<translate> When one family's roof was torn off in the storm, every other family came the next morning without being asked, and by day's end the roof was rebuilt, and that is how a people survives what would destroy a single household.

Nyubun jawun-karramu bayan wangkar jarramalibu manin, jawun-karra wubulku yindu kadan wunkuwingku kari babajinmuny, wungar dungaymuny bayan wangkar bungan baja, yinyabu bama wubulku janay yamba nyubun bayan kilba-manilnya.


<translate> They saw the sea snake here.


<translate> We see the rhinoceros beetle there.


<translate> Those stones there are not close together.


<translate> We two, not you, see the goose there.


<translate> The little fiddler crabs come out of the sand in their thousands at low tide, the old woman said, waving one big claw like men dancing.

Karruku buban jukar-muny daka wubul ngajal-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan, mara yalbay nyubun murni-murni yala dingkar-dingkar jurbu-nya.


<translate> The old man said the dark rain-cloud looks like a great fish rising slowly from the deep water of the sky.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: ngurrban ngumbu yala walu-walu yala kuyu yalbay daka buban-buban bana dajali jiri-muny.


<glossary> kunka ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> People might talk about you


<translate> The child cried while the mother was digging, so the grandmother held it and sang out.

Karrkay badin, ngamu baka-nya, babingka karrban, yirrkan.


<translate> I see the seashell headband.


<translate> You and I see the valley here.


<translate> Where does the language live? a girl asked, in the mouth or in the ear? and the old woman said: it rises in the mouth and makes its camp in the ear, for a spoken word that no ear takes dies on the lips, but a word that one ear catches and another mouth sends on can walk through a hundred years.

Wanja kuku wunay? jalbu-buban babajin, ngandalba yambada milkanga? wulbumanangka balkan: nyulu wandil ngandalba, bayan nyungu bungal milkanga, kuku balkanmuny milka-kari nyulu wulay yimbinga, yambada kuku milka nyubunbu maninmuny ngandal yindubu dayalmuny nyulu jilbal wungar wubulburr.


<translate> The old man showed the boy how to hold the spear-thrower like this, so the spear flies straight and true and far.

Mukul-dingkarangka karrkay nyaji-mani balur karrba yala-ku, kalka wanarri nyubun-ba kala-kalbay-ka.


<translate> Many plant shoots are there.


<translate> The little ones found new shells.


<glossary> yamba-kari ; type=particle ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I don't have any food


<translate> You two see the deep water there.


<translate> The two of them saw the kurmba-kurmba lizard there.


<translate> He saw the dakwurr-dakwun hammer bird there.


<translate> You saw the julbal tree here.


<glossary> yunu ; type=adjective ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Where is your dog?


<translate> We two, not you, saw the dakwurr-dakwun hammer bird here.


<translate> In the morning grandad went into the scrub and brought back green ant medicine for the girl's fever.

Wunkuwingku kami madjanga dungan, yangka wundin baja, maralka wumbulka.


<translate> The old man said the sea gives food to those who know its ways, but takes the life of those who do not.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan jalun mayi dajil bama nyungu kuku binal-bama-nka, yambada bama kari-binal-nka nyulu wula-bungan.


<translate> He sees the nikar oyster here.


<translate> You see the marubu species of oyster there.


<glossary> ngura-ngura ngal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The carpenters got the house ready to build (leveled the foundations measured to see where the walls wouuld be etc)

Jana carpenter-carpenterangka bayan ngurangurangan


<translate> The child washed himself in the river.


<translate> You two saw the yawa possum here.


<translate> The old man said the deepest and best change a person can undergo is the slow change from taking to giving, for a small child rightly takes, needing everything and giving nothing, but a person grows well only insofar as they change, year by year, into a giver, until at the end a good old person is almost pure gift, feeding and teaching and blessing the young from a store built over a lifetime, and he said this one change, from taker to giver, is the whole shape of a life well lived.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan yindu dukurr yukil bajaku bama nyubun manil nyulu yindu buban-buban manil-muny dayal-muny, karrkay buban yukil manil, wawu-manil yamba wubulku dayal nganga, yambada bama junkurr-mal yukil nyulu yindu-mal, wungar nyubun-nyubun, dayal-bama-mal, bada bajaku bama mukul yukil nyulu bajaku daji-jirray nganga, dayal milbil kuku-yukil-dayal warru mayi-karrban wawu kalbaymba bunganmuny, nyulu balkan yindu nyubun, manil-bama dayal-bamamuny, nyulu yala wawu yukil wunanmuny wubulku.


<translate> The fire did not die; it burned all night.


<translate> Fish keep no patience, the old woman drove the girls through the order at a run: guts out first of all while they still shine, wash them, then to the smoke or to the coals before the sun stands high, for the catch is a message-stick that goes bad in the reading, and the fast hands eat sweet while the slow hands eat sorrow.

Kuyu wawu-karrba-kari, wulbumanangka jalbu-buban warri-bungan murni-jinaburr: julbi-ngurr mana jilu-jilunya jana, julurrika, yalada kubuku yambada ngunjilku wungar wangkar jananyjiku, kuyu maninmuny nyulu kuku-juku nyulu mumbu-mal nyajinya, mara warribu nukal jiba-wulay, mara buban-bubanbu nukal wawu-mumbu.


<translate> Mother said: "You two spear it with a digging stick!"

Ngamu-ngku yalaman: "Yubal juwal-da dama!"


<translate> Father laughed at grandfather.


<translate> He saw the jangkan swift there.


<translate> The old woman said: when you marry you do not just take a wife — you take her mother, her brothers, her whole people, and you owe them meat and respect for the rest of your life.

Mukulungku balkan: yundu manyarr-bunga-nya, yundu kari manyarr nyubun mani — yundu nyungu ngamu, yaba-karra, bama wubul mani, yundu jananda minya dandi dayal yundu juran.


<translate> The shield is made from the light wood of the fig tree, and it guards the man from the flying spears.

Kunjuri juku balbal-muny bungal, kalka-muny dingkar nyaji-l-nyaji-l.


<glossary> kural ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> He swam under water


<translate> The old man said: the grandmother teaches the girls the plant names, and when they know them well, they will teach their own children — that is how the knowledge stays alive.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: babingka jalbu-jalbu juku burri binal-bungal, jana ngulkurr binal-man, jana nyungu karrkay-karrkay binal-bungal, yinyabu binal juran-man.


<translate> They saw the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> You all saw the yuray snake there.


<translate> Mum sent the food with granny.


<translate> The women taught each other about the bark bags and the digging sticks.

Jalbu binal-bunga-way, buyku-balji-ka juku-baka-ka.


<translate> We gathered so many shellfish that we could not eat them all in one day.

Ngana mukirr wubul-baja bangkan, kari nuka-l wubul wungar nyubun-a.


<translate> You two saw the bujil-yiran ibis there.


<translate> They saw the warkal bailer shell there.


<translate> The cold season is the fat season, the old woman taught the girls at the fire: the fish are slow and carry fat, the bandicoots come down to the soft grass, the honey sits heavy in the trees, so the old people called the cold time the quiet harvest, and a family that works the short cold days eats with singing through the long hot ones.

Bulur-iji nyulu wungar wandulmuny, wulbumanangka jalbu-buban milbin bayanga: kuyu buban-buban wandul-ji, kulngu kaday bada jikanka kimaka, wunba bundal dandi jukungu, yalada bama mukulungku kiway kunjan mayi-mani wunbu, jawun-karra nyulu murnil wungar kiway bubanba, nyulu nukal wulngku-ji wungar wumbul kalbayburr.


<translate> One year the wet season rains came harder and longer than anyone could remember, and the river rose higher every day.

Nyubun wungara buluriji kaba kadan junkurr kalbay bama binalmuny, wawubaja wangkar wandin wungar wubulku.


<translate> You two saw the nakawarra bee here.


<translate> The young man was so exhausted after the long hunt that he lay down and slept at once.

Warru wawu-wulay baja balbi kalbay-muny, nyulu janka wunan warngku niji.


<translate> You and I see the mawul eel there.


<glossary> ngamba ; type=adjective ; domain=perception <usage_example> He's sitting not noticing


<glossary> jamba ; type=noun ; domain=land-geography <usage_example> Up there on the hillside


<translate> That marsupial native cat is there.


<translate> I came from the camp with paperbark.


<translate> The woman saw the digging stick at the camp.


<translate> The woman went outside with father.


<translate> The old man said the making of a good decision is itself a slow change worth waiting for, for a question thrown at a tired mind at night gives one answer, and the same question held quietly through a night's sleep and asked again at dawn gives often a wiser one, so the old people would say let us sleep on it, trusting that the mind changes and settles overnight, and that a thing seen clearly in the morning was often clouded the night before by the day's heat.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku-manin yukil nyulu-nyulu yindu buban-buban nganga maku-janalmuny, kuku yilbal milka baja-burray-mba wujurrba nyulu dayal kuku-yukil nyubun, kuku nyubun wunbu-ji karrbal wujurr warngku-burr babajil baja muduwajuny nyulu dayal wawu-yukil nyubun, bama mukul balkan ngana wunay yinyanga, kuku-junkurr milka yindu-mal wunbu-mal wujurr-burr, yamba nyaji yukil muduwajuny nyulu nganga ngurrban-ji-man wujurr ngadiku wungar wumbul-bu.


<translate> Mother saw the bloodwood tree.


<translate> We saw the bamboo stick there.


<translate> I saw the diwalngku bird here.


<translate> I see the spotted eagle ray.


<translate> That road there is not wide.


<translate> He saw the jimu grasshopper here.


<translate> You saw the jila beeswax here.


<lexeme> smoke the inside of a house after the owner dies


<translate> He saw the bilu-warra spoonbill here.


<translate> You see the big clam shell here.


<translate> A younger brother must not eat food from his elder sister.

Yabaju-ngku mayi kari nuka-l babarr-andamuny.


<translate> You all see the milbarkal tree there.


<translate> Never take too much from one tree.


<translate> The bark is harder than the clothes.


<glossary> dubal ; type=noun ; domain=artefact <usage_example> My child is sleeping in the coolamon


<translate> Father saw the shallow water there.


<translate> You see the shovelnose ray there.


<translate> The children asked the old man: "Who made all these good spears and shields long, long ago?"

Karrkay-karrkay mukul-dingkar babajin: Wanyangka narmba kalka ngulkurr kunjuri bungal kalbay-muny?


<translate> The children sat on the big flat rock beside the cool clear mountain stream.

Karrkay-karrkay jalngarr yalbay-ba bundan, wawubaja ngiki manjal-mu karangkal.


<translate> We two, not you, see the mullet here.


<translate> The men keep spearing around for fish at the river.

Dingkar-dingkar kuyu-ngu dama-n-dama-ji wawubaja-nga.


<translate> That road there is not wide.


<translate> The old woman brought bark from the scrub.

Wulbuman-angka dumbul madja-muny wundin.


<translate> Which fruit is ripe now, and which is still hard and unripe?

Wanjinya mayi kulbul, wanjinya kulbul-kari-baja dandi?


<translate> You two see the bujabay tree here.


<translate> You and I saw the biwul snake there.


<translate> How many seasons does the year hold? a child asked, and the old woman spread her fingers: the white people count two, the old people name them by how the country works — the hot time, the storm time, the wet, the drying time, the cold dew time — so the year has as many rooms as you have learned to see, and each one keeps its own food and its own work.

Wanjarrinya wungar-jina wungarbu karrbal? karrkay babajin, wulbumanangka birri milbin: waybalangka jambul kunjal, bama mukulungku kunjal yala bubu murnil: wangariji, jarramali-wungar, bana-wungar, wungar marral-manya, bulur-iji, yalada wungar nyulu bayan-ji wubul-ji yala yundu binalman nyajinka, nyubun-nyubunbu mayi nyungu-nyungu murni nyungu-nyungu karrbal.


