J. T. Gilmour Wallace J. T. Gilmour Wallace i(A110088 works by)
Gender: Female
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1 The Magpie and the Children J. T. Gilmour Wallace , 1930 single work children's fiction children's Indigenous story
— Appears in: Victorian Readers : Fourth Book 1930; (p. 119-123) Victorian Readers : Fourth Book 1940; (p. 75-80)
1 The Legend of the Black Opal J. T. Gilmour Wallace , 1914 single work prose children's
— Appears in: School Paper : Grades V and VI , November no. 195 1914; (p. 171-173) School Paper : Grades V and VI , December no. 196 1914; (p. 188-191)
1 The Rosella: A Blackfellows' Legend J. T. Gilmour Wallace , 1914 single work prose children's
— Appears in: School Paper : Grades V and VI , October no. 194 1914; (p. 150-153)
1 The Porcupine and the Gang Gang Cockatoo: A Blackfellows' Legend J. T. Gilmour Wallace , 1914 single work prose children's Indigenous story
— Appears in: School Paper : Grades V and VI , September no. 193 1914; (p. 134-136)
1 Legend of the Black Swans J. T. Gilmour Wallace , 1914 single work prose children's Indigenous story
— Appears in: School Paper : Grades V and VI , August no. 192 1914; (p. 116-119)
1 The Origin of Lake Tyrrell: A Blackfellows' Legend J. T. Gilmour Wallace , 1914 single work prose children's Indigenous story
— Appears in: School Paper : Grades V and VI , July no. 191 1914; (p. 99-101)
1 The Wild Flowers: A Blackfellows' Legend J. T. Gilmour Wallace , 1914 single work prose children's Indigenous story
— Appears in: School Paper : Grades V and VI : Arbor Day Number , June no. 190 1914; (p. 84-88)
1 The Magpie and the Children : A Legend of the Blacks J. T. Gilmour Wallace , 1910-1919 single work prose children's Indigenous story
— Appears in: Where Fairies Dwell : Tales from Many Lands, Selected and Retold for Young Children 1910-1919; (p. 22-27)

A wicked old woman goes to a camp while the men are hunting and tells the women that there is lots of honey nearby. She says she will look after the children while the women go and collect it. When they are gone, the old woman lures the children into a hollow tree with her delicious cakes and then won't let them go.

The adults of the camp search for the children for days without success, until the kind goanna takes pity on them and uses his magic to free the children. All the children escape except one, who is crushed under the old woman as she falls in the melee. That night, as the old woman sleeps, she is changed into a magpie and flies out through the top of the tree. According to the story 'ever since that time, she has had no love for children, and that is the reason she flies at them every time they come near the tree where she had built her nest.' Further, many Aborigines believe they can hear echoes of the wailing of the lost child in the bush at night.

1 y separately published work icon Where Fairies Dwell : Tales from Many Lands, Selected and Retold for Young Children J. T. Gilmour Wallace , Melbourne : Lothian , 1910-1919 Z1576850 1910-1919 selected work children's fiction children's
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