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y separately published work icon Myths and Legends of the Australian Aborigines selected work   prose   dreaming story  
Alternative title: Myths & Legends of the Australian Aboriginals
Issue Details: First known date: 1930... 1930 Myths and Legends of the Australian Aborigines
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Contents

* Contents derived from the London,
c
England,
c
c
United Kingdom (UK),
c
Western Europe, Europe,:Harrap , 1930 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
Preface: W.R.S., W. Ramsay Smith , single work

The author's introduction to this collection of narratives told by Aboriginal people.

 (p. 7-9)
Aborigines, Their Traditions and Customs : Where Did They Come From?, David Unaipon , single work oral history (p. 17-22)
Note: With title: The Customs and Traditions of Aboriginals
The Story of the Creation, W. Ramsay Smith , Kardin-nilla , single work prose dreaming story

According to this story, the sun and the moon, who are female and the morning star who is male, were deities who gave origin to the human race, and when humans died they become stars in the sky.

 (p. 23-31)
The Coming of Mankind, W. Ramsay Smith , single work prose (p. 31-58)
The Peewee's Story, David Unaipon , single work prose (p. 41-45)
Immortality, David Unaipon , single work prose dreaming story

The author talks about the how the Australian Aboriginals have a legend that explains natural phenomena.

 (p. 59-62)
Note: With title: The Birth of the Butterflies
Confusion of Tongue, David Unaipon , single work oral history (p. 62-67)
Note: With title: The Confusion of Tongues
The Water Rat Who Discovered the Secret of Fire and How it was Taken from Him by the Eagle Hawk, David Unaipon , single work prose dreaming story (p. 67-69)
Note: With title: The Discovery and the Loss of Secret Fire
The Mar Kar Ree (Moon), David Unaipon , single work prose dreaming story

The story of a man called The Mar Kar Ree and his trail of looking for a wife.

 (p. 69-71)
Note: With title: The Moon
A Wonderful Bun Bar Rang (Lizard), David Unaipon , single work prose dreaming story

this story is a continuation after the Eagle forced the Water Rat to give up his secret of fire.

 (p. 71-78)
Note: With title: The Wonderful Lizard
The Gherawhar (Goanna), David Unaipon , single work prose dreaming story

'This is a story belonging to the Murrumbidgee River tribe, and they associate this locality as the first settled home of the Gherawhar (Goanna...) after leaving their temporary home at Shoalhaven, and before...to other parts of Australia. When they occupied this country there was no flowing Murrumbidgee River. The only river then was the... which was formed by the ancient Pendie, a fish commonly called the Murray Cod.' (David Unaipon, 1924-25)

 (p. 78-91)
Note: With titles: The Lazy Goannas and What Happened to Them and How the Selfish Goannas lost their Wives
Some Stories About My Race : What the Aborigines' Carvings Near Sydney Mean, David Unaipon , single work oral history (p. 91-93)
Note:

With title: What Some Aboriginal Carvings Mean

Unaipon's introduction has been entered as a footnote.
Why All the Animals Peck at the Selfish Owl : The Coming of the Light, David Unaipon , single work prose dreaming story

The story of the Bat tribe, who stood alone and did not enter into any disputes. However, one day the Chief of the bat tribe was forced to enter into a battle between the animal tribe and bird tribe.

 (p. 94-99)
Note: With title: The Selfish Owl
Why Manparrie Jump into the Water, David Unaipon , single work prose dreaming story

This story illustrates the moral lessons taught in the legends of the frogs.

 (p. 99-101)
Note: With title: Why Frogs Jump Into The Water
Aboriginal Legends. No. 1, Kinie Ger, the Native Cat, David Unaipon , single work short story Indigenous story

This short story is about the Kinie Ger (the native cat) a ruthless killer and enemy of other native creatures.

 (p. 101-105)
Note: With title: Kinie Ger, The Native Cat
The Porcupine and the Mountain Devil, Unknown Tracker , single work prose (p. 105-110)
Gool Lun Naga (Green Frog), David Unaipon , single work short story Indigenous story

Benjamin Miller describes this story in the following way: 'a creation story about a Water Spirit who desires to enter the material world. A Lyre Bird, who is adept at singing the songs of other animals, is asked by a spirit to sing into a stream. After much beautiful singing a Being emerges from the water. The Lyre Bird names the Being "Gool lun naga, a son of the clear running stream of water"'.

Source: Benjamin Miller, 'David Unaipon's Style of Subversion: Performativity and Becoming in "Gool Lun Naga (Green Frog)"', JASAL Special Issue (2008):84.

 (p. 111-118)
Note: With title: The Green Frog
How the Tortoise Got His Shell, David Unaipon , single work prose dreaming story

A story about the tortoise and his conflict with the Eaglehawk.

 (p. 118-120)
Note: With title: How the Tortoise Got his Shell
The Mischievous Crow and the Good He Did, David Unaipon , single work prose dreaming story

In a comparison to the biblical stories of the forces of good and evil, the author presents this story of crow from the Narrinyur people, an Aboriginal representation of good and evil which has played an important part in their traditions and legends.

 (p. 120-147)
Note: With title: The Mischievous Crow and the Good he Did
Whowie, David Unaipon , single work prose dreaming story

'The Whowie is the most dreadful animal in existence... he lived in the Riverina district, and would terrorise people in the far gone days.(Source: Whowie 1924)

 (p. 147-151)
Note: With title: Whowie
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