<translate> The old man said the fire and the plant are old friends: the fire clears the old scrub, and the new green food springs up thick where the fire has passed.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: baya mayi-juku-jirr jawun ngadiku — baya-ngka madja wulman waju, mayi jirakal balbal daka wubul baya dunga-nya.


<translate> Pass the water bag along before the meat — talking is thirsty work.

Bana-balji daya baralburr minya ngadiku, kuku-balkal nyulu murni bana-dakwuy-ji.


<translate> The boomerang is not only a weapon; the old men beat time to the song with two.

Wangal kari nyubun jarrngkurr; mukul-dingkar-angka wangal jambul burri-duda-l.


<glossary> durru ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> I stubbed my toe on a stone


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jungka wild cherry tree there.


<translate> We cracked the oyster shells on the rocks and ate them there beside the sea.

Ngana julul milbar dumbarrin kulji-nga, nukan yinyay jalun karangkal.


<translate> Wash your face — we're going to see granny.

Walu julurrijika — ngana babinda dungay.


<translate> The old man said: I, you, we, they — we are all one people, one country, one law; hold to each other, and the country will hold to us forever.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: ngayu, yundu, ngana, jana — ngana wubul nyubun bama, nyubun bubu, nyubun kuku; muru karrba-way, bubu ngananka karrbal ngadiku-ngadiku.


<translate> Is the fig ripe? No, it is still hard.


<translate> The dog came straight towards us.


<translate> You all saw the bilbil-bilbil gecko here.


<translate> The two of them see the jalnji tree here.


<translate> The old man said the oak by the ridge marks water always below, so when you are lost and dry, walk to the oak and dig, and you will drink.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: dalban jamba ngundu bana yingka bada-bada, yundu jila-warri marral-ba, dalban-ka dunga baka, yundu bana nuka.


<glossary> yaral ; type=adjective ; domain=water <usage_example> He's not angry any more


<translate> I saw the bilu-warra spoonbill here.


<translate> You see the black stone there.


<translate> You and I see the straw-necked ibis there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jadamu bananas there.


<translate> You two keep sitting; I will come back.


<translate> The old people know many songs.


<translate> We saw the wakumba tree canopy here.


<translate> We two (not you) saw the outrigger canoe here.


<translate> You and I saw the balja food here.


<translate> The men cut the saplings and set them in the ground, and the women covered the frame with sheets of paperbark.

Dingkar-dingkarangka juku yakan, bubungu yijarrin, jalbu-jalbungku wurun nandan buykubu.


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<translate> The old man said the country is like a food-ground, if you keep it well.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan bubu yala mayi-bubu, kaki yundu ngulkurr karrbal.


<translate> I see the spider shell here.


<translate> We see the black scrub goanna in the scrub.


<translate> We see the grasshopper here.


<translate> Every family knew the one waterhole that never went dry in the worst of the drought.

Jawun-karra wubul-angka janku nyubun binal, kariku marral-ma-nya wungar marral-baja.


<translate> The children grew up reading the sky as easily as they read each other's faces, and the country was never a stranger to them.

Karrkay-karrkay kambaman jiri nyajil yala jana walu nyubunmu nyajil, bubu kari jananka yindu yabarrka.


<translate> You all saw the rainbow here.


<translate> The dry-country goanna runs faster than the dog, so it always reaches the tree first.

Minya bubu-dukurr-mu jarra-jinbal kaya-ka, nyulu juku-ka warri wungar-nyubunmuny kadal.


<translate> They saw the jadi goanna there.


<translate> When the tide is high the sea covers the whole reef and the little sandy grounds.

Balar-nya jalun dulngku wubulku nandan, jukar bubu buban baja.


<translate> They see the jalnji tree there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the jellyfish there.


<translate> Yesterday the children came back to camp.

Yilayku karrkay-karrkay bayan-ka kadan-baja.


<translate> The woman saw the grey kangaroo.


<translate> They saw the biru-biru rainbow bird there.


<translate> He was not sad, for he had lived a long good life, and he said to his own face in the water: You have carried me well, old friend.

Nyulu kari milka-murruji, nyulu wawu kalbay ngulkurr bundanmuny, nyulu nyungu waluka balkan bananga: Yundu ngayku ngulkurr wundinmuny, yaba.


<glossary> kunil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He killed (shot) the pig with a gun


<lexeme> smoke the inside of a house after the owner dies


<translate> I see the rhinoceros beetle.


<translate> They saw the young cassowary there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the grass wallaby here.


<translate> He sees the scrub goanna here.


<translate> They saw the fern tree here.


<translate> He was burnt by a stinging tree.


<translate> The firewood lay on the ground.


<translate> The child heard thunder from the mountain.

Karrkay-ngku jarramali manjal-muny nyajin.


<translate> The freshwater prawns hide under the stones in the running creek, and the children turn the stones to find them.

Wakal kulji bada-bada wawubaja warri-nga ngakijin, karrkay kulji jurrkil jana milbinka.


<translate> The round moon is bright tonight, and it lights the whole quiet camp and the still, dark water below.

Kija murru-murru balbal wujurr niji, nyulu bayan narmba janka bana ngungul bada-bada balbal-mani.


<translate> I saw the dakwurr-dakwun hammer bird there.


<translate> The trees have no flowers yet, so the bees have gone somewhere else.

Juku-juku nganka-kari niji, dabu wanja-baja dungan.


<translate> We see the large mud clam there.


<translate> That knife-spear stays in the shelter until your arms grow into it.

Yingkan janay bayanba yundu wakuy yalbay-manyjiku.


<translate> The old woman knew every plant of the scrub, the bush, and the open grassland.

Mukul-jalbu-ngka mayi wubul madja duduy jikan-bubu baja binal.


<translate> The children did not fully understand, being young, but they remembered the grandmother's calm face as she spoke of it, and later, when they were old themselves, they finally understood, and were not afraid.

Karrkay-karrkay kari yukil binalman, warru janaymuny, yambada jana binalku babingkamu walu janka nyulu yinya balkanya, yindu wungara, jana mukul-mandanya nyulu-nyulu, jana yukil binalman, kari yinil janay.


<translate> Do not swim there at dusk, for that is when the shark hunts near the shore.

Kari janji yinyay wungar bada-nya, yaburr jalun karangkal balbil niji.


<translate> Bring me some paperbark from the scrub. Yes, I will bring it to you.

Buyku ngayku wundi madjamuny. Yuwu, ngayu yundunka wundil.


<translate> The two of them saw the kalkamuku snake here.


<translate> We two, not you, see the seashore there.


<translate> The old woman's hands know the weaving, her eyes know the plants, and her ears know the old songs.

Mukul-jalbu mara ngunyin-mu binal, miyil mayi-mu binal, milka wulngku mukul-mu binal.


<translate> The eye and the ear are two different hunters, the old man taught: the eye takes the game standing far away, the ear takes the stick breaking close by in the dark, and a good hunter sends them both out together, and at night he believes the ear.

Miyil milka nyulu balbi-bama jambul yindu-yindu, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin: miyilbu manil minya kala-kalbay jananya, milkabu manil juku dumbarrijinya ngundu wujurrba, balbi-bamangka jambul nyubunji warri-bungal, wujurrba nyulu milka kuku-junkurr-manil.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jirabay lizard there.


<translate> They swam through the river.


<translate> The two of them saw the jangkan swift there.


<translate> He saw the small sticks there.


<translate> Sharpen your spear the night before the hunt, not on the morning of it, lest you go out with a dull point and lose the one big animal you were sent for.

Kalka nyurrbal ngadiku kunarangkal balbinyjiku, kari wunkun wungara, kari yundu kalka kari junkurrji dunga-nyji, minya yalbay nyubun yundu yungalmuny kilba-nyji.


<translate> The old woman poked her foot while digging food.

Mukul-jalbu jina baka-jin mayi baka-l-baka-nya.


<translate> Tomorrow perhaps a thunderstorm will come.


<translate> The woman left the bag outside.


<translate> He sees the small bat there.


<translate> You all see the dingo there.


<translate> After a death the things walk known roads, the old man explained the quiet order: the tools to the brother, the songs into the sister's keeping, the name goes quiet and the people say ngalba for its season, and the country to all the children together, so that even grief moves along a track, and nobody has to invent a road while crying.

Wawu-wula-muny yamba jilbal baral binalmuny, mukulungku dingkarangka murni-jina wunbu milbin: yamba-murni yabanka, wulngku babarranka kujinka, kuku wunbu-mal bama 'ngalba' balkal bana-wungar nyubunku, bubu karrkay-karranka wubulkunka nyubunji, yalada wawu-mumbu baja jilbal jinaburr, bama nyubunbu kari baral murnil badinya.


<glossary> yala ; type=demonstrative ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> he went from here


<translate> The two of them saw the bajalji python there.


<translate> We heard the old man singing.

Ngana mukul dingkar nyajin, wulngku badinya.


<glossary> yirmbal ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> The taboo (thing) grabs you and holds you


<translate> The old woman's fire is always smaller than the young people's, but hers never goes out in the night.

Wulbuman-mu baya wubulku jarra-buban warru-warru-mu-ka, yambada nyungu kari wujurr-ba kunbayn.


<translate> He saw the kurrmaja larvae there.


<translate> High in the dark sky the bright stars shine over the far blue mountains at night.

Jiri wujurr-ba wangkar-a dawar balbal bunda-l, manjal kalbay kudamundu.


<translate> Mother saw the bird in the scrub.


<translate> You all see the kangaroo rat there.


<translate> We see the small red ant here.


<translate> Whose child is this, wandering wet at sunset? — Everyone's, until his own mother comes.

Wanyamuny karrkay yanya, jilbal yaru wungar-daraymba? Bama wubulkumuny, ngamu nyungu-nyungu kadanyjiku.


<translate> You saw the warkal bailer shell here.


<lexeme> nyulu present ngayku dajin, "he gave me a present"


<translate> I see, but I came from up there.


<translate> The two of them saw the fire stick here.


<translate> They saw the dukul-mukul lizard there.


<translate> The black cockatoos fly over in a screeching flock in the late afternoon, the old woman said, and the old people say that means rain is coming soon.

Kadanji wubul jiri-ba wungar wujurr-ma-nya-ka marra-warri yirrka junkurr, mukul-jalbu balkan, mukul-bama balka kaba nyiku-nyiku kada-nya.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jakalkulu tree stump here.


<translate> We took the fish net to the river.


<translate> Father hears the thunderstorm.


<translate> The child asked: why does the sun go down? The old man said: it goes to sleep in the sea, and it climbs out again in the morning; ask it no more, just watch and learn.

Karrkayngku babajin: wanyurringku wungar bada dungay? Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: nyulu yalmba-nga wuna dungay, wunkun daka baja; kariku baja babaji, nyaji nganga, binal-ma.


<translate> The father asked the sick boy gently: "What are you ill with, and where does the pain sit in your body?"

Nganjan-angka karrkay bambay babajin janka: Yundu wanyurrinji bambay, kaka wanjabu wuna yunu bangkarr-ba?


<translate> The dog is sitting beside me, and the child is standing near you.

Kaya ngaykundu bundan, karrkay yunundu janay.


<translate> The turtle on the reef is the greatest prize, and taking one feeds many, but the old law is strict: never take the small ones and never take a female heavy with her young, take only the big old males, and even then divide it so the old and the sick eat first, for the turtle gives its whole self and must be honored in the giving.

Ngawuya jalun-ba bada yamba yukil bajaku, nyubun manil bama wubulku dayal, kuku ngadiku junkurr: kariku buban mani kari jalbu-ngawuya nyungu buban junkurrbu mani, dingkar-ngawuya mukul yalbay nganga mani, yaladaku buban-manin mukul buyun-bama ngadiku nukalmu, ngawuya nyulu nyungu-nyungu wubulku dayan yabarrka yukil-bungalmu dayalba.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the kira-kira black ant here.


