Page:Aboriginesofvictoria02.djvu/65

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
LANGUAGE.
49
Two blackfellows Bulloomanna kurni.
Two quarrelsome blackfellows Bulloo yirakal kurni.
Two women Bulloo wrookut.
Two nice-looking women Bulluo laen wrookut.
Two spears Bullum warl.
Two sharp spears Bullum jullunbroo warl.
Two meals (e.g., dinners) Bullum darndroo luck.
  (eat) (food)
Two great meals Bullum guerrale luck.




The Owl and the Eaglehawk.

(Brabrolong Tribe, Mitchell, Nicholson, and Tambo Rivers.)

Ebing tówund-jat wattun magwánnnumurunga. Maengwarra gwánnumurunga
Owl stole 'possum of eaglehawk. Watched eaglehawk
(The little brown owl)          
multówundjun wattun múlnoongal. Yirrak neinda bulla, kànyuboolla mangoot bittal.
stealing meat of his. Quarrel fellows two, perhaps fight.
            (as fighting with a waddy or club)
Palwadinna daya moóngabúllan maggiárt-bearn bulla. Koonkarra gwánnumurunga
A number see fellows two wrestling two. Perhaps eaglehawk
        (together)    
maggiart-bearn bulla. Kannyu bullan mabúndian. Multówandjanny ngrúnga
wrestling two. Perhaps two bite. Stealing hole
  (together)     (tear with the beak)    
wattunda ma gwánnumurunga nook prak a ngrúnga gwánnumurunga. Ebing turtygunny
'possum of the eaglehawk block up hole the eaglehawk. Owl dead
moonangrunga.
hole.




The Eaglehawk and the Owl.
(By a Native of a Tribe near the Brabrolong.)

Bonay-chakka já-anju gwánnumurunga wóonganto jirra. Gwánnumurung
Claw-flesh foot with eaglehawk seeking kangaroo. Eaglehawk
The eaglehawk was seeking to seize a kangaroo with his talons. The eaglehawk saw
ebing mum mutkwut wongia ngia ngrunga. Ebing woonganto blang.
owl there going into his hole. Owl seeking ring-tail 'possum.
the owl going into a hole belonging to him. The owl was seeking a ring-tail 'possum.
Mútkwuttung (mookun) ebing toondor tanga wanga ngrunga. Wully ngat kekán
Went into (going into) owl dowu bottom into hole. How I can
The owl went down into the bottom of the hole. The eaglehawk said how shall
ma nókepalla gunna? Tappy quannal! Ebing tunkana tang,
shut up him? All right! Owl spoke words,
I contrive to shut him up? All right, I have it! The owl said how shall
wama ngat jellaquan tungoo? Blabba tungana. Blabba gwánnumurung
how I hole make hence? Away from here. Away eaglehawk
I make a hole to escape hence? He made his escape. The eaglehawk
tungoo—wangoo ebinga.
hence—from him owl.
went away when the owl had escaped.

Note.—It seems that at that time the eaglehawk is supposed to have claimed all the 'possums as well as the kangaroos as his property. Hence he speaks of the hole in the tree in which lives the ring-tail 'possum as "belonging to him."

Told by one of the Tatoongolong tribe, which inhabited the strip of land between the Gippsland Lakes and the sea.

Tatoon = Soutb, e.g., Tatoon willung = South rain, or rain from the south.