<translate> With whom did you go hunting in the thick scrub yesterday? — I went with my two brothers.

Wanyanji yundu balbi-ka madja-ka dungan yilayku? Ngayu yaba jambul-ji dungan.


<translate> The young man washed his arm.


<translate> The food is better than the meat.


<translate> They see the small bat here.


<translate> You and I see the duck there.


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


<translate> The old woman did not want to walk in the rain, so she stayed in the warm humpy.

Mukul-jalbu kari wawu kaba-nga jilba-dunga-nka, nyulu wurun wumbul-ba bundan.


<translate> The old woman said: Look after your body while you are young, and it will look after you when you are old, for the body remembers everything you do to it.

Wulbumanangka balkan: Yundu warru bangkarr nyaji, yundu mukulmanda bangkarrbu yundu nyajil, bangkarrbu yambayamba binalku yundu ngaranmuny.


<translate> The old man said never take the small fish or the mother fish, for the sea gives forever only to those who leave enough behind.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: kuyu buban baluda mani, kuyu ngamu baluda mani, jalun dajil wubulku-nka nyubun-bu bama kanbal wuna-nya-nka.


<translate> The leaves of the fig fell to the ground, and later the new shoots came up again.

Jarrangkal birra bubungu daran, jurrbu jirakal janan baja.


<translate> The good cook cut up the fish.


<translate> The clothing here is not baggy.


<translate> The sea has its own law, said the old man, and a wise person learns it instead of fighting it.

Jalun nyungu yala wubulku, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, bama binal nyungu binalmal, kari nyungu kunil.


<translate> The brolga dances by the swamp, lifting its wings and stepping high, and the other brolgas come and dance too.

Kulbal daburri-nga wurin, nangki wangkar bungan, jina jarra-jarra jilban, kulbal yindu kadan wurin baja.


<translate> The two of them saw the bilu-warra spoonbill there.


<translate> The old woman walked up the steep track to the hinterland camp, carrying a heavy dilly bag of yams.

Mukul-jalbu wangkar jilban jina junkurr jibarr bayan-ka, ngunyin kulngkul wukay-jirr wundin.


<translate> People still sing it when the river runs high.

Jana wulngku badi yabarrka, kaki wawubaja yalbaymal.


<glossary> warngku ; type=noun ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> Three days ago I left


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


<translate> You and I saw the jadi goanna here.


<translate> I am not really hungry now; I ate the good meat and the sweet fruit a little while ago by the fire.

Ngayu kari-rrku dakwuy niji; ngayu minya ngulkurr mayi jiba-wulay nukan niji-muny baya ngundu.


<translate> You two see the barracuda here.


<translate> The man left the charcoal in the bag.


<translate> I see the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> The paperbark tree stands there.


<translate> He sees the yurrunji tree there.


<translate> We see the sand whiting there.


<translate> The whole animal was used and nothing was thrown away: the meat was eaten, everything was put to good use, and nothing at all was wasted.

Minya wubulku kirrajin: minya nukan, yamba wubulku ngulkurr-bungan, nyubun kari yilban baja.


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


<translate> They heard the chewing sound here.


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


<translate> When the tide goes out the women walk far onto the reef and gather oysters and clams among the stones.

Yira dunga-nya jalbu kulji-nga kala-kalbay jilban, julul darkay kulji-nga manin.


<translate> The old man stepped between them and said: Anger is a guest who comes quickly and eats everything and burns the house, so do not let it speak for you; wait until it leaves.

Mukulungku dingkarangka jana ngundu janay, balkan: Dukul-wuri bama yindu nyulu junkurr kadan, yamba wubulku nukal, bayan wajun, kari yundunka balkanka bawa; maku-jana nyulu dunganyjiku.


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


<translate> The children are growing fast.


<translate> You see the murrkul tree there.


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


<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> They see the wurru-bulan small crab here.


<translate> You saw the karkunbay stockwhip bird there.


<translate> They see the jalan sea urchin there.


<translate> We, not you, saw the kalkarrumbarr lizard here.


<translate> This kind of yam is sweet when you roast it, but bad-tasting when it is raw.

Yanyu-nguy bambayal jiba-wula-wula dinda-nya, yambada bambay dandi-nya.


<translate> You two see the spear barb here.


<translate> They saw that wurmbariji scrub tree.


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

Karrkay-ngku kaya nyajin badabada juku-ngu.


<translate> The father and son went to the river together to fish.

Nganjan-manda wawubaja-ka dungan, kuyu dama-nka.


<translate> We see the carpet snake there.


<translate> Fire-building is an order you can hear, the old woman said with her eyes closed: first the dry grass whispers, then the small sticks talk, then the big wood speaks low, and if you hurry the order the fire goes quiet — work it again, little one, and this time let each voice finish.

