r looked at before. The bodies of dogs, and the heads of
pigs, and the fierceness and strength of devils. And gone is the life
of a man who meets in a scrub of Noondoo an earmoonan, for surely will
it slay him. Not even did Byamee ever dare to go near the breed of his
old dog. And Byamee, the mighty Wirreenun, lives for ever. But no man
must look upon his face, lest surely will he die. So alone in a thick
scrub, on one of the Noondoo ridges, lives this old man, Byamee, the
mightiest of Wirreenun.

27. BUNNYYARL THE FLIES AND WURRUNNUNNAH THE BEES

The Bunnyyarl and Wurrunnunnah were relations, and lived in one camp.
The Wurrunnunnah were very hardworking, always trying to gather food in
a time of plenty, to lay in a store for a time of famine. The Bunnyyarl
used to give no heed to the future, but used to waste their time
playing round any rubbish, and never thinking even of laying up any
provisions. One day the Wurrunnunnah said, "Come out with us and gather
honey from flowers. Soon will the winter winds blow the flowers away,
and there will be no more honey to gather."

"No," said the Bunnyyarl, "we have something to look to here." And
off they went, turning over some rubbish and wasting their time,
knowing whatever the Wurrunnunnah brought they would share with them.
The Wurrunnunnah went alone and left the Bunnyyarl to their rubbish.
The Wurrunnunnah gathered the flowers and stored the honey, and never
more went back to live with the Bunnyyarls, for they were tired of
doing all the work.

As time went on the Wurrunnunnah were changed into little wild bees,
and the lazy Bunnyyarls were changed into flies.

28. DEEGEENBOYAH THE SOLDIER-BIRD

Deegeenboyah was an old man, and getting past hunting much for himself;
and he found it hard to keep his two wives and his two daughters
supplied with food. He camped with his family away from the other
tribes, but he used to join the men of the Mullyan tribe when they were
going out hunting, and so get a more certain supply of food than if he
had gone by himself. One day when the Mullyan went out, he was too late
to accompany them. He hid in the scrub and waited for their return, at
some little distance from their camp. When they were coming back he
heard them singing the Song of the Setting Emu, a song which whoever
finds the first emu's nest of the season always sings before getting
back to the camp. Deegeenboyah jumped up as he heard the song, and
start