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Oongnairwah the diver, and Guinarey the eagle hawk, told all the pelicans, black swans, cranes, and many others, that they would take their net to the creek and catch fish, if some of them would go and beat the fish down towards the net. The pelicans, the black swans, and the rest gladly went to the creek. In they jumped, and splashed the water about to scare the fish down towards where Oongnairwah and Guinarey were stationed with their net. |
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Presently little Deereeree the wagtail, and Burreenjin the peewee, who were on the bank sitting on a stump, called out, "Look out, we saw the back of an alligator in the water." The diver and eagle hawk called back, "Go away, then. The wind blows from you towards him. Go back or he will smell you." |
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However, Deereeree and Burreenjin were watching the fishing and did not heed what was said to them. Soon the alligator smelt Deereeree and Burreenjin, and he lashed out with his tail, splashing the water so high, and lashing so furiously, that all the fishermen were drowned, even Deereeree and Burreenjin on the bank. Not one escaped. The bank of the creek was red with the blood of the slain, and the stump whereon Deereeree and Burreenjin had sat was red, with their blood. The place is called Goomade (red swamp) and is red forever. |
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Collected in 1897 by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker. |
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