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.
Waŋganymirr waluy maṉḏa gan nhinan, Wäk ga Wurrpaṉ. Ga märranhaminany maṉḏa, bala maṉḏa gan nhinanany ṉäkuŋura wäŋaŋurnydja. Yurr ŋayi ŋunhi Wurrpantja ḏuṉṯuŋ.
Bala waŋganydhuny waluy ŋayi marrtjin dharyurra, bala ŋayiny ŋunhi ḏuŋtuŋtja Wurrpaṉ mirithinan galŋa-djulŋithin, bala ŋayi marrtjin balnhdhurr’yurra ŋunhi wäŋany maṉḏaŋguwuy.
Ga bitjarra bili ŋayi gan wäŋany maṉḏaŋguwuy balnhdhurr’yurra yan, bala ŋayiny Wäktja waŋan nhanŋu bitjarra, " Way nhaku nhe ga dhuwal litjalaŋ wäŋany balnhdhurr’yun ŋayi dhu dhuwal ḏaw’yunna."
Ga ŋayiny gan Wäktja nhinan djinawa wäŋaŋur. Bala ŋayi gapun nhäŋal, ŋayi marrtjin gärrin wäŋalil.
Bala beŋuryiny ŋayi Wäktja märr-maypathinan, bala ŋayi waŋanan Wurrpaṉ’gala bitjarra gam, "Ma, nhepi yan dhu djämany dhuwali, dhiyaŋ bala bondi yan."
Ŋayiny Wurrpaṉdhuny baḏak gan balnhdhurr’yurr maṉḏaŋguwuy wäŋany, bäyŋun ŋayi dhulina-bitjurr Wäkkuny gurrupuruŋuwnydja.
Ga bulu ŋayi Wäk waŋan bitjarr, "Way ḏuŋtuŋ Wurrpaṉ, nhaku nhe ga dhuwal baḏaktja balnhdhurr’yun dhuwal wäŋany litjalaŋ? Muka balanya nhuŋu ŋayaŋuny, bäyŋu nhe ŋuli ga buthuru-bitjun ŋarraku, ma nhinin gi dhiyala galkurra ŋarraku."
Bala ŋayi Wäktja buṯthurra.
Yaka weyin bala ŋayi roŋiyinan Wäktja yurr goŋ guḻayŋumirra, ŋayiny Wurrpaṉdhuny gan baḏaknha balnhdhurr’yurr ŋunhi wäŋany maṉḏaŋguwuy.
Bala ŋayi Wäkthuny ŋurrkaŋala ŋunhi gurthany nhanukal Wurrpaṉgalnydja gumurrlila, bala ŋayi nhäranan Wurrpaṉtja, ga ŋayiny Wäktja buṯthurra winya’yurra nhanukal.
Ga dhiyaŋuny bala ŋayi ga baḏak gorrum nhanukal bakparrnydja gumurrŋurnydja, ŋunhi ŋäthil Wäkthu ŋanya bathar baman birr.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
One time, Crow and Lazy Emu were married and lived together in a bark house.
One day it rained and Lazy Emu was so happy he started to kick the house.
Lazy Emu kept kicking the house and Crow said,
" What are you kicking for, you’ll break it !
Crow was inside the house when she saw water falling from the roof.
After that Crow was very upset and she said to Lazy Emu,
"You’ll have to fix it up right now."
Lazy Emu kept kicking the house with his foot and he didn’t take any notice of Crow, poor thing.
Crow shouted loudly and she said,
"Lazy Emu, why are you kicking the house all the time? So that’s what you’re like, you don’t listen, you just wait here for me."
And Crow flew away.
Then she came back with a fire stick for Lazy Emu but he kept pushing the house down.
Crow threw the fire stick into Lazy Emu’s chest and he was burnt and Crow left quickly and flew far away.
And today Lazy Emu has a burn mark on his chest from Crow…..
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.
Once there was a man called Ṉamurra'ŋaniŋ. He was from a place called Wotjawuy. One day he went hunting for bandicoot, goanna and wallaby.
*Gupapuyŋu text shown in bold (spoken by the characters)
Page 2
Dhuwandja Ŋaḻindipuy, walal gan nhinan miyalk maṉḏa nhanŋu ga yothu märrma' gurrmul maṉḏany. Ŋayiny gan Ŋaḻindiynydja bumar bathi ganybu ŋarirriw'. Nhinan walal gan ŋunhiliyi ŋayi gan wäŋaraŋal Ŋaḻindiy. Bala maṉḏany miyalktja maṉḏa nhanŋu gurku'yurr ŋathawnha gulakaw'nha, "Nhumany yothu maṉḏa nhini, nhuŋuny balpara'. Nheny dhu ga bathi buma ga yothuwal maṉḏaŋgal balparay', ga linyuny dhu ŋayaŋay'wu marrtji.”
