉamurraŋaniŋ gan nhinan, yurr Wotjawuy ŋayi ŋunhi yolŋuny.
Once there was a man called Ṉamurraŋaniŋ. He was from a place called Wotjawuy.
Page 4
Ga waŋganymirriy waluy, ŋayi marrtjin bunharaw wäyingu. Bumar ŋayi marrtjin waṉ'kurra, biyay' ga djanda, yurr galki mayaŋ'kurr.
One day, he went hunting for animals. He went for bandicoot and goanna close to the river.
Page 6
Beŋuryiny ŋayi nhäŋal djalkirin. Ŋayi marrtjin dhärran yurr miyalknhan maṉḏany, yurr ŋunhi bäpurruny maṉḏa Wangurri. Bala ŋayi waŋanan bitjarra gam', “Way... dhuwandja ŋarraku miyalk maṉḏa yarrupthurr maypalwu,” bitjarr ŋayi waŋan.
Then he saw footprints. They led to two women of the Wangurri clan. He said to himself, "Hey… these are the footprints of two women for me, who have gone down to collect shellfish."
Page 8
Maṉḏany ŋunhi marrtjin maypalwu mayaŋ'lil ga bumar maṉḏa marrtjin maypal ga dhaŋaŋ. Bala ŋayi Ṉamurraŋaniŋdja djuḻuḻ'yurr mulmulila, bala ŋayi guykthurra bala yindin waltjaṉ bunan.
Those two went to the riverside to collect shellfish and they collected them until they had lots.
Ṉamurraŋaniŋ hid amongst the grass, then he put a curse on the sky to make big rains come.
Page 10
Bala ŋayi djuḻuḻ'yurra maṉḏaŋ yindilila dharpalil, bala ŋayi gan dhärranan.
Then he hid from them behind a big tree, and he stood there (watching).
Page 12
Maṉḏany marrtjin bumar ḏingu ga guku, bala maṉḏa marrtjin barkthurra ḏinguny. Bulu ŋayiny waŋan yapa'mirriŋuny, “Bala nhunu ŋarru ŋarra ga bulu guwatharam ḏingu mä guḻku.” Bala ŋayi marrtjinan balayin yindilila dharpalil. Ŋayiny Ṉamurraŋaniŋdja gan djuḻuḻ'yurr ŋunhiliyin dharpaŋur.
Those two went and collected cycad nuts and wild honey, then they pounded the cycad nuts. Then the older sister said, "You have to go and get more cycad nuts." She went to the big tree where Ṉamurraŋaniŋ was hiding. Ṉamurraŋaniŋ snatched her there at the tree.
Page 14
Ṉamurraŋaniŋdhuny ŋunhi miyalknhany djaw'yurra barrkulila wäŋalil wiripuŋulila. Bala maṉḏa marrtjin djäman wäŋan maṉḏaŋguwuy, ga yan bili ga dhawar'yurr. Bala maṉḏa djuḏupthurra wäŋalila.
Ṉamurraŋaniŋ took that woman to a different, far away place. Then they made themselves a shelter until it was finished. Then they went into the shelter.
Page 16
Bala ŋayi Ṉamurraŋaniŋdhuny dhaŋalkuŋala gurthan, bala marrtjin batharnha waṉ'kurrany, djandany ga weṯiny'. Ŋayiny marrtjin ŋawululnydja dharrwathinan ŋunhiliyi djinawany' wäŋaŋurnydja.
Then Ṉamurraŋaniŋ made a fire, and cooked bandicoot, goanna and wallaby. It became very smoky inside the shelter.
Page 18
Bala ŋayiny miyalktja djitjurra marrtjin bala waŋanan bitjarra, “Dhaŋuya nhunu ŋorrtja bulŋuyukuwa,” bitjarra ŋayi ŋunhi miyalktja waŋan.
It stung the woman, and she said, "Can you put out the fire."
Page 20
Bala maṉḏa marrtjin nyaŋ'thurra ŋunhi wäyindja dhawar'maraŋalnha. Bala maṉḏa ŋorranan.
They ate the meat until it was finished. Then they slept.
Page 22
Ga märr wiyin' maṉḏa nhinanany dhuŋgarra ga dhuŋgarra ŋupar. Ga yan ḻinygu ga djamarrkuḻi' maṉḏa mala-bumar. Bala maṉḏa yurrnha marrtjinany roŋiyinany yolŋu'-yulŋuwalnydja walalaŋgal. Ga bilin dhuwal dhäwuny.
They lived there for a fair while, as years followed. When they had many children, they returned to the woman's family. And that is the end of the story.
