caught it, and was going to keep
it. 'He had promised his sweetheart,' he said, 'that he would bring
back enough meat for her father's house to feast on for three days,
and though they could not eat the little Bunyip, her brothers and
sisters should have it to play with.' So, flinging his spear at the
mother to keep her back, he threw the little Bunyip on to his
shoulders, and set out for the camp, never heeding the poor mother's
cries of distress.

[Illustration: THE BUNYIP]

By this time it was getting near sunset, and the plain was in shadow,
though the tops of the mountains were still quite bright. The youths
had all ceased to be afraid, when they were startled by a
low rushing sound behind them, and, looking round, saw that the pool
was slowly rising, and the spot where they had landed the Bunyip was
quite covered. 'What could it be?' they asked one of another; 'there
was not a cloud in the sky, yet the water had risen higher already
than they had ever known it do before.' For an instant they stood
watching as if they were frozen, then they turned and ran with all
their might, the man with the Bunyip running faster than all. When he
reached a high peak overlooking all the plain he stopped to take
breath, and turned to see if he was safe yet. Safe! why only the tops
of the trees remained above that sea of water, and these were fast
disappearing. They must run fast indeed if they were to escape. So on
they flew, scarcely feeling the ground as they went, till they flung
themselves on the ground before the holes scooped out of the earth
where they had all been born. The old men were sitting in front, the
children were playing, and the women chattering together, when the
little Bunyip fell into their midst, and there was scarcely a child
among them who did not know that something terrible was upon them.
'The water! the water!' gasped one of the young men; and there it was,
slowly but steadily mounting the ridge itself. Parents and children
clung together, as if by that means they could drive back the
advancing flood; and the youth who had caused all this terrible
catastrophe, seized his sweetheart, and cried: 'I will climb with you
to the top of that tree, and there no waters can reach us.' But, as he
spoke, something cold touched him, and quickly he glanced down at his
feet. Then with a shudder he saw that they were feet no longer, but
bird's claws. He looked at the girl he was clasping, and beheld a
great black