This story is about the moon, his two wives and two sons. The moon was working on a fish net. His two wives decided to collect some yams. "You stay here with the boys, they will be your company, while you work on the fish net, and we will go and get some yams." they said to the moon.
Page 4
Bala maṉḏany djawaryurra nhinanharaw, bala maṉḏa waŋanan bitjarrnha, “Mori, dhuwala linyu dhu guḻun nhäma ŋawarramuwa limurruŋgu, ga garawa linyu djälnydja.", bitjarr.
Ŋayiny ŋunhi gurrupar, "Dhuwalana garanydja märraŋuna maṉḏa, märr nhuma dhu ŋula ŋarirri' marrtji barrtjun, nhä maku warrakan'". Ŋayiny nhinan bumar mori'mirriŋunydja maṉḏaŋgal, ḏawa'yurrnydja ŋayi, dharr nhäŋal, "Nhä ga dhuwalanydja rra maranhirrina dhu gäthuwuŋu maṉḏaŋguŋu, bili ŋarra wiyin' nhinana djaṉŋarr gana."
The two boys became tired, and they said to their father, "Father, we are going to the billabong to get some fish, and we want some spears." The father gave them the spears, "Here take the spears so you will spear some fish for us or some animals maybe?" he said. As he was making the fish net, he turned around and saw the boys coming back. He thought, "I'm not going to be hungry anymore, because my two sons are coming back. I've been sitting here for a long time and I'm very hungry."
Page 6
Bala nhinanan gurthany ŋawmaraŋal, dhal'maraŋalnydja marrtjin, butju-waŋgapunuŋal, yarwi'-märraŋalnydja, birraŋanyguŋal ḻukanany marrtjin ḻukanany marrtjin, bala maṉḏa waŋanhaminan ŋunhi rathany' maṉḏa. Waŋanhamin maṉḏany bitjanmin, "Nhe morinha gurrupulu."
"Yaka, wäwa, ŋarra dhuwala djaṉŋarrthina, ŋarranydja dhu dhuwala ŋarrapi ḻuka dhawar'marama."
"Mori, bäyŋuna bili linyu dhawar'maraŋala, bili linyu djaṉŋarrthina", bitjarra maṉḏa. Mukthurr yan ŋayi gan nyäḻka' bumar.
Ḻukan marrtjin dhawar'nha, dhawar'yurr ŋayiny gunhu'mirriŋuynydja nhäŋal bäyŋun, “Bäydhi maku”.
The two boys went and sat down and made a big fire. They cooked the magpie goose and fish and ate them. Then they said to each other, "You give some to father". "No brother I'm hungry, I'm going to eat it all up." They then said to the moon, "Father, there's no food left, we ate it all because we were hungry." The father just sat there working away on the fish net. The sons had eaten all the meat. When the father turned around, there was none left. "Okay fine," he said.
Page 8
“Way, gurrmul maṉḏa maku maṉḏa dhipala gärri wuŋuḻi' go', ŋoy-birrka'yurru nhalayaku ḻimurru dhu ŋarirri'nha.” Gärrin maṉḏa, bala garrwi'yurra gan mayaŋnha rakiy'nha ganybuny. Garrwi', garrwi', garrwi', garrwi', garrwi', ḻaw' bäy ŋarkulay ŋanya buku-ḻupmaraŋal ḏamurruŋ'thu gapuy, bala ŋurrkaŋala. Bilin ŋayi maṉḏany ŋurrkaŋala ḏamurruŋ'lila. Nhinanan ŋayiny gurrthu'ŋura galkurrnha . . . a bitjarra, ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuwnydja maṉḏaŋ, bitjarrnydja dhuwana gurrukam marrtji gulaka'. Ripurrun ŋayambalkthu, ḻäy-bilyunaraynha.
Then he said, "Hey you two boys, can you get into this net? We'll just test this net to see what will happen when there is some fish in the net." They went into the net and the father tied the net with some string, picked it up and went into the river. He waded until the water got up to his waist and then he threw the net into the water. The moon went and sat in the shade waiting for the two mothers to come back with yams.
Page 10
Bala roŋiyinan miyalktja maṉḏa nhanŋu Ŋaḻindiwnydja ŋathaŋurnydja bunhaŋur, ŋatha maṉḏa ŋanya gurrupar ḻukan ŋayi maranhuyin, marrkaŋala gurrmulwuy maṉḏaŋ ŋurikiyi....i bala maṉḏa dhä-birrka'yurra bitjarrnha, “Dhuwal nhe ga gäna nhina, ga wanha yothuny maṉḏa?”, bitjarr maṉḏa nhanŋu Ŋaḻindiw waŋan.
