Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/301

V by presents of weapons, skin rugs, or other articles. The Bunjil-yenjin then lay down on the ground in or near the encampment; next to him was the young man, and beyond him his comrades. The Bunjil-yenjin then sang his song, and the others all joined in with him.

The following is one of these songs, of which there were very many used on such occasions, and it is said to have been a very powerful one. One of my Kurnai informants, whose wife was one of the girls that eloped at the Jeraeil above mentioned, said in speaking of it, "That Yenjin made the women run in all directions when they heard it."

Another of these songs, also said to be a most powerful charm, is as follows:—

Or, freely translated, "Why did the young man cut off his beard long ago? the maiden sleeps in her camp."

This performance—ceremony it might even be called—was well known to all the camp, for there was no concealment, and even if done at a little distance, there was always some female friend to carry the news to the girl, and say, "There is so and so singing a Yenjin about you."

When the Bunjil-yenjin thought his magic was strong enough, he ceased his song. In one case, when one of my informants was present, Bunjil-gworan was the Bunjil-yenjin, and the girl's parents covered themselves as if asleep.

Before the youth could avail himself of the spell, something more had to be done, and probably in the above-mentioned case it preceded the covering up of the