y separately published work icon Aboriginal Legends : Animal Tales selected work   short story   Indigenous story  
Issue Details: First known date: 1978... 1978 Aboriginal Legends : Animal Tales
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

A selection of Aboriginal legends about animals and men collected and retold by Reed, each prefaced by a non-fiction explanation of the content of the story. This book is not intended for children, but rather presents indigenous tales for general anthropological interest.

These stories represent a broad range of traditional stories from across the continent. Reed acknowledges in his introduction that he writes from a Western perspective, that 'they are a product of the 1970s, written by one whose skin is a different colour, and whose environment is completely foreign to that of the Aboriginals who devised [the stories].'

Reed organises the book into chapters with short introductions:

  • Chapter One : Reptile People
  • Chapter Two : Frog People
  • Chapter Three : Tree People
  • Chapter Four : Animal People
  • Chapter Five : Flower People
  • Chapter Six : Crocodile People
  • Chapter Seven : Star People
  • Chapter Eight : Crow People

Contents

* Contents derived from the Sydney, New South Wales,:Reed , 1978 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
The Snake People of Ayers Rock, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of the story of the Snake peoples, Kunia and Liru, whose battles created the terrain of Uluru.
 (p. 10-12)
Snakes and Turtles, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of the traditional story in which the Plover encourages the Snakes and Turtles to exchange heads, giving the Snakes a poison sac and balancing turtle, snake and human populations. In doing so, the Plover gains the advantage of an increased catch of eels.
 (p. 12-15)
Death to the Giant Snake, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of a traditional story in which, following the death of his intended partner, a young man plots the death of the Giant Snake who killed her. With the aid of his friends and balls of beefwood gum, he succeeds in killing the snake and reducing the numbers of Bubbur in the region forever.
 (p. 15-19)
Goanna Makes a Canoe, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of a creation story about the goanna. The Goanna-man learns to climb a tree to strip bark for the first canoe. Since that time, goannas scuttle up tree trunks to safety.
 (p. 19-20)
Goannas and Porcupines, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of a traditional story about the Goanna and Echidna. The industrious Goannas become lazy, deceitful and envious of others when they move south from the Northern Seas. While deceiving the 'Porcupines', the headman of the Goanna moiety is burned by the cooking fire. To this day, goannas and echidnas do not hunt together, and the goanna carries the scars of the past.
 (p. 20-23)
The Lizard Who Came from Nowhere, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of a traditional story in which the Boy-From-Nowhere is revealed as a thief and attacked by the men of the camp. He grows to enormous proportions, but is finally speared by the most powerful man. He is covered by bark for one night. When the bark is removed, all that remains is a tiny four legged lizard, the first of many to come.
 (p. 24-26)
The Meat Ants and the Fire, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of the traditional story of the Meat Ant People. The Meat Ant People were the only Dreamtime creatures who knew how to make fire. Having heard about the value of cooking meat, a young man travels across the land seeking fire. He locates and steals a fire stick and evades the Kabi People, who are turned into meat ants.
 (p. 26-28)
The Timid Frogs, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of a traditional story. The small frogs from the marshy areas of Australia pride themselves on having left their female companions and established a male community. Frightened by the Voice of the ghost spirit, they leap into pond. To this day the frog takes refuge in water at the slightest noise. Perhaps the timid frog will recover his bravery when reunited with the female frog.
 (p. 30-33)
The Everlasting Frogs, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of a traditional story in which a barren old woman bargains with the wirinun for the safe return of her daughters. As a punishment for her rejection of him as a young man, he turns the daughters into stone frogs.
 (p. 33-36)
Koala and the Rainbow, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
This is an interpretation of a Dreaming story about the arrival of Aboriginal people from across the sea, and their splitting into 'a number of groups, each with its own totem'.
 (p. 37-39)
Why Koala Has No Tail, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of a traditional story in which the Koala is punished for being selfish during a severe drought.
 (p. 40-44)
Man into Possum, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of a traditional story in which, in a lean period, a thief steals fish from two brothers who are expert fishermen. The thief escapes by turning himself into a possum. This is the story of the thieving possum, his children, and his children's children.
 (p. 44-47)
Red and Black Flying-Foxes, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of a traditional 'Munkan' story about the construction of spears, tribal vendettas and burial customs.
 (p. 47-49)
The Legs of the Kangaroo, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
Tales about how the kangaroo came to stand on two feet.
 (p. 51-52)
The Mice Women Who Turned into Dingoes, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
Pungalung, the biggest hunter who ever lived, hunts women and animals. He discovers the Mice Women, a tribe comprised solely of women. To escape Pungalung's sexual advances, the women turn into dingoes and chase him off.
 (p. 52-54)
The Two Dogs, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of a traditional story in which an old man takes revenge on the tribe that killed his dogs by whipping up a strong wind that carries them away. He takes the bones of his dogs to the top of the waterfall, where they remain as sacred stones.
 (p. 55-56)
Water-Rat and Fire, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of the traditional story in which the Water-Rat discovers and shares fire.
 (p. 56-60)
Echidna's Spines, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
Two short retellings of the traditional story of how the Echidna got his spines.
 (p. 60-62)
Coral Creeper, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
A retelling of a traditional story about the first coral creeper, sprung from the blood of a young girl fleeing an arranged marriage.
 (p. 64-67)
The Flower Child, A. W. Reed , single work short story Indigenous story
From a story told to Roland Robinson and reproduced here by Reed, about the birth of Mulyan (Mullairn), the Eagle-Hawk, who was found gestating in the petals of a flower. A young girl, who touched the flower and nurtured the child, is credited with a virginal birth.
 (p. 67-68)
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Last amended 27 Aug 2008 17:47:25
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