<translate> They saw the balmbalka tree there.


<translate> The old woman who stays alone got the first fish.

Wulbumanangka kuyu maninngarr, nyulu bundanday nyulurrku.


<translate> The old man cannot hear the children calling him, for both his ears are old and deaf now.

Mukul-dingkar karrkay-karrkay yirrka-nya milka-bu kari nyaji-l, nyungu milka jambul mukul milka-kari niji.


<translate> The young man saw the moon outside.


<translate> The old woman turned back from the deep river, afraid of the big crocodile on the muddy bank.

Mukul-jalbu nyunban wawubaja dajali-muny, yinil bilngkumu yalbay daburri buyun-ba.


<translate> This hill is big, but that far mountain is much bigger, the old man said, pointing across the wide and open plain.

Yinya jamba yalbay, yamba jamba kala-kalbay yinya yalbay bajaku, mukul-dingkar balkan, bubu ngalkal yalbay-burr mangkal-mani.


<translate> You saw the ngadil hickory tree there.


<translate> The two of them saw the kalbali tall man here.


<translate> This place is just the same.


<glossary> dalkiji ; type=noun ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> the mother beat up the child


<translate> In the morning there were many clouds.


<translate> And the animals and the plants, in their turn, went on feeding the people season after season, generation after generation, as they had since the very first morning.

Minya mayi baja, nyungu wungara, bama nukamanil yabarrka, wungar murninya wubulku, bama kadanya wubulku, yala wunkuwingku bubumu ngadiku.


<translate> You two saw the running water here.


<translate> Two more strands and this net is finished; then we eat.

Karra jambul baja, makarr yanya kunbay-mal, yalada ngana nukal.


<glossary> dalkay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-function <usage_example> after 10 days the little ones hatch out


<translate> The young man jumped down from the high rock into the deep water and swam across to the far bank.

Warru jalaman bada kulji wangkar-muny bana dajali-ka, janjin naka-naka kala-kalbay-ka.


<translate> When my father died, my father's brother became a father to me; he took me hunting, gave me my first wife's people, and never let me go hungry.

Ngayku nganjan wulan, ngayku nganjan-amu yaba nganya-nka nganjan-man; nyulu nganya balbi wundin, ngayku manyarr-amu bama dayan, nyulu nganya kariku dakwuy-bungan.


<translate> The children learned that the bravest thing is often to turn back, and that there is no shame in a journey abandoned to save a life, for the country will still be there, and so, because you turned back, will you.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman wawu-junkurr bajaku yabarrka kudamundu murninka, kari milka-murruji kalbay bawanmuny wawu kujinka, bubu kudamundu janay baja, yundu, yundu murninmuny, janay baja.


<translate> The two of them saw the dawa-dawa magpie here.


<translate> The two old men sat by the fire and talked all night about where the kangaroos were feeding.

Mukul-dingkar jambul baya ngundu bundan, kuku balka-l-balka-n wujurr wubulku, wanja mayarriji nukal.


<translate> All people are the same deep inside, the old woman taught, though their faces are all different.

Bama wubulku yala dukurr-ba, mukul-jalbu-ngka milban, yamba jana walu wubulku walu-yindu.


<translate> In the morning the frost lay on the grass, but inside the humpy the children woke warm and safe.

Wunkuwingku ngiki jikanba dungay, yambada wurun dukurr karrkay-karrkay wandin wumbul ngulkurr.


<glossary> ngaral ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> They spread out a blanket for the children to sleep

Jana blanket ngaran kaykay-kaykay wunanka


<translate> Her long strong legs carried her quickly across the wide open ground to the far river bank.

Nyungu jandal kalbay junkurr nyunguny jinbal-baja-ku wundin, bubu kalbay-burr wawubaja jalkar-ka.


<translate> The little child is sleeping.


<translate> You all see the murrka scar there.


<translate> That angry man is like a fierce dog, the children said — all noise and teeth, but he runs from a raised stick.

Yinya dingkar kuli-ji yala kaya kuli-baka, karrkay-karrkay balkan — yirrka dirra-jirr, yamba nyulu warri juku wandi-nya-muny.


<translate> Water is there in the billycan.


<translate> You two saw the jirabay lizard here.


<translate> He said a journey of many days is walked one step at a time, and the person who looks only at the far end grows tired, but the person who walks step by step arrives.

Nyulu balkan: dungay wungar wubulmu jilban jina nyubun-nyubun, bama nyulu kalakalbay nganga nyajil baja-burraymal, yambada bama nyulu jina-jina jilbay badil.


<translate> We all, not you, see the smoke there.


<translate> The girl forgot the name, asked her grandmother, and the grandmother told it again.

Jalbu buban burri milka-wulan, babi-nda babajin, babi-ngka burri balkan baja.


<translate> He sees the kangaroo rat here.


<translate> The Banabila people's dogs are fierce.


<translate> Don't go into the deep water — the crocodile is there!

Kari dunga-y bana-dukurr-ba — bilngkumu yinya-nga!


<translate> The baby slept without a blanket.


<translate> We have no water at the camp.


<translate> The old woman gathered the ripe figs and the sweet wild grapes into her dilly bag.

Wulbumangka jilanji kulbul, kangka jiba-wula-wula bangkan ngunyin-ka.


<translate> If the water is deep, you will not swim.


<glossary> bajaku ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> I'm definitely not going


<translate> Every day they walked the country together, the old woman naming each plant and telling what it was good for.

Wungar wubulku jana jambul bubu dungan, wulbumanangka mayi wubulku burri balkan, yala nyungu ngulkurrmu.


<translate> Grandmother left the remains dilly bag outside.


<translate> The old man said the strong young man is like a spear: fast, hard at the point, and it flies very far.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: warru junkurr yala kalka — bila bajaku, biyul junkurr, kala-kalbay dungay.


<translate> The old man praised the legs at the end of a long walk: the thigh pushed the person up the mountain, the shin took the stony ground, the ankle turned on the loose rock but held, and the foot read the whole road like an eye that never closed, so then they may all lie down first.

Mukulungku dingkarangka jandal yulmbarrin wungar kalbay badanga: wababu jurrngan bama wangkar manjalku, bibarabu manin bubu kulji-ji, wulu murnin kuljinga yambada karrban, jinabu baral wubulku nyajin yala miyil nyulu kariku nandajinmuny, yalada jana wubulku wuna ngadiku.


<lexeme> {'english': 'The doctor man knows that woman will die'}


<glossary> bawaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> they all went home but I stayed


<translate> They saw fish on the ground.


<translate> Grandad came across in the canoe, pulling it through the shallow water.

Kami kadan marrakanda, kulbalkulbanya bananga bubanba.


<translate> When at last they saw the animals, the father whispered: Now be very still; if it looks up, freeze; and if it feeds, we move closer.

Jana minya nyajinda ngadiku, dingkarangka wunbu balkan: Nyiku wunbu janay, kaki nyulu wangkar nyajil, janay, kaki nyulu nukal, ngana ngundu dungay.


<translate> He is just like his father — the same quick anger, and the same love for a long evening story by the fire.

Nyulu yala-rrku nyungu nganjan — kuli nyubun bila daka, kuku kalbay-ka wawu nyubun baya ngundu.


<glossary> bangka-bangkangal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> the children sang loudly


<translate> Long ago the old people used to cook the meat and fish in the hot stones of the ground oven.

Kalbay-muny mukul-bama minya kuyu baja waju-l-waju-n kulji wumbul-ba bubu-ngu.


<translate> You two see the seashore there.


<translate> We saw an octopus hiding in a hole in the reef, still and quiet.

Ngana kurrija nyajin janku-ngu dulngku-ngu, janka-baja wunay.


<translate> You all saw the barrbal black bream here.


<translate> The men keep on spearing all day long, but they catch nothing at all.

Dingkar wubul dama-n-dama-ji wungar wubulku, kari mani.


<translate> Mother saw grandmother's stomach.


<translate> You all saw the outrigger canoe there.


<translate> We, not you, saw the yuray snake here.


<translate> You see the flat-tailed ray there.


<translate> Do not go hunting alone in the deep scrub, the old woman said, in case you fall on the rocks and no one is near to hear you call.

Nyubun-bu madja junkurr-ba balbi-nka dunga kari, mukul-jalbu balkan, yundu kulji-ka daray bama kari ngundu yirrka nyaji-nka kunka.


<translate> When the young man ran ahead out of sight, the old man did not call him back but walked steadily on, knowing the boy would grow anxious in the empty country and come running back to the safety of the group, which is how the young learn the worth of company.

Warruwu wangkar warrinya nyaji-karinga, mukulungku dingkarangka nyulu kariku kunja baja, yambada nyulu yaba jilban, binalnya buban wawu-mumbu jananka bubu yamba-karinga, warri kadanka bama wubulku yukilka, yinyabu warru binalman bama wubulmu dandi.


<glossary> yurru-janjil ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> The mud sucked the legs down


<translate> We two, not you, saw the bajalji python there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the blanket here.


<translate> The echidna dug into the ground with its claws, and when the dog came it hid itself in the earth.

Ngangkin bubungu bakan jina-bu, kaya kada-nya, nyulu bubungu ngakiji.


<translate> The turtle spear has a special detachable point tied on with a long, strong cord.

Ngawiya-nka kalka kurajan yindu karra kalbay junkurr-ji kajan.


<glossary> bubu ; type=noun ; domain=land-geography <usage_example> his country is Shipton's Flats


<translate> You hear the barking sound here.


<translate> The old people say the rainbow is the great serpent that lives deep in the water holes.

Mukul-bama-ngka balka-l yiril nyulu yarru yalbay, nyulu bana dukurr-ba wuna-l.


<translate> We two, not you, see the grasshopper there.


<translate> The figs on the big fig tree ripen in the wet season, and the birds eat them first.

Binanji dukal-juku yalbay-mba kulbul-mal bana-wungar-a, buyi nukal ngadiku.


<translate> Are you two coming with us? Yes, we two will follow you all to the mountain, and we will camp with you there.

Yubal ngalinji kada? Yuwu, ngali yurrangan bubu wangkara wukurril, ngali yurranji yinyabu bundal.


<translate> You and I see the swallow there.


<translate> The Leichhardt tree is good.


<translate> We cooked the meat on a fire made from dry ti-tree bark.

Ngali minya wajun kunjinba; kunjin bikarrakul dumbulmuny marralmuny.


<translate> You two go ahead; we two will follow with the bags.

Yubal dungay ngadiku-ngurr, ngali wukurril balji-ji.


<translate> This fruit is good to eat, but that one will make you sick.

Yanyu jidu ngulkurr nuka-nka, yambada yinya-ngka yununy bambay-bunga-l.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> We two, not you, see the hillside here.


<glossary> yunu ; type=adjective ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Where is your dog?


<translate> The two of them see the ngamu-murramu dingo here.


<translate> "Sit," someone said, "you two sit there!"

"Bunda-y," yalaman, "yubal, yinyay bunda-y!"


<translate> The children ate all the honey — granny laughed.

Karrkay-karrkayangka wunba nukanyarrku — babingka yajarrinda.


<glossary> wawu-juljal ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> He is at the dead person's wharf

Nyulu bada wawu-juljalandamunbu wharfmunbu


<translate> You two see the shooting star there.


<translate> Father saw mother's upper leg.


<translate> The younger sister is there.


<translate> "Yes," the old man said, "the child came."

"Yuwu," mukul-dingkar-angka balkan, "karrkay kadan."


<translate> The girl said: We caught many fish, and my brother carried the biggest ones, because he is the strongest of us all.

Maralangka balkan: Ngana kuyu wubul manin, ngayku yaba kuyu yalbay wundin, nyulu junkurr bajaku ngana wubulmuny.


<translate> The old woman said: a mother-in-law and her son-in-law must keep apart, but a man and his cross-cousin may joke freely — these two rules hold the family in balance.