Baya-murni nyulu murni-jina yundu milka-janaymuny, wulbumanangka balkan miyil nandanmuny-ji: jikan-ngurr marral balkal buban, yalada juku buban balkal, yalada juku yalbay balkal bada, kaki yundu murni-jina warri-bungal baya wunbu-mal, murni-baja bubanku, yalada bawa kuku nyubun-nyubun kunbay-manilka.


<translate> We see the kalu garfish here.


<translate> That poor old woman is nearly blind now; she walks slowly and feels the path with a stick.

Yinya mukul-jalbu kari ngulkurr nyaji-l niji; nyulu buban-buban jilba-dunga-y, jina juku-bu nyaji-l.


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


<translate> The hunter followed the wallaby's tracks through the scrub, waited downwind behind a bush until it came close, threw his spear and hit it in the side, followed the blood a little way, found it fallen, and then carried it home on his shoulders.

Balbi-bama darrba jina wukurrin makarra dukurr-bu, muyar-mundu jina bawal juku ngundu bundan dukul nyulu ngundu kadanya, kalka yilban janka daman, mula wukurrin buban, nyajin nyulu badanmu, yalada nyulu jibi wangkar jarrakulbanda bayan-mundu.


<translate> Grandmother sees the paperbark there.


<translate> The people of that place speared fish at the sea.


<translate> The tide brought the canoe back.


<glossary> juwa ; type=temporal ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> We are ready to go walkabout, you are taking too long a time

Nganjin ready jilba dunganka, yundu juwaku bundanday


<translate> They saw the kurkunbay butcherbird there.


<translate> Mother saw the rainbow there.


<translate> The tree kangaroo climbed high into the rainforest tree and sat still among the thick green leaves.

Jarrabina juku kalbay wangkar dakan madja junkurr-ba, bundan janka birra balbal junkurr dindarra-nga.


<translate> We see the baldy gum tree here.


<translate> You saw the boomerang there.


<translate> You and I see the nakawarra bee here.


<translate> The husband hunted, the wife gathered, the children carried, and the grandmother tended the fire — in this way one family fed itself through the dry season.

Dunyungku balbin, biwarangka mayi munjan, karrkay-karrkay wundin, babingka baya kujin — yala nyubun mula-mula nyungu-nka mayi dayan wungar marral-ba.


<translate> The woman left the shield on the ground.


<translate> We see the jadalangka animal leg here.


<translate> The big tree fell, a sharp crash came, and the birds flew out of the scrub.

Juku yalbay daran, kadil junkurr kadan, buyi-buyi madja-muny marra-warrin.


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


<translate> The children learned that the words 'more' and 'less' and 'bigger' and 'smaller' meant nothing on their own, but only ever in comparing one thing to another.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman kuku 'wubul-baja', 'buban-baja', 'yalbay-baja', 'buban-baja' nganga yamba-kari, yambada nyubun yamba yindumuny milbinya nganga.


<translate> They see the grass wallaby there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the running water here.


<translate> They see the whip snake there.


<translate> The two of them saw the bujil-yiran ibis here.


<translate> He sees the ngurrkul fig tree here.


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


<translate> The grandmother taught the girl: we cut the lawyer cane in the scrub and tie the coolamon with it.

Babingka jalbu binalbungan: ngana kaku madjanga yakal, dubal kajal kakubu.


<translate> You and I saw the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish there.

Ngaliny mangkurr-mangkurr yinyay nyajin.


<translate> I grew up in this country, I learned its stories and its plant names, and now I am becoming an old man myself.

Ngayu nyiku bubungu yalbay-man, ngayu kuku juku burri binalman, ngayu mukul-dingkar-mal.


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


<translate> Who owns this country? No one man owns it; the country holds the people, the people do not hold the country. Ask the old ones — they will tell you the law.

Wanyamba nyiku bubu? Dingkar nyubun kari karrbal; bubu-ngku bama karrbal, bama-ngku bubu kari karrbal. Mukul-mukul babaji — jana yununy kuku balkal.


<translate> The old man said each plant has its own time and place, and the wise person does not fight the country but eats what it gives, when it gives it.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: mayi-juku wubulku nyungu wungar bubu-jirr, bama binal kari bubu-nka kuli-ma-l, nyulu nuka mayi bubu dajin-nya.


<translate> The old man said the words for kin were among the very first a child learned, before the names of most animals or plants, because knowing who was mother and who was uncle and who was cross-cousin was the most urgent knowledge of all, telling a child at every moment how to behave toward the person in front of them, whom to obey, whom to joke with, whom to avoid, so that the kin-words were the child's first and most important map of the world.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku karra-muny nyulu kuku ngadiku bajaku karrkay binalman, minya mayi wubulku kukumuny ngadiku, wanya ngamu wanya kalnga wanya kambanmu binalka nyulu binal junkurr bajaku wubulmuny, balkal karrkay wungar nyubun-nyubun yala nyulu janan bama miyil-jinanga, wanya wukurrinka, wanya yajarr-wayka, wanya jibarr-jibarrka, kuku-karra nyulu karrkay nyungu ngadiku bubu-jarray yukil bajaku.


