Page:Aboriginesofvictoria01.djvu/509

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MYTHS.
425

The story is thus told by another man of the Wa-woo-rong or Yarra tribe:—Bund-jel was the first man. He made everything, and the second man (Kar-ween) he made also, as well as two wives for Kar-ween. But Bund-jel made no wife for himself, and after the lapse of time he came to want Kar-ween's wives. Kar-ween watched his wives very jealously, and was careful that Bund-jel should not get near them. Bund-jel, however, was clever enough to steal both of the wives in the night, and he took them away. Kar-ween, taking some spears with him, pursued Bund-jel, but he could not find him, nor could he find his wives. But in a short time Bund-jel came back, bringing with him the two women. He asked Kar-ween to fight on the following day; and he proposed that if Kar-ween conquered he should have the women, and if Bund-jel conquered that they should be his. To this Kar-ween agreed. But Kar-ween had in his mind a different plan. And this was his plan: to make Ingargiull or


    the wattle (Acacia mollissima), and he came out of the knot of a wattle-tree, and entered into the body of a young woman, when afterwards he appeared as a male child.

    The following is an account of the creation of Kainj-ani:—The stars were formerly men, and they leave their huts in the evening to go through the same employments which they did while on earth. Some are remarkable amongst them, as Pungngane, Waijungngari, and their Ningarope. The first was born naturally, and the others were made as follows:—Ningarope lætitiæ plena in latrina lutum amœne erubescens cernebat; hoc in hominis figuram formabat, quæ tactu divæ motum vitalem sumebat et tunc ridebat. He was thus a Kainj-ani at once from his color [red], and his mother took him into the bush and remained with him. Pungngane, his brother, had two wives, aud lived near the sea. Once when he remained out a long time, his two wives left the hut and went and found Waijungngari. As they approached, he was asleep, and the two women, placing themselves on each side of the hut, began making the noise of an emu. The noise awoke him, and he took his spear to kill them; but as soon as he ran out, the two women embraced him, and requested him to be their husband. His mother, enraged at the conduct of the women, went to Pungngane, and told him what had happened. Very much enraged, he left his hut to seek that of his brother, which he soon found; but there was no one there, as his wives and brother were out seeking for food. Very much vexed, he put some fire upon the hut, saying "Kundajan," meaning, let it remain, but not burn immediately. Waijungngari and the two women arrived in the evening, and lying down to sleep, the fire began to burn, and frequently to fall upon the skins with which they were covered. Awaking with fright, they threw away the skins and ran to the sea. Out of danger, and recovered a little from his fright, Waijungngari began to think how he could escape the wrath of his brother, and threw a spear up to the sky, which touched it and came down again. He then took a barbed spear, and throwing it upwards with all his force, it remained sticking in the sky. By this he climbed up and the two women after him. Pungngane seeing his brother and wives in the sky, followed with his mother, where they have remained ever since. To Pungngane and Waijungngari the natives attribute the abuudance of kangaroo and the fish called Ponde. Pungngane caught a Ponde, and dividing it into small pieces, and throwing them into the sea, each became a Ponde. Waijungngari multiplied kangaroos in the same manner. They have many similar histories of the stars. The milky way, they say, is a row of huts, amongst which they point out the heaps of ashes and the smoke ascending.—Aborigines of Encounter Bay Tribe, South Australia. H. E. A. Meyer, 1846.

    "In the beginning," say the Dieyerie, "the Moora-moora (good spirit) made a number of small black lizards (these are still to be met with under dry bark), and being pleased with them, he promised they should have power over all other creeping things. The Moora-moora then divided their feet into toes and fingers, and placing his forefinger on the centre of the face, created a nose, and so in like manner afterwards eyes, mouth, and ears. The spirit then placed one of them in a standing position, which it could not, however, retain, whereupon the Deity cut off the tail, and the lizard walked erect. They were then made male and female, so as to perpetuate the