Mukulungku balkan: biwul ngalayin muru kari bundal, yambada dingkar kambanmu-ji yajarr-way; yinya jambul kuku mula-mula dandi karrbal.


<translate> They saw the young cassowary there.


<translate> You two saw the bajal bower bird here.


<glossary> kanban ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> I was hit by the mistake by the child


<glossary> kalkandil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He jammed his finger in the door


<translate> Grandmother sees the digging stick.


<translate> You two see the valley here.


<glossary> yiringkurr ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> You're talking this way and that (can't understand)


<translate> We two, not you, see the murrkul tree there.


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


<translate> You all saw the bikarrakul ti tree there.


<translate> You two see the mackerel sky there.


<glossary> muja-muja ; type=adjective ; domain=texture <usage_example> You should dry out your tent; it might get rotten


<translate> The frightened kangaroo jumped out from behind the big rock and ran off into the long grass.

Mayarriji yini-yini jalaman kulji yalbay kudamundu-muny, wanarrin jikan kalbay-ka.


<translate> They saw the son or daughter.


<translate> We all, not you, saw the spear barb here.


<lexeme> {'english': 'The doctor man knows that woman will die'}


<translate> Ask her — my version has been out in the sun too long.

Babaji nyulu: kuku-jangkar ngayku janan wungara kalbay bajaku.


<translate> The boy slept well that night and every night after, for he had learned the oldest cure for fear: to look at it, to name it, and to share it with someone who is not afraid.

Karrkay ngulkurr warngku wunan yinya kunarangkal, kunarangkal wubulku baja, nyulu binalman yinilmu kakawarri ngadiku bajaku: nyajinka, kunjanka, bama yinil-kariji daji-wayka.


<translate> You and I see the clam here.


<translate> They returned home by a different road, going backward along the coast so as to visit the graves of the old people, and the whole journey took them past every place their grandparents had named.

Jana bayan-mundu nyunban baral yindubu, jana naka jalunba muku-muku dungan mukul jana wulanmu bubu nyajinka, jilba wubulku jana kanban bubu wubulku jana kami jana burri-maninmu.


<translate> Whose turn to carry the axe? It bites the back after the third climb.

Wanyamuny jinanji warrbi wundinka? Nyulu muku bakal dakal kulurmuny.


<translate> The girls are looking at themselves in the water.


<translate> If the water is deep, the children will not swim.

Kaki bana bada, karrkay-karrkay kari maraji.


<translate> The old people will mind the camp.


<translate> You and I saw the kungkun snake here.


<translate> That kuray-kuray tree is here.


<translate> Little brother fell in the mud. Mum washed him in the river.

Yabaju kambal-kambalba daran. Ngamungku nyunguny julurrin wawubajanga.


<lexeme> {'english': 'I put out the food on the table', 'translation': 'Ngayu mayi wamban tablebu'}


<translate> We two, not you, see the milbarkal tree there.


<translate> The narrow paths were wet and slippery after the big rain had fallen all through the night.

Jina-jina duna julbarr, kaba yalbay dara-nya-muny wujurr wubulku.


<translate> Grandad's boomerang came back to his hand.

Kamimu wangal kadan baja nyungu maranga.


<translate> Do not put your hand near the dog's mouth, child, lest it bite you hard on the finger.

Balu, karrkay, yundu mara kaya ngandal ngundu kari nanda, kaya-ngka yununy bayka-nyji junkurr.


<translate> The old man always eats the liver of the kangaroo, for it is the best meat of all.

Mukul-dingkar minya mayarriji jiba nuka-nya, yinya minya ngulkurr bajaku narmba-muny.


<translate> You two see the humpy there.


<translate> Take your spear, just in case a snake is lying in the long grass.

Yunu kalka mani, nganganjirrka jarba bilanji kalbay-mba wunay.


<translate> That spear is broken; make a new one from this strong wood.

Yinya kalka dumbarri-nya; buban bunga yanyu juku junkurr-bu.


<translate> The children asked which was the biggest thing in the whole world, and the old man thought and said: The sky, for it holds everything else, even the greatest mountain and the widest sea.

Karrkay-karrkayangka babajin wanya yamba yalbay bajaku bubu wubulku, mukulungku dingkarangka milka-bu baykan, balkan: Jiri, nyulu yamba wubulku kujil, manjal yalbay bajaku, jalun yalbay bajaku baja.


<translate> Take firewood lest cold come.


<translate> The two women set up camp by the river.

Bula jalbubulalangka bayan ngaran wawubajanga.


<translate> The two of them see the lizard here.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the marril ti tree here.


<translate> "How many big fish did you catch in the fish net at the river near the sea this morning?"

Wanjarrinya kuyu yalbay yundu makarr-ba manin wawubaja jalun ngundu wunkuwingku?


<translate> Where is your husband? He went with my father and my elder brother to hunt wallaby in the high country.

Wanja nyungu dunyu? Nyulu ngayku nganjan yaba-ji dungan kadar balbinka bubu wangkara.


<translate> The old woman said if the whole camp is angry at one person and you alone think that person may be right, it will cost you dearly to say so, and you must say so anyway, quietly and without heat, for a people that punishes the lone honest voice teaches everyone to be silent, and the silence is the beginning of every great wrong.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki bayan wubulku bama nyubunka dukul-wuri yundu nganga milka bama nyulu yukil, dandi-baja yundunka balkanka, yundu yabarrka balka, janka kari dukul-wuribu, bama nyulu bama nyubun yukil kuku kuni jana wubulku janji-manil, janji ngadiku mumbu yalbay wubulkumu.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the banamu snake there.


<translate> The sea was good. Two canoes went out at dawn.

Jalun ngulkurr. Marrakan jambul dungan muduwajuny.


<translate> Early in the morning the two brothers took their spears and dogs and went into the scrub to hunt wallaby.

Muduwajuny yaba jambul kalka kaya-kaya manin, madjanga dungan kadarka.


<translate> We two, not you, see the high bank there.


<translate> You see the barramundi there.


<glossary> nubiji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> The child went into the scrub and then got lost

Nyulu karrkay madjanga dungan, nubijinkuda


<translate> The two of them saw the bush fire here.


<translate> The woman watched the baby eating food.

Jalbu-ngku ngawa nyaji-l-nyaji-n, mayi nuka-nuka-nya.


<translate> We — not you — will take the canoe; you all wait at the crossing.

Nganjin marrakan manil, yurra janay bana-baralba.


<translate> The old man said the spirits of the dead go up to the sky and live above the dark clouds.

Mukul-dingkar balkan, bama wula-nya-mu dubu wangkar dunga-y jiri-ka, wuna-nka wangkar-wangkar ngungul-muny.


<translate> Mother sees the grass tree here.


<translate> What is that big bird eating up there in the very top of the tall paperbark tree? — It is eating figs.

Wanyu yinya buyi yalbay-angka juku wangkar-a nuka-l? Nyulu jilanji nuka-l.


<translate> I see the karranda tree here.


<translate> I saw the wuba red ochre there.


<translate> The two of them see the salmon there.


<translate> You two saw the mawu grass here.


<translate> The child saw the dog under the tree.

Karrkay-ngku kaya nyajin badabada juku-ngu.


<translate> The wild honey high in the tree is the sweetest of all the foods in the deep rainforest.

Wunba juku wangkar-a nyulu mayi jiba-wulay bajaku, mayi wubulku madja dukurr-ba.


<translate> Granny cooked damper in the ashes. The children smelled it and came running. She gave them all a piece.

Babingka damba wayjun nulungu. Karrkay-karrkayangka nyajin, warrin kadanda. Nyulu jananda dajinyarrku.


<glossary> wubaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> My feet are swollen


<translate> I saw the dalmbal flathead there.


<translate> You and I see the kawarr bloodwood tree here.


<translate> The night was cold and the dogs slept close to the fire.

Kunarangkal kiway-kiway, kaya-kaya warngku wunan bayanga ngundu.


<translate> The old woman left bark outside.


<translate> They saw the mawar vine there.


<translate> The child who is surprised by everything is rich; protect that fortune from tired uncles.

Karrkay ngangkay-ji yamba wubulkumuny nyulu yamba-ji: kuji daji yinya kalngamuny baja-burraymuny.


<translate> He gave the fish to his mother.


<glossary> bakal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> They dug a hole


<glossary> walal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> He went into the house


<glossary> yanday-nyajil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> I overheard them


<translate> The light-coloured clothing is there.


<glossary> juru-kulbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> He led his friend wrong


<glossary> nginja ; type=noun ; domain=perception <usage_example> That man is always grunting (in his sleep)


<translate> You two saw the diwalngku bird there.


<translate> You and I see the mura tree here.


<glossary> dakal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> he got on the truck


<translate> I heard the dog from the house.


<glossary> nganga ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I came for just a little bit, have to get back to cook

Ngayu nganga kadan. Ngayu dungay baja mayika wayjul


<translate> When the frogs suddenly all fall silent in the night, the old woman warned, then a snake is moving among them in the dark, and you must build the fire up.

Yirku-yirku wubulku nyubun-bu yirrka kunbayn wujurr-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan, jarba jana-nga mara-warri ngumbu-ba, yundu buri yalbay bunga.


<translate> Hold the child's hand lest he fall into the deep water.

Karrkay-mu mara karrba, nyulu bana-dukurr-ba dara-nyji!


<translate> You all see the toadfish there.


<translate> We went with a friend to the river.


<translate> I see the domestic turkey here.


<translate> You two saw the sandfly here.


<glossary> mala-yirrkay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> He was sorry and owned up


<translate> We two, not you, see the jirimandi coconut tree there.


<translate> The sea turtle came up onto the sandy beach at night and covered her round white eggs.

Ngawiya jukar-a wujurr-ba wandin, diburr warral-warral wubul bubu-ngu nandan.


<translate> The kookaburra laughs its loud laugh at first light, the old man said, waking the whole camp, and the people say the day has come.

Kururrungka wunkuwingku-ba yajarri junkurr, mukul-dingkar balkan, bayan narmba kulbul-mani, bama balka wungar kada-nya.


<translate> We ate fish and damper by the fire.


<translate> We all, not you, see the tree snake here.


<glossary> badi ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> the dogs were howling because their master left them


<translate> He sees the bush fire there.


<translate> You and I saw the kandal maggot there.


<translate> You all saw the junbirr lizard there.


<translate> His country lies far away to the south, beyond the big blue mountains.

Nyungu bubu kala-kalbay naka-nga wunay, manjal yalbay-muny kudamundu.


<translate> The two of them saw the baringkan small bird here.


<translate> Do not cook the food lest you spoil it.


<translate> The old woman was full of joy from seeing her grandchildren again after so many long seasons apart, the old man said, and she wept for happiness.

Mukul-jalbu wawu-mini, kangkal-kangkal nyaji-l-nyaji-nya wungar-jarra wubul-muny yindu-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu wawu-mini-bu badi.


<translate> He kept coming to the fire every night until the story was finished.

Nyulu kankaday bayaka wujurr nyubun-nyubunba kuku-jangkar kunbay-maninyjiku.


<translate> The shield is made from the light wood of the fig tree, and it guards the man from the flying spears.

Kunjuri juku balbal-muny bungal, kalka-muny dingkar nyaji-l-nyaji-l.


<translate> The two of them see the salmon there.


<translate> The old grandfather sat with the children and named all the stars.

Mukul ngaji karrkay-nji bundan, dawar wubul burri-bungan.


<translate> The old man said to the camp: You have given me my life back, and a person cared for by his people never truly dies, for he lives on in their care.

Mukulungku dingkarangka bayanka balkan: Yurra ngayku wawu dajin baja, bama nyulu bamabu nyajil kari yukil wulay, nyulu bundanay nyungu wawungu.


<translate> You see the dingki tree there.


<translate> The old woman gave soft food to the sick child.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku mayi kima dajin karrkay-anda bambay-nda.


