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y separately published work icon Milbi : Aboriginal Tales from Queensland's Endeavour River selected work   children's fiction   children's   Indigenous story  
Issue Details: First known date: 1979... 1979 Milbi : Aboriginal Tales from Queensland's Endeavour River
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Fifteen Australian Aboriginal tales recalling the traditional beliefs and customs of the Guugu Yimidhirr people of Queensland. (Source: TROVE)

Notes

  • Author's note: Work on this collection of stories began in 1977 when my family and I worked at Hopevale Mission, living with my friend Billy Jacko and members of his household. The Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies and the Department of Anthropology, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, supported this fieldwork, and funded Tulo Gordon's trip to Canberra in February and March 1979, during which time we completed the manuscript and illustrations for this book.

    John B. Haviland

    Canberra, May 1979

Contents

* Contents derived from the Canberra, Australian Capital Territory,:Australian National University Press , 1979 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
Mungurru, the Scrub Python, and the Endeavour River, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction prose Indigenous story
'There was a blackbird, called Dyirimadhi, who wanted to marry the daughter of old Mungurru, the Scrub Python. But that old Mungurru wouldn't give his daughter to Blackbird....'
 (p. 1-3)
Dyiibuul, The Bat, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction prose Indigenous story
'This is a story about a little boy, his father and his mother died. So he was left in the care of his old grandfather. They used to stay in the same camp...'
 (p. 5)
How Gudyal the Eagle, Got His Wings, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction prose Indigenous story

Gudyal, the Eagle, lived way up on the mountain side. That's where his house was. He was very brave, and he was also a great hunter...'

 (p. 7)
Ganhaarr, The Crocodile, and His Wife, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction

'The old people say that Ganhaarr, the crocodile, is very cunning. And he is always on the lookout for a woman that he can steal away as his wife...'

 (p. 9-11)
The Giant Dindurr Eel, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction prose Indigenous story

'There used to be a camp near the Endeavour River, and all kinds of people lived there, The two Frill Lizard brothers camped there, too...these two Frill Lizard brothers boasted a lot...'

 (p. 13-14)
How the Giant Nhinhinhi Fish Changed the Languages, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction prose Indigenous story

'Long ago all men had a single language, which everyone could understand. One time word went out to all the different tribes of people that there would be a big dance. People came together from the East, from the West, from the North and from the South...'

 (p. 17-)
The Two Night Owl Sisters and Their Leichhardt Tree, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction

'There were once two night owl sisters. They owned a big Leichhardt tree, which they called by the name of Dyilbi...'

 (p. 19-21)
The Old Woman and Her Grandson on a Lonely Island, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction prose Indigenous story
'Once there was an old woman, who lived with her grandson on lonely island in the East. It was just a small island, and those two were the only ones who lived there. They were all alone...'
 (p. 23)
The Forest Spirit and His Ten Beautiful Daughters, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction prose Indigenous story
'Diimuur, the forest spirit, had ten daughters. The were all very beautiful, with long long hair. The lived together in a cave high on a mountainside. Nearby was a waterfall where they often went to swim...
 (p. 25)
Frill Lizard and The Honey, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction prose Indigenous story
'Frill Lizard had two sisters, two blackbirds. One day he decided to go out hunting, and he called his sisters to come along with him...'
 (p. 29-31)
Durrgin, The Water Rat, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction prose Indigenous story

'In the early days, when a person got too old to hunt or to travel, the other people in the tribe would make a final camp for him and leave him to die. Well, that happened to one old woman. She had grown too old. She couldn't walk around any more, and she couldn't gather food. So the rest of the tribe decided to leave her...'

 (p. 33-35)
Fog and Thunderstorm, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction prose Indigenous story

'Old man Fog lived in the North. He belonged to an area called Yidamugu. Thunderstorm lived in the South. He came from the area called Muunhdhi. Now, Thunderstorm married old Fog's twin daughters, and he took them away to live with him in the South...'

 (p. 37-41)
The Giant Dingo Dog, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction prose Indigenous story
'There were two magpie brothers, who lived in their own camp. They were not only very great hunters, but they wanted all creatures to live in peace...'
 (p. 43-45)
The Two Dugul Sisters, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction Indigenous story
'Once all the creatures, from the land and sea, came together to have a great dance. All the fishes, and sea turtles, and the dugongs, and other creatures of the water assembled for the dance...'
 (p. 47-50)
The Big Dance and the Angry Old Woman, Tulo Gordon , John B. Haviland (translator), single work children's fiction Indigenous story
'A long, long time ago, all the different Aboriginal tribes came together for a big corroboree. They came from the East, from the West, from the North and from the South. The gathered and sat down, and said to each other, 'Let's have a great dance.' And they agreed that the dancing would go on for many days and nights...'
 (p. 53-54)
Behind the Myths, John B. Haviland , single work essay (p. 55-59)
VIEW ENTIRE CONTENTS ( works)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Language: English
Notes:
Translated from [Gugu Yimidhirr] into English by John B. Haviland.
VIEW PUBLICATION DETAILS FOR ALL VERSIONS ()
Last amended 16 Mar 2022 08:05:00
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