“Dhuwala maṉḏa ŋarranha djimiḏi' gombuŋala bala marrtjina ŋarirri'wa maṉḏa lakaraŋala ga warrakan' ŋawarramu”. Nhinan maṉḏany miyalktja maṉḏa märr gurriri bala ḻarruŋala maṉḏaŋ wäthu'-wäthurra.......a, nhäŋal djalkirin maṉḏany ŋunhi gurrmulnha maṉḏany gumurr-roŋiyinyawuynha.
Late in the afternoon the mothers of the boys came back with some yams. They gave him some yams. He ate some and was full. Then they asked about the boys, " You are here all alone. Where are the boys?". "They asked me for some spears and went off to get some fish and birds" the moon replied.
Page 12
Roŋiyinyawuy djalkiri marrtjin dhärran beŋurnha ŋarirri'ŋurnha ga wäyinŋurnha bunhaŋur rälin wäŋalila, ŋupar marrtjin räli, dharr gay'yi nhäŋal ḻirrwin' maṉḏaŋguŋ wäyinbuynha butjun nhäŋal wäyinnha gulkthunawuynha ga ŋarirrin' giniknha. Ga buluny maṉḏa dhä-wirrka'yuna balaŋ, yan maṉḏa maŋutji-ḻarruŋal ŋurukiyin nyäḻkaw'nha ganybuwnha. Yan maṉḏa ŋanya djalkirin dhiṉ'thurr ŋunhi ŋayi yarrupthurr gäŋal maṉḏany, ŋuparnha marrtji........n ga ŋarkula'lil dhä-manapar ḏamurruŋ'lil.
The mothers of the boys waited and then went off to look for them. They found the boys footprints coming back home from hunting. They followed the tracks and found the fire where the boys had been cooking the birds and the fish. (Then they realised that the fishnet that moon had been working on was not there.) They went back and asked the moon where the fishnet was.
Page 14
Bala nhäŋalnha maṉḏa beŋurnydja, muḻmuḻkalapuŋal ŋarkulany ŋunhi ḏamurruŋ'tja. Bilin. Bala maṉḏa nyäyurra ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuny maṉḏa.........a, bala dhawaṯmaraŋal nyäḻkany' ŋunhi maṉḏaŋgalaŋamirr yapmaraŋal rakiny', nhäŋalnydja rakunynha maṉḏany.
Bilin. Munatha'lilyaŋalnydja maṉḏapin ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuy maṉḏa.Nhinanany maṉḏa märr gurriri, bala raŋangun gali'yurr.
The wives followed the moon's footprints, where he had carried the boys down to the river. Then they saw the foam on the water. They started crying and dragged the fish net out of the water. They untied the net and saw the boys in the net dead. They buried the bodies.
Page 16
“Ŋali, raŋan barrtjun go', ŋali buṉbu warkthun,” bitjarr maṉḏa. Yaka ŋuli bitjana ḻoḻu-nhirrpana, buṉbu maṉḏa djäma ḏämbu-ḏamala biṯiriŋgitjkuŋal bitjarr, ga ŋunhany ḏämbuny ḻurrthunmaraŋal ŋawulul'wuny dhawaṯthunaraw. Manymak. Gämukthinany marrtjin . . . n, yup gämuktja marrtjin yupthurrnha, bala maṉḏa waŋanhaminan bitjarrnha, "Nhe dhu biŋga'yun ga ŋarra dhu biŋga'yun." Maṉḏany nhanŋu waŋanhamin Ŋaḻindiw. "Ga gurtha nhe dhu märram ga ŋarra dhu märram."
The wives sat down to rest and then said to each other, "Let's go and get some paperbark so we can make a shelter for us and the moon." So, they made a shelter and left some space where the fire would be put. When night came, they said to themselves, "Don't go to sleep, we will both be awake, so you get a fire stick and I will get a fire stick and we will just burn moon, because he drowned our sons."
Page 18
Bala ŋali dhu dhuŋgur'yuna ḻirra'-garrpin yan gurthany nhirrpan nhanukalaŋumirr Ŋaḻindiwalaŋumirr, “Nhakun ŋayi rathany' maṉḏany yawungu ŋayipin buwayakkum bäpa'mirriŋuy.", bitjanmin maṉḏa waŋanhamin walupuy yan dhurpu-milmitjpa.
Manymak. Bala ŋorra'-ŋurranan yakurr mukthurra, yan bili. . .i ga balaŋun guwaḻyun-munhay djeḏan', gaḻ'yurr, bala maṉḏa dhirr'yunminan maṉḏany yapa'manydjiny. Ŋayi dhawaṯthurr, ga balayi ŋunhi dhurrwara-gungaŋal wäŋany biṯiriŋgitjkuŋal ḻiw'maraŋal yan. Bilin. Gurthany maṉḏa märraŋal, bala ḏulwirr'yurra ŋunhi ṉäkuny, ḏulwi . . . rr. Bilin nhäranan marrtjin.