<translate> The man cut the meat into pieces with a sharp stone and shared it out among all the people.

Dingkar-angka minya yakan kulji-bu, bama narmba-nka dajin baya ngundu.


<translate> Two horses are running to the river.


<translate> The kids chased the chickens around the camp.

Karrkay-karrkayangka jukijuki kangan bayanba.


<translate> The old man said if you want to know a person, do not listen to what they say about themselves, but watch what they do when they are tired, when they are hungry, when they think no one is looking, for anyone can be good when it is easy, and it is only under weight that the true shape shows.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki yundu bama binalka, kari ngara nyulu nyulu-nyulunka balkalmu, yambada nyaji nyulu wanya bungal nyulu wawu-wula-y, nyulu dakwuy, nyulu milkabu baykal bama nyubun kari nyajil, bama wubulku yukil janay yamba buban-buban, dandingu nganga nyungu murni yukil milbil.


<translate> Soon the flame tree will get flowers.


<translate> The old man wore a belt of human hair twisted into a long, strong cord around his waist.

Mukul-dingkar-angka wayarri kalbay junkurr nyungu bada-nga kajan.


<translate> By midnight the canoes were full of food.


<translate> He saw the ngarkay waterhen there.


<translate> They saw the mud oyster there.


<translate> The two were sitting in the tree top.


<translate> The two of them see the kakaji mangrove tree there.


<translate> You two saw the yirku-yirku frog here.


<glossary> kunjal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> They'll invite you to the wedding


<translate> The child heard the thunder.


<translate> Don't feed the dog from your hand at the fire — he will learn the wrong law in one evening.

Kari kaya mayi-daya maramuny bayanga, nyulu kuku mumbu binal-mal wujurr nyubunba.


<translate> Mother left the fire stick at camp.


<translate> The child was grabbed by a crocodile.


<translate> You all saw the ngumbul snake there.


<translate> The woman tricked the man by lying.


<glossary> dukurr ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> Rain is coming. Put the baby inside.


<translate> The children asked what the strange thing was; the old man said it was a white man's axe, heavier and sharper than stone, but it cut down the sacred trees too fast.

Karrkay-karrkayngku babajin wanyu nyiku; mukul-dingkarangka balkan yinya waybala-mu warrbi, kulngkul, jalngkun kulji-ngadiku, yambada nyulu juku-ngumu warri yakan.


<translate> On the clearest nights the old man showed the children the stars and told them the names and the stories written there.

Kunarangkal ngulkurr bajaku mukulungku dingkarangka karrkay-karrkay dawar milbin, burri kuku jiringa balkan.


<translate> After that, we go along the road.

Wawu-yinya-muny, ngana baral-darr dungay.


<translate> The children came back to mother.


<translate> The old woman called and called the dog, but it would not come back to the camp.

Mukul-jalbu-ngka kaya kunja-l-kunja-l, yamba nyulu bayan-ka kari kada-y.


<translate> The Moreton Bay ash stands there.


<translate> You all saw the walkarr goanna here.


<translate> You all see the small bat there.


<translate> The women are weaving dilly bags under the shade tree.

Jalbu-jalbungku balji wukurril wabarrba.


<translate> The deep river water is much colder than the still water in the swamp near the camp.

Bana wawubaja dajali jarra-ngiki bana daburri-nka, bayan ngundu.


<translate> The wives told the men: go and get some fish for the children!

Manyarr-karra-ngka dingkar yalaman: Dunga-y kuyu mani-nka karrkay-nka!


<translate> We two, not you, saw the kurrubal freshwater cod here.


<translate> All through the dark night the old people sleep, and the little children lie close by the warm fire.

Wujurr ngungul-ba wubulku mukul-bama warngku wuna, karrkay-karrkay buban baya wumbul ngundu wuna.


<translate> The old man said: respect the one who feeds you, listen to the one who taught you, and remember those who came before you — for without them you are nothing.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: nyulu yununy mayi dayal dandi karrba, nyulu yununy binal-bungan milkabu nyaji, jana yununy ngadiku kada milka-nga karrba — jana-kari yundu kari-kari.


<translate> You two see the domestic turkey here.


<translate> I sat quietly up on the rock to watch the big fish, and when it came close I speared it.

Ngayu kulji wangkara bundan, kuyu yalbay nyajinka; nyulu ngundu kada-nya, ngayu daman.


<translate> They see the kubu-kubu tadpole there.


<translate> The old man said if the young ask why the old speak so slowly and repeat themselves, tell them this: we are not slow of mind but careful of word, for we have seen what a fast careless word can break, and we would rather lose a moment than lose a thing that took a lifetime to build.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki warru babaji wanyu mukul buban-buban balka balka-balka, jananka milbi yinya: ngana kari milka buban yambada kuku murni, ngana nyajinmu kuku warri binal-kari nyulu kaka-manil, ngana wawu wungar nyubun kilbanka kari yamba kilbanka nyulu wawu wubulmuny bungalmu.


<glossary> nganjar-nganjar ; type=adverb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> He came to find out where they got the grog from (didn't ask, just hinted to find out)

Nyulu nganjar-nganjar kadan, jana wanjamun kamukamu manin


<translate> The old man said: never kill the small fish or the young turtles; take only the big ones, put the little ones back, so the water will always give food to your children's children.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: kari kuyu buban kuni, ngujay warru-warru kari kuni; yalbay nganga mana, buban bananga bawa baja, bana mayi dayal yundu karrkay-karrkay-nka.


<translate> The baby's first laugh sent four grown people crawling on the floor to get the second one.

Yajarr ngadiku ngawamuny bama-yalbay jambul-jambul bubungu jilba-bungan jambulku maninka.


<translate> You see the light bellied black snake here.


<translate> We see the dulmbi umbrella palm there.


<translate> He sat there on the rock and watched the sun go down over the sea.

Nyulu yinyay-mba bundan kulji-nga, wungar bada dunga-nya nyajin jalun-ba.


<translate> I saw the kuran case-moth larva here.


<glossary> yimarr-yiman ; type=adjective ; domain=body-part <usage_example> That man has a round face


<translate> The old man said the word bama, which the whitefellas heard as just the name of the people, really means a human being, a person tied into the kin-web, and it stands against the word for a stranger or an outsider who has no known place in the relations, for to be bama was not a matter of blood alone but of belonging, of having a mother and a father and a moiety and a place that everyone could name.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku bama, waybala ngaran nyulu nganga kuku bamamuny, nyulu bajaku bama-nyubun jani-mabi, bama jawun-karra-nji janan, nyulu janan kuku bama-yindumuny nyulu karra-nga yamba-kari, bama nyulu kari mula-daji nganga yambada bayan-karra, ngamu nganjan bama-jambul yamba baja karrbal bama wubulku kunjalmuny.


<translate> The two of them saw the bajalji python here.


<translate> The child asked elder brother about food.


<translate> She carried the little baby in a soft bark sling on her hip and the dilly bag upon her back.

Nyulu karrkay buban dakil balbal-ba karrban jandal-ba, ngunyin kudamundu.


<translate> Many mangrove trees stand by the river: kakan, kurubarr, and mangkurru.

Kajul wubul wawubajanga janay: kakan, kurubarr, mangkurru baja.


<translate> The fish net is on the ground.


<translate> The daughter-in-law's clothes were drying by the fire.

Kambi kujiway-mbal-amu baya karangkal ngulkurr-man.


<glossary> janbay-janbay ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> You people are cheeky


<translate> We two, not you, saw the kandal maggot here.


<translate> We see the corkwood tree here.


<translate> We shape the tools, and then the tools shape the hands, and the hands shape the children watching — so carve kindly.

Ngana yamba-murni bungal, yalada yamba-murnibu mara bungal, marabu karrkay nyajilmuny bungal, yalada bunga kimabu.


<translate> The child asked the song expert about the old song, and the expert sang the first line.

Karrkay-ngku mala-burri-nda babajin wulngku mukul-ku, mala-burri-ngku wulngku badin ngadiku.


<translate> He told the men to mend the shelters and gather firewood before the weather turned.

Nyulu dingkar-dingkar balkan: bayan ngulkurr-bunga, juku bangka, wungar yindumanyjiku.


<translate> The old man kept telling and telling the same story of the flood, a little differently each time, and the children never grew tired of it.

Mukul-dingkar kuku nyubun kaba-mu balka-balka, buban yindu-yindu wungar nyubun-nyubun-ba, karrkay-karrkay kari jiba-yajin bajaku.


<translate> You see that kurunkal mangrove.


<translate> You all see the scorpion there.


<translate> You see the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> We heard the mopoke calling.

Ngana ngurrku nyajin, yirrkan-yirrkanya.


<glossary> nyumba-buyun ; type=noun ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I crab crab meat


<translate> I saw the bone on the ground.


<translate> We see the small lizard there.


<translate> We see the wurmbariji scrub tree here.


<translate> The water in the creek is rather cold this morning, so the children do not want to swim yet.

Bana wawubaja-nga jarra-ngiki nyiku wunkuwingku, karrkay kari maraji wawu.


<translate> We two (not you) saw the river there.


<glossary> bila ; type=particle ; domain=manner <usage_example> fast running water


<translate> When the bark of that tree becomes soft, we use it well for our fishing and our tying.

Juku yinya warrur kima-ma-nya, ngana nyungu kuyu-nka karrba-nka baja mani-l.


<translate> I doubted the story until I stood where it happened — the ground is a stubborn witness.

Ngayu kuku-jangkar warmbin, ngayu jananyjiku wanja nyulu murninmuny: bubu nyulu nyaji-bama dandi.


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


<glossary> balbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> The sun shone brightly


<translate> The two of them saw the mawal bee here.


<translate> You all saw the mayfly here.


<translate> The old man walked with the young boy a short way along the track, then turned back to the camp.

Mukul-dingkar barrman karrkay warru jina-burr buban, nyunban bayan-ka baja.


<translate> What did you bring back from the hunt? I brought a wallaby. What else? I brought two fish and a dilly bag of yams as well.

Wanyu yundu balbi-muny wundin? Ngayu kadar wundin. Wanyubaja? Ngayu kuyu jambul, banjay balji nyubun baja wundin.


<translate> This light-coloured clothing is here.


<translate> The two of them see the ngajay small crayfish there.


<translate> The dingo stole the meat from the camp.


<translate> The children learned that night how to find the turtle tracks and read which way the mother had gone.

Karrkay-karrkayangka yinya kunarangkal binalman ngawiyamu jina nyajinka, wanjabu ngamu dunganya.


<translate> Grandmother put the fire stick on the ground.


<translate> The old man walked from the camp, along the beach, towards the river mouth in the early morning.

Mukul-dingkar bayan-muny jilban, jukar-burr, maku wawubaja ngandal-ka wunkuwingku.


<translate> People are calling out from down there.


<glossary> jungkarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Danny rolled the stones down the hill


<translate> My brother-in-law is a good hunter, but he talks far too much.

Ngayku banji balbi-bama ngulkurr, yambada nyulu kuku-baka.


<translate> They saw the juril-juril seashore plover there.


<translate> All the little warning words are one big word, the old woman said at the end of the evening: look first. The fire, the river, the snake, the storm, the rotten branch — their word never hides itself, the country's word stands in the open, and the person who reads it lives, his hair turning clay-white while he reads.

Kuku-yinil buban wubulku nyulu kuku yalbay nyubun, wulbumanangka balkan miyil-wujurr-wujurrba badanga: nyaji ngadiku. Baya, wawubaja, jarba, jarramali, dakil kabu, kuku nyungu kariku ngakiji, kuku bubumuny janay ngalkalba, bama nyulu jana nyajil nyulu juran, mungka kambar-mal jana nyajinya.


<translate> They saw the biwul snake here.


<translate> The two of them see the julbal tree there.


<glossary> nyandal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He chopped firewood for me


<translate> The two of them saw the nakawarra bee here.