<translate> You two saw the spear thrower there.


<translate> The old woman said the wild plum and the small fruits of the scrub are the children's own harvest, low enough to reach and safe to eat, and she sent the little ones out to gather them by the handful, both to feed them and to teach them, for a child who learns young to know the sweet fruit from the sour and the good from the sickening is a child already halfway to surviving alone.

Wulbumanangka balkan mayi-jirakal mayi buban majaji baja nyulu karrkay-karrkay nyungu bangkal, bada baja maninka jiba-wulay nukanka, nyulu buban-buban wangan bangkanka maramabi, jananka dayanka milbinka baja, karrkay nyulu buban binalman mayi jiba-wulay ngambuymuny yukil buyun-manilmuny nyulu karrkay ngadiku dukurr-baja nyulu-nyulu wunayka.


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


<translate> The wallaby turned, saw the dog, and jumped away through the grass.

Kadar murnijin, kaya nyajin, jikanba jalamanda.


<translate> Tomorrow we will go to the store.


<translate> The child ate too much sweet fruit and his belly ached in the night.

Karrkayangka mayi jiba-wula-wula wubul-baja nukan, nyungu jibar bambay wujurr-ba.


<translate> Grandmother sees the freshwater turtle.


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


<translate> A person who knows the sea never drowns and never goes hungry, for the sea is a good mother to those who honour her.

Bama nyulu jalun binal kari bana wulay, kari dakwuy yabarrka, jalun ngamu ngulkurr bama nyungu ngulkurr-bungal.


<translate> They came down out of the ranges at last onto the coastal plain, and the walking became easy, and they made good time along the beaches, but the old man went slower now, not from tiredness but because he knew this was the last long journey his legs would carry him on.

Jana yumalmuny dukul bada kadan jalun bubu yaralngu, jilbal yukil-manda, jana warri jalunba, mukulungku dingkarangka nyiku buban-buban dungan, kari wawu-wula-ymuny yambada nyulu binal yinya jilbal kalbay dumbay nyungu jadal nyulu jarrakulbalmu.


<translate> The woman sees the river there.


<glossary> wuljil ; type=adjective ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> They emptied out (the bee's nest) into the bucket


<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> This red fruit is good, she said, but that one just like it will make you very sick, so look at the leaf and the vine.

Yanyu mayi ngulkurr, nyulu balkan, yambada yinya yala nyungu yundu bambaymal bajaku, yala nyaka birra kalal.


<translate> The lily flowers also told the season, coming when the wet arrived and going when the dry returned.

Ngankabu yala wungar milbin, nganka kadan buluriji kadanya, dungan marral baja kadanya.


<translate> The old woman's husband died many years ago, far away in the north country.

Mukul-jalbu-mu dunyu wulan kalbay-muny, kala-kalbay kungkarr bubu-ngu.


<translate> The grandmother told the child: every tree of this country has its name; you will learn them all.

Babingka karrkay balkan: juku wubul bubungu nyungu burri; yundu binal jana wubulku.


<translate> The old woman said: we all came from one mother-country; the rivers are ours, the animals are ours, the law is ours — so we share, and no one among us goes hungry.

Mukulungku balkan: ngana wubul nyubun bubu-muny kadan; wawubaja ngananga, minya ngananga, kuku ngananga — ngana daji-way, bama nyubun ngananga-nga kariku dakwuy.


<translate> The paperbark lay there in the earth oven.


<translate> You saw the yawa possum there.


<translate> I am rather hungry now, the child said, but by nightfall I will be very hungry, so let us dig a few more yams before the sun goes down.

Ngayu jarra-dakwuy niji, karrkay balkan, yamba wujurr-ma-nya ngayu dakwuy-baja-ku, ngali bambayal kanbal baka-baja wungar bada dunga kariku.


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


<translate> Grandmother roasts the zamia nut before pounding it.


<translate> The clothes lay in the camp.


<translate> We see the kambar white clay here.


<translate> They see the death adder here.


<translate> The old woman knows which snakes are good to eat and which ones to leave alone.

Wulbuman binal wanya jarba ngulkurr nuka-nka, wanya bawa-nka.


<translate> I light the fire so you get warm.


<translate> Who speared this big fish? — My elder brother speared it early this morning.

Wanyangka kuyu yalbay daman? Yaba-ngka daman wunkuwingku.


<glossary> nyangarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He spilled the sugar on the ground


<translate> The snake is lying in the grass.


<translate> You two saw the dijarr freshwater perch here.