So, the two wives lay down with the moon and pretended to sleep. In the middle of the night the women got up and went outside the shelter and put the shelter on fire. While the moon was sleeping inside, the shelter was on fire. He felt the shelter burning and shouted, "Hey why did you do this? Please put the fire out!"
Page 20
Ŋayiny gan ŋorran ŋunhi Ŋaḻindiny, bala marrtjin nhumarnha ŋawulul'tja, gorrmur'yinan marrtjin galŋan gurthaynha ŋuruŋiyi ŋäṉarryun, ŋayi marrtjin ŋala'-ŋalapthurra ŋäṉarrnydja gurthany. Yatjurranha ŋunhalnydja djinawany, "Wäy! Nhaltjarra rraku nhuma galay maṉḏa, nhaltjarra rraku mulkuruyina ḻiya-dhumukthina miriŋuyina ŋathili maṉḏa bulŋuyukkuŋu," bitjarr ŋayi Ŋaḻindiny waŋan.
"Ŋe . . .? Dhuwana nhe ḻiyany? Ŋunhi nhe yawungu linyalaŋ yothuny ḻuka märrma'kum nhepi bäpa'mirriŋuy ŋuli balaŋ nhe bitjana yi gay'yi birrka'yunminya nhunapinya nhe, ga walŋakunha yothuny maṉḏany ga dhuwandja nheny dhu bitjandhi bili nhära," bitjarr maṉḏany waŋan.
Nhäran marrtji . . . n warrpam'thurra ḻuḻupthurr galŋany ḻaḻawukthurra, dhawa'-dhawaryurra nhanŋu marrtjin watany, bala ŋayi bitjarrnha gurriri-gulktja, ŋunhi nhanŋu waluny galkithin dhiŋganharawnydja.
"So, that's it eh, you, their own father, you shouldn't have thought of killing our sons, so, we are going to do the same to you. You will burn to death." The moon burned, his skin began to peel, and he became short of breath. He lay there close dying and spoke to his wives.
Page 22
Bala ŋayi waŋanan bitjarrnha Ŋaḻindiny, "Galakala dhubiḻ wirripikiḻi gurrnyalinyali ŋarranydja yurru dhiŋgama, ga ḻurrkun' munha ŋarra yurru ŋorri moluŋura. Ga bulu dhu rra buwaḻ'yurru walŋathi nhuma ŋarranha nhäŋu ŋarra dhu gorruŋu boŋguŋu yuṯana ḻikan,” bitjarr ŋayi Ŋaḻindi lakaranhamin. Dhiŋgam beŋur birrku'ŋur, birrku'yirr ŋayi ŋuli marrtji minyinyakthirra ḻikan nha wirrthirra ŋayi li marrtji, bala rakunydhirra. Ga bulu walŋathinyaraw Ŋaḻindiw balanyamirriy ŋunhi ŋäthil waluy.
Ga balanya.
He said, "when I die, I will only die for three days, and I will come back to life". And from that time long ago the moon comes back to life each month.
That's all.
This is an old time story about a man who lived on Howard Island. Howard Island is across the water from Elcho Island.
Text
A long time ago there lived an old man on an island called Howard Island.
His name was Gopiyawuy, and he had many wives. He used to go hunting to catch fish, kangaroos, and other animals that lived in the bush, and also stingray and turtle. His wives would go and gather oysters.
One day he went out hunting for kangaroo. He caught a kangaroo and took it home to his wives and children.
He put the kangaroo down and asked his wives to make a fire and cook it. They cooked the kangaroo and ate it.
One day early in the morning he woke up and asked two of his wives to go and get water from the billabong.
So they went and got their bags made of paperbark, and went on their way to get some water.
They got to the billabong and got some water and then headed back.
When they got closer to the camp, Gopiyawuy got his spear and speared his youngest wife.
The young wife fell down dead on the ground, and the other wife started crying for her youngest sister.
They took her to the camp and at the camp the other wives cried for the young girl, and Gopiyawuy just sat there without saying anything.
Then they made a shelter to put the dead body on and they moved to another camp.
At this other camp, the old man Gopiyawuy waited for all the other relatives of the dead woman to come and get him. Finally they came to get the old man. They painted themselves up with white clay and then they sent one person to tell the old man that they were waiting to see him.
But he didn’t go, instead he sent his son and nephew to go and fight them.
And here are all the relatives spearing them, but their spears missed.
When the fight was over they went back to their camp.
And they lived happily with their families and the old man didn’t fight.