<translate> The children were told never to go far away alone into the deep dark scrub.

Karrkay-karrkay-angka balkan kari kala-kalbay nyubun-bu madja dukurr-ka dunga-y.


<glossary> yiringkurr ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> You're talking this way and that (can't understand)


<translate> You two see the jukar-warra whirlwind here.


<translate> Grandad keeps his fire burning all the time.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the walkarr goanna there.


<translate> What kind of fish did they get?


<translate> The owl asked its one question all night and accepted no answers.

Kalkuybu kuku-babaji nyubun babajin wujurr wubulku, kuku-balkan nyubun kari manin.


<translate> The policeman shot the young man while he was running through the scrub.

Buliman-angka warru kunin, wanarri-nya madja-nga.


<translate> The saltwater crocodile is in the water.


<translate> That person there is not kind.


<translate> You hear the clap sound here.


<translate> That stockwhip bird is here.


<translate> The diwalngku migratory bird is here.


<translate> They saw the waterfall there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the kurmba-kurmba lizard there.


<translate> We all, not you, see the board there.


<translate> They left the ground oven in the ground for a long time.

Jana kurrma bawan bubu-ngu wungar kalbay.


<glossary> muru ; type=adjective ; domain=manner <usage_example> They sat all together


<translate> I first cook the food and then take it.


<translate> The blue-tongue lizard is in the scrub.


<translate> Grandfather saw the grass outside.


<translate> The old woman said: we should have taught the young ones the plant names, but we waited too long, and now that knowledge has gone with the old people.

Mukulungku balkan: ngali warru-warru juku burri binal-bunga-nyaku, yambada ngali bada bundan; binal wubul mukul-mukul-ji dunganda.


<translate> He sees the small bat there.


<translate> You and I see the smooth rock here.


<translate> You two saw the fighting spear there.


<glossary> yimbalji ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> He went with a message


<translate> That night the old man told the children about the time before this time, which the old people saw in dreams.

Yinya kunarangkal mukulungku dingkarangka karrkay-karrkay balkan yala ngadikuka, kamba-kambangka bijarrbu nyajin.


<translate> When the cold comes, the families move their camps closer to the warm sea shore.

Kiway kada-nya, jawun-karra bayan jalun wumbul ngundu-ka dunga-y.


<translate> The children waved from the beach until the canoes were small.

Karrkay-karrkayangka mara milbin jukarmundu.


<translate> Put the eggs carefully on the plate.

Diburr mumbar-abu-ku bulin-ba yijarri-ka!


<translate> The hungry children just keep eating and eating all through the long afternoon.

Karrkay-karrkay dakwuy nuka-n-nuka-ji, wungar wumbul-a wubulku.


<translate> We, not you, saw the ngumbul snake there.


<translate> You two see the small bat there.


<translate> The two of them see the creek here.


<translate> The mother said: You all did well, and now you must be hungry, so come and eat, and tell me everything again while you eat.

Ngamungka balkan: Yurra ngulkurr ngaran, yurra nyiku dakwuy, kada, nuka, ngayku yambayamba balka baja nukanya.


<translate> The women dug the fat witchetty grubs from the roots of the tree with a stick.

Jalbu mujurr yalbay bakan juku-bangkan-muny juku-bu.


<translate> The two of them see the possum there.


<glossary> marra-warril ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The man was angry and throwing things around


<translate> We see the jalil-jalil mudskipper here.


<translate> You and I saw the milkul soup here.


<translate> The two of them see the mawal bee here.


<translate> There are a lot of clouds today.


<translate> The old woman gathered the sweet resin from the grass tree to give to the sick child.

Wulbumangka kanunjul nganjirr-muny bangkan, karrkay bambay-nda daji-nka.


<translate> You two see the fire stick there.


<translate> The two of them saw the fire there.


<translate> The children roasted the clams on the coals until the shells opened, the old man said, and the sweet flesh inside was the taste of the whole sea.

Karrkay-karrkay darkay waju kubu-ba, kajarrbi ngalkal-ma-n kariku, mukul-dingkar balkan, julbi jiba-wulay bada-ba jalun narmba-mu jiba.


<translate> The two of them saw the kaykay-kaykay children here.


<translate> The woman brought the mango from the house.


<translate> Before the wet season came, the family built a strong humpy of bark and saplings to keep out the rain.

Buluriji kadanyjiku, jawunkarrangka wurun junkurr ngaran dumbulmuny jukumuny, kaba nandanka.


<translate> They saw the carpet snake there.


<translate> He saw the bayil jungle perch there.


<translate> I climbed the tall black palm to get the ripe fruit at the top, and I brought it down for my mother.

Ngayu duwar kalbay dakan, kulbul mayi maninka, ngamunka wundin.


<translate> The black bean tree is standing in the scrub.


<translate> The grandfather is very old now and can no longer hunt, the old man said, but he sits by the fire and teaches the young ones the deep law all day long.

Kami mukul bajaku niji, kari-baja balbi, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu buri-ngka bunda warru-warru binal-bungal yalaku dajali wungar narmba.


<glossary> yamba ; type=noun ; domain=shelter-dwelling <usage_example> I am going home


<translate> A pair of horses, a mother and her young foal, came slowly down the track to the water.

Yarraman-bulal kankadan, ngamu warru baja, jina-burr bada bana-ka buban-buban.


<translate> I am hungry now, but I ate nothing this morning and nothing at all yesterday in the camp.

Ngayu dakwuy niji, yamba ngayu yamba-kari nukan wunkuwingku, yamba-kari yilayku bayan-ba.


<translate> The children listened well and did not forget, for the old people's words are the country's own words.

Karrkay-karrkayangka milka-janan ngulkurrku, kari milka-wulan, kamba-kambamu kuku bubumu kuku.


<translate> The men kept spearing around for fish while the tide was rising.

Dingkar-dingkar kuyu-ngu dama-n-dama-ji, yira daka-l.


<translate> We all, not you, see the flea here.


<translate> We, not you, saw the biwul snake here.


<translate> They saw fish on the ground.


<translate> In the morning the children listened.


<translate> Many pigeons rest together in the shade of the big fig tree in the heat of midday.

Bakamu wubul juku jilanji yalbay-ba wabarr-ba muru bunda-l, wungar kankur-a.


<translate> After the sleep, the children came back.


<translate> Tomorrow I will go to see grandmother.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the freshwater turtle here.


<translate> The grasshopper jumped up out of the long grass and flew a little way through the air.

Jimu jikan kalbay-muny jalama-l, buban-baja wangkar-a dunga-y.


<translate> The old man followed the wild bees to their nest and took the sweet honey from the tree.

Mukul-dingkar-angka dabu nyaji-l-nyajin bayan-ka, wunba jiba-wulay juku-muny manin.


<translate> The old woman said this fruit is rather sweet but that one is very sweet, so give the sweet one to the child and keep the rather sweet for yourself.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: yinya mayi jarra-jiba-wulay, yamba yinya jiba-wulay-baja-ku, mayi jiba-wulay-baja-ku karrkay-nka daji, jarra-jiba-wulay yununy mani.


<translate> Finish the fish before your father wakes, the old woman said quietly to the children, and throw the bones to the fire before the dogs come, for a camp that moves fast after eating stands with nothing to be said against it.

Kuyu kunbay-mana nganjan wandinyjiku, wulbumanangka karrkay-karrkay balkan wunbu, bajibay yilba bayaka kaya kadanyjiku, bayan nyulu warri murnil nukanmuny, nyulu kuku-kari janay.


<translate> You see the wankar tree there.


<translate> The small stingless bees are black, and they make a dark, different kind of honey.

Kuja buban ngungul-ngungul, jana wunba yindu ngungul bunga-l.


<glossary> milka-daray ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The young men sinned and stole food from the shop

Jana warruwarru milka-daran milka-daran mayi ngakinka shopmunmun


<translate> Wash your hands before you eat, cover yourself against the cold, and hide the meat well so the dogs cannot reach it!

Mara julurri-jika yundu nuka-nyjiku, kiway-muny nanda-jika, minya ngulkurr ngaka kaya kariku manil!


<translate> We stay at the camp before wind comes.

Ngana bayan-ba bundanday, muyar kada-nyjiku.


<translate> We two (not you) see the pumice stone there.


<translate> They see the nikar oyster here.


<translate> You all see the ridge pole here.


<translate> He saw the bujabay tree here.


<translate> You two see the nyumbil coolibah tree here.


<translate> The children got up early in the morning.


<glossary> muna ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> That man is not afraid of wild pigs


<translate> The children caught many little lizards in the rocks and carried them home to the camp.

Karrkay-karrkay bajuy buban wubul kulji-ba karrban, bayan-ka wundin.


<translate> Grind the seeds while I fix the fire.


<translate> From whom did you get this good spear? I got it from my grandfather; he made it long ago from hard wood, and now it is mine.

Wanyandamuny yundu nyiku kalka ngulkurr manin? Ngayu ngayku kami-muny manin; nyulu ngadiku juku dandi-muny bungan, ngayku.


<translate> The big python was good meat and harmless, the old man said, but you must never touch the small bright snake that lifts its head, for its bite is death within an hour.

Jarba yalbay minya ngulkurr, kari yinil, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, yambada yundu murruji bubal buban balbajinya karrbal nyulu dukul wandinya, nyungu bayka wulay wungar nyubunba.


<translate> His father laughed and said: Yes, you did very well, and if you keep learning like this, you will be a fine hunter, better than me one day.

Nyungu dingkarangka yajarrin, balkan: Yuwu, yundu ngulkurr bajaku ngaran, kaki yundu yala binalmal, yundu balbibama ngulkurr janay, ngayamuny baja nyubun wungara.


<translate> We see the black cockatoo there.


<glossary> yala ; type=interrogative ; domain=interjection <usage_example> What about your older brother?


<translate> They saw the ironwood tree here.


<translate> You saw the dakwurr-dakwun hammer bird here.


<translate> You and I see the bush fire here.


<translate> The black scrub goanna is on the open ground.


<glossary> warmbill ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The people don't believe the Pastor


<glossary> kurndal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> My legs sank down in the mud, can't pull them up again

Ngarri kurndan kambalkambalba. Can't kulbaji baja.


<translate> We will follow them to the mountain and camp there with them tonight.

Ngana janangan wukurri-l manjal-ka, yinyay bundal jananji wujurr-ba.


<translate> I see the large round oyster here.


<translate> At sunset, people came to camp.


<translate> The old man cut a straight length of wood for a spear, scraped it smooth with a shell, straightened it over the coals, hardened the point in the fire, bound a stone tip to it with sinew and wax, tested its balance, and then set it aside to be finished the next day.

Mukulungku dingkarangka juku murni kalkanka dakan, kunbir-bu jinbal-manin, ngunjil wangkar murni-manin, wula miyil kajan, kulji-murru jila-bu kajan, nyulu murni-nyajin, yalada bawan yindu wungara dumba-mandanka.


<translate> The old woman said a woman had a special tie to her brother's children, especially to a brother's daughter, and would take a close hand in raising her, teaching her the women's knowledge, watching over her marriage, so that just as the mother's brother shaped the boys, the father's sister shaped the girls, and every child thus grew up with a guiding hand reaching across from the other side of the family, from the parent's own brother or sister.

Wulbumanangka balkan jalbu nyungu yaba nyungu karrkaynka karra-kima karrbal, yaba nyungu jalbu-karrkaynka bajaku, nyulu mara ngunduku manil dingkar-manilba, milbil jalbu nyungu binal, nyajil nyungu dunyu-manilba, yala kalnga buban dingkar-manin, mukul jalbu-buban dingkar-manin, karrkay wubulku yala warru-manda mara-yukil-ji jilban yindu-mundu, ngamu-nganjan nyungu yaba yambada babarr-mundu.


<glossary> jumbun ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> The baby is greedy for milk


<translate> You and I see the perch there.


