Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/828

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NATIVE TRIBES OF SOUTH-EAST AUSTRALIA

Tayi-tampana[1] or Ngura-tulu-tulu-ru[2]: A Yaurorka Legend

A Mura-mura belonging to Kilyalpa,[3] named Ngura-tulu-tulu-ru, started on his wanderings. He came to Paia-tira,[4] where he saw women beating out Paua and cleaning it. As he came nearer to them, they saw him, and surrounded the stranger. They looked at him inquisitively, and could not help laughing at his crooked legs and arms. Nor could they help being surprised at the light-coloured flies which accompanied him, because those with them were black. Then they began to discuss where he came from, and who he was, for not one of them knew him. But they thought of one old woman who was a little distance away, and called to her, thinking that she might know who he was. Hastening to them, she recognised him as being her Ngatamura, and took him on her lap, and sobbed unceasingly, crying, "Palingi! Palingi!" (my brother's son). When she had wept over him, she sent him to her husband, his Yenku (father's father), who was in the camp with other men eating Paua. Before he reached the camp he could hear the men grinding the seed which the women had collected and cleaned. He thought to himself, "That must be a good stone; I wish I had it." Then he went to his Yenku's camp, and after he had spoken to him, made his own camp close at hand, and lay down as if to sleep. As he lay there, the whole camp collected there and made themselves merry over his crooked legs and arms. He, however, secretly watched where they had put the wonderful Tayi stone, which with so little rubbing had ground so much Paua. When all the people had gone to sleep, Ngura-tulu-tulu-ru rose up, and taking some glowing coals and a piece of fungus,[5] he powdered both and scattered them over the whole camp, to make every one unconscious. To make sure that every one was fast asleep, he shouted "Bai! Bai! Bai!" loudly, after he had spoken his spell, but no one moved. Then he touched each one with a burning coal, to try and wake him, but without effect, and then took the grinding-stone out of the damp earth where it had been hidden, washed the mud off it, and walked away quietly, about midday, with it on his head. When he had gone a long way from the camp, the people woke up, and to

  1. Tayi-tampana means a grinding-stone in mud. Tayi is the name for the slab of stone on which the Paua is ground; in Dieri called Ngurtu. Tampa is damp earth or mud; in Dieri, Mitta-pada, Mitta being earth, and Pada, damp or moist.
  2. Ngura-tulu-tulu-ru is "leg-crooked," Ngura being "leg," Tulu-tulu-ru being "crooked," and in Dieri, Pira-pira.
  3. The name of this place is derived from Kilyera, a loose sandy land without vegetation.
  4. Paia is a bird. The word Tira is not explained.
  5. This fungus is called Wona-waru, white mound. It grows near to Eucalyptus trees.