Page:The Native Tribes of South Australia (1879).djvu/279

 NATIVE STORIES. 201 to be driven away. She flies, and is secreted for some time, but is employed all the time in seeking roots which are so nourishing that in a short time she appears again, and fills out and becomes fat rapidly. The stars were formerly men, and leave their huts in the evening, to go through the same employments which they did while on earth. Some are remarkable amongst them, as Pungngane, Waijungngari, and their Ningarope. The first was born naturally, and the others were made as follows: —Ningarope having retired upon a natural occasion, was highly pleased with the red colour of her excrement, which she began to mould into the form of a man, and tickling it, it showed signs of life, and began to laugh. He was thus a Kainjani at once from his colour, and his mother took him into the bush and remained with him. Pungngane, his brother, had two wives, and lived near the sea. Once when he remained out a long time, his two wives left the hut and went and found Waijungngari. As they approached he was asleep, and the two women placed themselves on each side of the hut, and began making the noise of an emu. The noise woke him, and he took his spear to kill them; but, as soon as he ran out, the two women embraced him, and requested him to be their husband. His mother, enraged at the conduct of the women, went to Pungngane, and told what had happened. Very much enraged, he left his hut to seek that of his brother, which he soon found; but there was no one there, as his wives and brother were out seeking for food. Very much vexed, he put some fire upon the hut, saying "kundajan" meaning—let it remain, but not burn immediately. Waijungngari and the two women arrived in the evening, and, lying down to sleep, the fire began to burn and presently to fall upon the skins with which they were covered. Awaking with fright, they threw away the skins and ran to the sea. Out of danger, and recovered a little from his fright, Waijungngare began to think how he could escape the wrath of his brother, and threw a spear up to the sky, which touched it, and came down again. He then took a barbed spear, and throwing it upwards with all his force, it remained sticking in the sky. By this he climbed up, and the two women after him.