IV.—Origin of the Woma and Kapiri. A Wonkanguru Legend.
Naiyenimirara, Kurkali, Bulu-bulu, U'atylina, and other Muramuras wanted to make some Womas. They consulted about the colours a Woma should be, but were not agreed about it, so Watylina went away, and the others drew long wavy lines on the ground and stuck sticks at the ends marked with the woma colours thus:
But they had scarcely done it when a fierce wind obliterated the marks and blew away the sticks. Then they drew a long straight line so:
with Woma sticks at the ends, but as before a great wind came and swept away their work. The same thing happened again when they drew intersecting lines like this:
But all their trouble was in vain, for Watylina sent a wind each time to destroy their work.
At last they made a line so broad and so long that it made a great ridge, at each end of which they planted several Woma poles. While they were doing this the Mura-mura Mantandara came by and asked what they were all doing there. Instead of telling him they laughed at his ignorance, so that he turned away ashamed and went away with a grudge against them. To have his revenge he turned himself into a fire and burnt up the other Mura-muras with their camp. After he had burned the Woma Mura-muras he also burned the Kapiri Mura-muras, KumariPuntali and Taraburuna, who had also made lines and set up sticks with Kapiri colours at the ends.
Out of the ashes of the Woma and Kapiri Mura-muras came Womas and Kapiris, and after these had returned to the ground countless young Womas and Kapiris came to light.
Notes by the Rev. O. Siebert.
Naiyeni-mirara means "sluggard," from naiyeni, slow, and mirara, comrade or mate.
Kurkali, derived from kurka, a kind of kangaroo-rat (Dieri and Wonkanguru).
Bulu-bulu, the designation of young Womas (Dieri and Wonkanguru).
Watylina, to cook.