Page:The Aborigines of Victoria and Riverina.djvu/152

147 which walks the earth." Thereupon the cunning dame Courtenie made a few Thespean steps, in which she was joined by all her kindred there assembled, brimful of malicious glee, after which one and all cut an astonishing wing, by way of finale; then, spreading out their wings to the ambient air, they flew away, leaving the mutilated Kurwie lost in wonder.

The Bumbuma Koeworie, sitting on a neighbouring tree, saw and heard the whole performance, and although up to that time he and. all his kind had been mute birds, the successful wicked cunning of the sly dame Courtenie thus displayed before him so tickled his risible faculties, that before he was aware of it he burst out with a loud, long and joyous laugh, and from thence even to the present day, anything at all comical or absurd passing under the observation of the Koeworie, is certain to elicit much and prolonged laughter.

When the Kurwie's consternation, consequent upon the abruptness of the Courtenie's departure, had subsided some, what, she soliloquised thus:—"How vilely that abominable old Dame Courtenie has imposed upon me to be sure, to say that she and all her fellows were only walking birds, when 'tis plainly enough demonstrated that they can fly as well as ever I could. I trust that the cunning creature has not perverted the truth as much with regard to my being able to catch fish now that my wings have been out away; but this thought need not trouble my head long, as I can easily put it to the test, which I shall do forthwith." Alas! that it should fall to our task to relate it, but, sad to tell, the poor misled Kurwie's first fishing experiences