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AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES.


but resolved to be revenged at a future opportunity. Some time afterwards they went again to the swamp for roots, kindled a fire on the bank, and left the young emus only at it to watch the fire. The young native companions accompanied their mother. The emu came home first, fed her young ones with roasted roots, and hid all her brood except two. The native companion returned with her young ones, and, on inquiring what was being roasted in the fire, was told by the emu that, as she could not find any roots, and was very hungry, she was cooking all her young ones except the two which were running about. Thereupon the native companion killed all her young ones except two, and put them into the fire to roast. After they were eaten, the emu called her brood from their hiding-place, and, addressing the native companion, said, 'Now I have served you out for deceiving me on a former occasion, and ever after this you will have no more than two young ones at a time, instead of a dozen as I have, and as you had before playing this trick on me.'

THE BUNYIP.

The following story was told by the old chief, Morpor, to his daughter and her husband: — Long ago two brothers — one of them so tall that he looked down on everybody, and the other of ordinary size — went to a swamp near Mount William to get swans' eggs. They found a great many; and, while roasting some of them on the bank of the lagoon, the smaller of the brothers said that he must get some more from the swamp. The taller one forbade him to go alone. However, he did go. He found a nest in the middle of the lagoon, and took the eggs. When returning to the shore, he heard a rush of water behind him, and saw the water-fowls in front of him hurrying along the water as if frightened. At the same time, the bottom of the marsh became so soft that he stuck in the mud, and could not go forward. A great wave overtook him and carried him back to the nest, where a large bunyip caught him in its mouth. It held him so high that his brother saw him. Some hours afterwards the water became calm. The tall brother then took a sheet of bark and put a fire on it, and, approaching the nest, saw his brother in the mouth of the bunyip. Speaking to the bunyip, he said — 'Be quiet, and let me take my brother.' The bunyip gnashed its teeth and gave him up; but he was dead, and his entrails had been devoured. The brother took the body ashore and laid it near the fire, and wept. He then went for his friends, who came and carried the corpse to their home. After he