<glossary> karangaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> The man stalked the wallaby


<translate> Everyone still laughs about that day.


<glossary> jakay-jakayku ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> He fell headlong


<translate> He told how the first fire was stolen and given to the people, and why we must keep it burning ever since.

Nyulu balkan baya ngadiku wanya manin, bama dajinmuny, wanyurringku ngana baya kujil ngadikumuny.


<translate> In the morning the frost lay on the grass, but inside the humpy the children woke warm and safe.

Wunkuwingku ngiki jikanba dungay, yambada wurun dukurr karrkay-karrkay wandin wumbul ngulkurr.


<translate> It was all finished; it had taken him.


<glossary> murba ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> He built his house well


<translate> We found turtle eggs and cooked them in the ashes.

Ngana ngawiyamu diburr nyajin, nulungu wayjunda.


<translate> Grandmother left the billycan outside.


<translate> We two, not you, see the nyumbil coolibah tree there.


<translate> You all see the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish there.


<translate> The child saw the wild plum.


<translate> You and I see the outrigger canoe there.


<translate> We took mother's clothes to camp.


<lexeme> {'english': "He doesn't do bad things (but) does good things", 'translation': 'Nyulu kari buyun-damal; nyulu ngulkurrku bunday'}


<glossary> ngurrbal ; type=noun ; domain=sky-weather <usage_example> I couldn't see, the heavy fog oblterated (the view)

Ngayu kari nyajin, ngurrbalda yalbaynja kanbin


<translate> Early in the morning the men went down to the river, built a weir of stones across the shallow channel, drove the fish into it, speared them one by one, and then carried the whole catch back up to the camp.

Muduwajungu dingkar-dingkar wawubaja-mundu badan, kulji-makarr bungan bana buban naka-naka, kuyu dukurr-bu yijarrin, nyubun nyubun daman, yalada kuyu wubulku bayan-mundu wangkar jarrakulbanda.


<translate> We two, not you, see the duck here.


<translate> The store is closed today, so the people cannot buy any food there at all.

Bayan nanda-ji niji, bama-ngka mayi kari mani yinyay-mba.


<translate> That is why the old people say: speak straight, and you will always be able to look anyone in the eye.

Yala kamba-kambangka balkal: balka yaral, yundu yabarrka bama nyajil miyilba.


<translate> You saw the barrbal black bream there.


<glossary> damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> he speared a fish with a spear


<translate> In the morning the possums were gone.


<translate> The two of them see the jumper ant here.


<translate> We would have gone hunting for wallaby at dawn, the old man said, but the heavy rain came down all day and did not stop until dark.

Ngana kadar-ka balbi-nka dunga-nyaku wunkuwingku-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba kaba yalbay wungar wubulku daray, kari kunbayn wujurr-muny.


<translate> The children learned that the green tree snake is harmless, but the death adder is not.

Karrkay binalman kalkamuku kari bama bambay-bungal, yambada kundurr bambay-bungal.


<translate> Everywhere is made of many little somewheres — learn them one by one.

Yiringkurr bunganmuny bubu bubanmuny wubulkumuny: binal-ma jana nyubun-nyubun.


<translate> They saw the black palm here.


<translate> He saw the mawul freshwater eel there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the murraja stonefish here.


<translate> When the hunters came back with meat, they shared it with each other so that every family in the camp had enough to eat.

Balbibama minya-ji kadanya, jana daji-wan, bayan jawunkarra wubulku mayi ngulkurr nukanka manin.


<lexeme> upper reaches of the Bloomfield River


<translate> The young man's arm is strong.


<translate> The grandmother kept red ochre and yellow ochre in two shells; on ceremony days she ground the ochre, mixed it with fat, and painted the dancers.

Babingka murbuy, makirr milbar jambul-bu karrban; bubu-wungar-a nyulu murbuy nyurrban, minya-wandul-bu bungan, wuri-bama julngkan.


<glossary> badi ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The birds were singing early in the morning


<translate> When the round moon is full and bright, is that the right time to go out onto the reef, the boy asked his mother's brother.

Kija murru-murru balbal-nya, yinya wanja-wanja ngulkurr dulngku-ka dunga-nka? karrkay-angka nyungu kalnga nyajin.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<glossary> kanyil ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> to sing a curse song


<translate> We see the boxwood tree there.


<translate> The two of them see the death adder here.


<translate> The old woman knows every fruit tree in the country and when each one ripens.

Wulbuman binal mayi-juku wubul bubu-ngu, wanja-wanja nyubun-nyubun kulbul-mal.


<translate> There is nothing in the old woman's empty dilly bag now — no fruit, no yams, and no honey at all.

Mukul-jalbu ngunyin kari-nga yamba-kari niji — mayi-kari, wukay-kari, wunba-kari.


<translate> The women roasted the crayfish on the coals until its shell turned red, and the children waited alongside.

Jalbu ngajay dindan baya-nga milbar ngala-ngala-mal ngadiku, karrkay karangkal karrban.


<translate> The children turned back at the road.


<translate> I see the kuralbi tree here.


<translate> The woman cried out to the old man: "Fire!"

Jalbu mukul-dingkar-anda yirrkan: "Baya!"


<translate> Give up now — the kangaroo has run too far, and the night is coming.

Balu niji — mayarriji kalbay-baja warri, wujurr kadal.


<translate> You and I saw the biyangkal yam here.


<translate> You all saw the kulmba-kulmba gecko here.


<translate> You all saw the barramundi there.


<translate> The old man kept turning and turning the fire-stick between his palms until the smoke came, and then the first small flame.

Mukul-dingkarangka jidi murni-murni mara jambul-ba, kubu kaday kariku, yinyamun baya buban nyubun.


<translate> You see the ngajay small crayfish there.


<translate> The little child's throat was sore from gobbling the food down too fast, the old man said, so the old woman told him to sit and eat slowly.

Karrkay buban manu kaka, mayi bila-bu nuka-nuka-nya, mukul-dingkar balkan, mukul-jalbu-ngku nyunguny balkan bunda janka nuka-nka.


<translate> My digging stick is somewhere around here, but I cannot find it in the long grass.

Ngayku juku wanjabu, yamba ngayu kari warrmba-bungan jikan kalbay-ba.


<translate> The old woman looked at the new baby and said: This one has her grandmother's eyes and her father's mouth and the laugh of an uncle who died before she was born — the dead are not gone; they are shared out again.

Wulbumanangka ngawa jirakal nyajin, balkan: Yinya nyulu nyungu babimu miyil, nyungu nganjanmu ngandal, yajarril kalngamu nyulu wulanmuny nyulu kambanmuny ngadiku, dubu kari dungan; jana yindu-yindumandan.


<translate> Mother cooked fish, ate, and then sat down.

Ngamu-ngku kuyu wajun, nukan, bundan-da.


<translate> You all saw the biwul snake here.


<glossary> yurru-janjil ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> The mud sucked the legs down


<translate> Mother laughed at the child.


<translate> The country's own remedy is strong, the old woman said, stronger than any other.

Bubu-mu kalbal yaykarr, wulbumanangka balkan, jarra-yaykarr wubulku.


<translate> The old woman's bones ached in the cold wet season, deep in her legs and her bent back.

Mukul-jalbu bajibay kaka kaba-wungar-a, jandal muku dukurr-ba.


<translate> The old woman said blood makes you kin but it does not make you family — kin is given, family is earned, and there are relatives you share no blood with who are more truly your family than the ones you do.

Wulbumanangka balkan: mula yundu jawun-karra manil, yambada kari jawun-karra yukil manil: jawun-karra dajin, jawun-karra yukil manin, jawun-karra mula-kari yundunji jana jawun-karra yukil-baja jana yundu mulaji.


<translate> You and I see the tree snake there.


<translate> The old woman said if you must leave a fire and come back to it, do not put it out but bank it: rake the coals into a tight heap, cover them with a thick blanket of ash, and they will hold their heat under there through a whole day, and you will blow them back to flame in a moment when you return.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki yundu baya bawal nyunbanka baja, kari wula bunga yambada bajar bada karrba: ngunjil bangka buban-mandaku, bajar wubul junkurr bada wangkar-manil, jana wumbul karrbal bada wungar wubulku, yundu wangar daji wula-mundu nyunbanya buban-buban.


<translate> The old man said the old people held that death itself was not an ending but the last and greatest change, the person changing from a living body walking the country into a spirit belonging to it in a different way, joining the ancestors and the country and the stories, so that they grieved a death fully and truly and yet did not see it as a pure loss but as a passing-over, a final changing of state, the same person changed into a new and lasting form.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bama mukul karrban wula nyulu-nyulu kari bada yambada yindu bada bajaku yalbay baja, bama yindu-mal bangkarr juran bubu jilbalmuny wawu-yambaku, wawu bubuku yindu yalanga, ngadiku-bama bubu kuku-jangkar baja nyubun-mal, jana wawu-mumbu wula bajaku kuku-yukil baja yambada kari nyajin yinya bada nganga yambada yindu jilbalmuny, yindu bada bajaku jana-jinanga, bama nyubun yindu-manin jirakal janay-yamba baja.


<translate> The dog did not bite the child; it only barked loudly and ran away into the long grass.

Kaya-ngka karrkay kari baykan; nyulu yirrkan yalbay warri jikan kalbay-ka.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the julbal tree here.


<translate> Grandmother put the fire stick on the ground.


<translate> The baldy gum tree is there.


<translate> Grandmother left the dog's food at camp.


<translate> The dog licked the baby's face and the baby laughed.

Kayangka ngawa walu bijan, ngawangka kaya yajarrinda.


<translate> He saw the kawarr bloodwood tree there.


<translate> He saw the mali small bat here.


<translate> The candlenut tree is standing outside.


<translate> The old woman came from down there.


<translate> You and I see the snail there.


<translate> The caterpillar crawls slowly along the branch, eating the young green leaves as it goes.

Kinga dakil-ba mara-warri, birra buban nuka-l dunga-nya.


<translate> The children could not understand the old man's words, for he spoke the deep language of long ago.

Karrkay-karrkay kari binal mukul-dingkar-mu kuku, nyulu kuku kalbay kalbay-muny balka-nya.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the wakuka bird here.


<translate> The man found mussels in the river.

Dingkar-angka mukirr wawubaja-nga warrmba-bungan.


<translate> You two see the kawarr bloodwood tree there.


<translate> They see the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> Grandmother took the bone from the ground.


<translate> You and I see the ridge pole there.


<translate> You and I see the windbreak here.


<translate> The young men had a fishing contest to see who could catch the most fish before the sun was high.

Warru-warru kuyu karrbanya kinkan, wanya kuyu wubul bajaku karrbal wungar wangkar jananyjiku.


<translate> Tracking runs backwards through time, the old man taught the boys over one print: read first of all how old, then how fast, then how heavy, then which way, and walk only then, when all the words have spoken, for the track is a story already standing on its paper, and the tracker who runs at the first word finishes the story wrong.

Jina-wukurril nyulu warrin muku-jinabu wungarburr, mukulungku dingkarangka buban-buban milbin jinanga: nyaji-ngurr wanjarrinya mukul, yalada wanjarrinya warri, yalada wanjarrinya dandi, yalada wanjaburr, jilbanda kuku wubulku balkanya, jina nyulu kuku-jangkar kabanba janaymuny, jina-bama nyulu warril kuku ngadikungu nyulu kuku-jangkar badaku mumbu kunbay-manil.


<glossary> yimbalji ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> He went with a message


<translate> The old man said: the sea gives us food every day, so we must always look after it.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: jalun nganangan mayi daji-l wungar wubul-a, ngana nyunguny kuji-l baja.


<translate> The child saw a star at night.


<translate> He sees the karraway snail there.


<translate> Put the baby down on the far side of you from the fire, the old woman moved the young mother's arms without a word, lest the small sleeper go onto the coals in the night, for the mother's body is the oldest wall, and it stands always between the child and the fire.

Ngawa yijarrika kala-kalbay bayamuny, wulbumanangka mara jalbu-bubanmuny murnin kuku-kari, karrkay-buban ngunjilku dunganyji wujurrba, bangkarr ngamumuny nyulu bayan dandi mukul bajaku, nyulu janay karrkay-buban bayamuny yabarrka.


<translate> The wild dog bit the young man.


<lexeme> Rattlesnake point - Fritz Creek


<translate> At low tide the women walk out on the reef to gather shellfish and little crabs.

Ngajal-ba jalbu wubul dulngku-ngu dunga-y, minya buban baja warrmba-bunga-l.


<translate> I see the marubu species of oyster.


<translate> You two saw the jinkalmu snake there.


<translate> Eel is the best food of the wet season, said grandad, and the creek gives it freely to those who know it.

Kamingka balkan: kubarr mayi ngulkurr bajaku buluriji, wawubajabu dajil jananka binalka.


<translate> The moon pulls the tide the way a mother pulls a blanket, the old woman said on the seashore: big moon, big water, the high tide walks far up through the sand and the low tide walks far out, and the one who knows the moon knows where the sea's food stands tonight.

Kijabu yira kulbal yala ngamungku kararr kulbal, wulbumanangka balkan yalmbanga: kija yalbay, bana yalbay, balar jilbal kala-kalbay wangkar jukarburr, ngajal jilbal kala-kalbay bada, bama nyulu kija binal nyulu binal wanja mayi jalunmuny janay wujurrba.


<glossary> muyul-muyul ; type=adjective ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> He's got a block against snakes (doesn't want to touch them, doesn't like them)


<translate> The wallaby is in the scrub.


<translate> The old woman said the question a dying person most wants to be asked is often simply what do you want us to know, for the dying are full of things they are afraid it is too late or too self-important to say, and this one gentle question gives them permission to pass on the last of their wisdom, their forgiveness, their love, and she had sat with many at the end and never once regretted asking it.

Wulbumanangka balkan kuku wula-bama nyulu bajaku wawu-manil babajilmuny nyulu nganga wanyu yundu wawu-manil ngana binalmuny, wula-bama buwan yamba jana yinil-ji nyulu bada bajaku yambada nyulu-nyulu-yalbay balkalmuny, kuku nyubun kima yinya jananka dayal bada bajaku nyungu binal, nyungu bawa-way, nyungu wawu-jirray jarrakulbalka, nyulu bundanmuny wubulku bada bajaku kariku nyubun mumbu-manin babajinmuny.


<translate> Where does the language live? a girl asked, in the mouth or in the ear? and the old woman said: it rises in the mouth and makes its camp in the ear, for a spoken word that no ear takes dies on the lips, but a word that one ear catches and another mouth sends on can walk through a hundred years.

Wanja kuku wunay? jalbu-buban babajin, ngandalba yambada milkanga? wulbumanangka balkan: nyulu wandil ngandalba, bayan nyungu bungal milkanga, kuku balkanmuny milka-kari nyulu wulay yimbinga, yambada kuku milka nyubunbu maninmuny ngandal yindubu dayalmuny nyulu jilbal wungar wubulburr.


<translate> What fish did the child see?


<translate> We two, not you, saw the mali small bat here.


<translate> The girl practises making her name on paper to show the old woman, and the old woman practises saying the girl's English name to show the girl, and the two of them laugh, two mouths working carefully, two learners at one fire, each one holding a promise in the other one's country.

Jalbu-bubanangka kuku nyungu kabanba murnil milbinka wulbumananda, wulbumanangka kuku waybalamuny maralmuny balkal milbinka maralanda, jana jambul yajarr-mal, ngandal jambul buban-buban murninya, binal-bama jambul bayanga nyubunba, nyubun-nyubun kuku-junkurr karrbal bubungu bama yindumuny.


<translate> The husband does not drink alcohol so that his wife is happy.

Dunyu-ngku kamukamu kari nuka-l, manyarr wawurrwawurr-ma-nka.


<glossary> kijar-kijar ; type=noun ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> My leg was asleep


<translate> The old woman brought the stone from the house.


<translate> She would have carried all the water back to the camp, the old woman said, but she was too tired after the long day of digging yams.

Nyulu bana narmba bayan-ka jarra-kulba-nyaku, mukul-jalbu balkan, yamba nyulu baja-burray bajaku bambayal baka-nya marri-muny.


<translate> At daybreak the sun came out over the scrub.


<translate> I will not go without this one.


<translate> Your two spears are sharp, but my one spear is stronger.

Yunu kalka jambul jalngkun, yambada ngayku kalka nyubun junkurr-baja.


<translate> The old woman said the ground itself remembers the feet of all who walked it.

Mukul-jalbu-ngka balkan bubu nyulu-nyulu jina bama wubul jilba-nya milka-bu bayka-l.


<translate> We prepared for the big gathering for many days: we hunted and smoked extra meat, the women ground great quantities of seed-meal, we cleared and levelled the meeting ground, we built extra shelters for the visitors, we sent the messengers out to the far camps, we lit the welcoming fires as they arrived, and then we feasted and danced and told the old stories for three whole nights.

Ngana bangkarr-yalbaynka murni-manda wungar wubulku: ngana balbin minya kubu-manin baja, jalbu jarra-mayi wubulku nyurrban, ngana bubu-bangkarr karra yaral-manin, ngana bayan yindu bama-yindunka bungan, ngana kuku-jarrakay bayan kala-kalbay-mundu yunga, ngana yulmbarril-baya wandiman jana kadanya, yalada ngana nukan janjin jangkar ngadiku balkan kulur wujurr wubulku.


<translate> Grandmother's stomach is sore.


<translate> You and I see the jirimandi coconut tree there.


<glossary> ngarrku-ngarrku ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> That person is easy to get along with in working (If you ask him to do anything, he does it quickly)


<translate> You two see the kawarr bloodwood tree here.


<translate> You all see the mulumu dove there.


<translate> The old man said watch how a person treats those who can teach them nothing and give them nothing — the child, the stranger, the very old — for that, and not how they treat the powerful, is the true measure of their heart.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: nyaji yala bama nyulu jana ngaral jana nyulunka murruji milbil murruji dajil, karrkay, bama yindu, mukul bajaku, yinya, kari yala nyulu junkurr-bama ngaral, bamamu wawu dandi yukil.


<translate> Grandfather's ankle is sore.


<translate> He eats at our fire, works our work, laughs our laughter — he is camp-with now, wherever he was born.

Nyulu nukal bayanga nganamuny, murnil murni nganamuny, yajarr-mal yajarr-ji nganamuny, nyulu bayan-ji nyiku, wanjamuny nyulu wandin baja.


<translate> While the old woman was cooking, the children sat by the fire and wanted the food.

Mukul waju-nya, karrkay-karrkay kunjinba bundan, mayika wawu.


<translate> You two saw the ngumbul snake there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the kookaburra here.


<translate> They saw the yarrkay-yarrka group of children there.


<glossary> yanday ; type=adjective ; domain=artefact <usage_example> The grass is ready (cut) now, (you) gather (it up)


<translate> They see the fighting spear here.


<translate> The bird flew across the river.


<lexeme> {'english': 'That food is very good', 'translation': 'Yinya mayi ngulkurr bajaku'}


<translate> The children left the seeds and ate only the sweet ripe fruit.

Karrkay diburr bawal, mayi kulbul jiba-wula-wula nyubun nukal.


<translate> You and I saw the mirrku kidney bird here.


<translate> The stones there are close together.


<translate> The sea is calm and flat this morning, good for hunting turtle.

Jalun janka barrangkul yanyu wunkuwingku, ngulkurr yalnga balbi-nka.


<translate> The child put a flower in mother's hand.

Karrkay-ngku nganka yijarrin ngamu-ndu mara-nga.


<translate> The dog did not bite the child; the child is well.

Kaya-ngka karrkay kari baykan, karrkay ngulkurr.


<lexeme> smoke the inside of a house after the owner dies


<translate> You saw the bamboo stick there.


<translate> The old man took the grandson to learn the boundary of the country: they walked the whole boundary over four days, stopped at each named place, he told the story that fixed the boundary there, they refreshed the old marks on the rocks and trees, they met the neighbours at the shared corners and greeted them, they camped at the water each night, and then returned home with the boy now carrying the map in his memory.

Mukulungku dingkarangka jija bubu-jina binalka wangan: jana bubu-kunbayn wubulku jilban jambul-jambul wungar, kanban bubu burri-ji wubulku, nyulu jangkar balkan nyulu bubu-jina yinya kajanmu, jana burri mukul kuljinga jukungu jirakal-manin, jana ngundu-bama nyaji-wan bubu-dukurr daji-way-mba yulmbarril, jana bana ngunduku wunan wujurr wubulku, yalada bayan-mundu nyunban buban nyiku bubu-jina milkanga jarrakulban.


<translate> The sun climbs out of the sea, walks along the sky road, and falls behind the western ranges, the old woman traced it for the little ones with her arm: the sunrise belongs to the fishers, the high sun to the shade, the sunset to the cooking fires, and every person can learn the time by looking at the length of their own shadow.

Wungar dakal jalunmuny, jilbal jiri-baralburr, daray manjal kuwamuny badabada, wulbumanangka yinya milbin karrkay-bubanka wakuybu: wungar-dakal nyulu kuyu-bamamuny, wungar wangkar wabarrmuny, wungar-daray baya-wajumuny, bama nyubun-nyubun wungar binal-mal nyajinya wabarr nyungu-nyungu kalbay.


<translate> They saw the war spear there.


<translate> The old man said before you follow anyone you should ask where are they leading and why, for a people that follows without questioning is a people that can be led anywhere, even off a cliff, and he taught the young that the duty to ask where are we going and is this right does not weaken a group but strengthens it, since a leader worth following welcomes the question and only a false one fears it.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan yundu bama nyubun wukurri ngadiku yundu babaji wanjabu jana jilbaman wanyurrinku, bama nyulu wukurril babaji-kari nyulu bama wanjabu jilbamanmuny, jina-jalkar-mundu baja, nyulu warru milbin ngadiku babajinka wanjabu ngana dungay yinya yukil nyulu kari bama-wubul buban-manil yambada junkurr-manil, kuku-bama yukil wukurrilmuny nyulu kuku yulmbarrilbu manil nganga bama kuku-kari nyulu yinil.


<translate> You and I see the barramundi there.


<translate> The girl dug where she was told, and soon the water came up into the hole, cold and fresh.

Maralangka bakan wanjabu milbinya, bana kadan wangkar bubungu, kiway jirakal.


<glossary> julngkal ; type=noun ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> I rubbed the medicine on the sore


<translate> The two of them saw the kurkunbay butcherbird there.


<translate> The women dug the yams with their hands in the soft cold ground.

Jalbungku bambayal mara-bu bakan bubu kima ngiki-nga.


<translate> The men had speared the sea turtle before the sun went down.

Dingkar ngawiya daman, wungar bada dunga-nyjiku.


<translate> I came from there and turned back.


<translate> Where did you come from? I came from the north country, a long way off. And where does this river run to? It runs down to the sea, past the mangroves.

Yundu wanjamuny kadan? Ngayu kuwa-bubu-muny kadan, kala-kalbay. Nyiku wawubaja wanjabu dungay? Nyulu yalmba-nka bada dungay, kajul ngundu.


<translate> They saw the karunkurr crested pigeon here.


<translate> The two old men kept sitting by the fire, talking on and on, and stayed there long after all the others had gone to sleep.

Mukul-dingkar jambul bundanday baya ngundu, balka-balka, jana wuna yinya-ba marri bama narmba warngku wuna-nya-muny.


<translate> The tree gives, and the tree must keep living, she says.

Nyulu balkal: jukubu dajil, juku bundanday yabarrka.


<translate> We, not you, saw the kurrujuwa sentry bird there.