<translate> The baby has no teeth yet in her little mouth, so her mother feeds her soft food.

Ngawa dirra kariku ngandal buban-ba, nyungu ngamu-ngka mayi kima daji nuka-nka.


<translate> We all, not you, saw the spear point there.


<translate> You all see the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree there.


<translate> The girls dug up a lot of small pipis in the wet grey sand at the edge of the sea.

Maral-maral-angka bulkiji wubul jukar duna-nga bakan, jalun karangkal.


<translate> The man came with his father-in-law.


<translate> They saw the nyumbirr beeswax there.


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


<translate> We see the grasshopper here.


<translate> The children took the dog down to the river. The dog jumped in the water. Everyone got wet.

Karrkay-karrkayangka kaya wundin bada wawubajanga. Kaya bananga jalaman. Jana wubulku dunamarin.


<translate> In a good camp, the old man said, the people give to each other and help each other and teach each other, and no one stands alone.

Bayan ngulkurrbu, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, bama daji-way, mara-daji-way, milbi-way, kari bama nyubun nganga janay.


<translate> The two of them saw the durra caterpillar here.


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


<translate> That spear thrower is there.


<glossary> jiyuy ; type=particle ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> He said "It's good", but (it was a trick), it isn't good

Nyulu yalaman, "Yinya ngulkurr", juyuy, yinya kari ngulkarr.


<glossary> bijal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=ingestion-consumption <usage_example> The child licked the icecream cone


<translate> The two of them saw the flames here.


<translate> Every animal wears its name like a track, the old woman taught listening: kururrungka laughs inside its own word, nili-nili paddles in it, walbul-walbul flutters in it — say the names aloud and hear the makers walking.

Minya nyubun-nyubun burri wundil yala jina, wulbumanangka milka-jananka milbin: 'kururrungka' yajarr-mal kukungu nyungu-nyungungu, 'nili-nili' marajil yinyanga, 'walbul-walbul' warril yinyanga: burri balka junkurrbu, bunga-bama milka-janay jilbanya.


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


<translate> The old man made a strong new spear from the hard wood by the fire in the evening.

Mukul-dingkar-angka kalka junkurr jirakal bungal juku junkurr-bu baya ngundu wujurr-ma-nya.


<translate> The river people and the sea people came together here for the big ceremony every wet season.

Wawubaja-warra jalun-warra kankaday yala muru wungar yalbay-ka kaba-wungar wubulku.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the karrmbil parakeet there.


<translate> We hear the barking sound here.


<translate> The old woman peeped around in the house, and the children did not see her.

Mukul-jalbu bayan-ba nuri-nuri-ji, karrkay-karrkay kari nyajin.


<translate> The old woman knew which tree gives good medicine bark for a sick child's bad fever.

Mukul-jalbu-ngka juku binal, wanjinya juku warrur ngulkurr karrkay bambay-ka.


<translate> I made the fire strong, heated the flat stones, and cooked the fish and the roots on them for the whole family.

Ngayu baya junkurr-bungan, kulji wumbul-bungan, kuyu bangkan yinyabu wajun bama wubulka.


<glossary> yalamal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> don't do that


<translate> The old man told stories in the firelight so the children would forget the cold until they fell asleep.

Mukulungku dingkarangka kuku balkan bayanga, karrkay-karrkay kiway milka-wulanka warngku wunanyjiku.


<translate> I sweep the ground before setting up camp.


<translate> Grandmother saw the Moreton Bay fig tree.


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


<translate> The old man said the tree that a person is born under, or that stands at the place of their conception, is that person's own tree for life in the old way of thinking, so a person and a tree could be tied together, the person caring for that tree and drawing strength from it, and he said this was not mere fancy but a way of teaching every person that they are rooted in the living country.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan juku bama nyulu ngundu wandinmuny, yambada janan nyungu jarray-bubungu, nyulu bama nyubun nyungu-nyungu juku wawu kalbay-mba ngadiku-kuku milkanga, bama juku baja nyubun-nyubunji kajal, bama juku yinya kujil junkurr manil ngundumuny, nyulu balkan yinya kari yilbay-kuku nganga yambada yala bama wubulku milbil jana bubu wula-mabinga bangkan-ji.


<translate> I see that kurunkal mangrove.


<translate> You two and those two carry the net; the rest of us sing the hauling song.

Yubal bulanji makarr wundil, ngana bawanmuny wulngku badil kulbanka.


<translate> The old people know all the kin names and how everyone is related.

Mukul-bama kuku-jawun wubul binal, wanya wanya-nji jawun.


<translate> We two (not you) see the spear point here.


<translate> Across the river is another dialect of the same country — visit politely.

Ngubar-ngubar bubu nyubun kuku yindu-ji buban: dungay yulmbarri-ji.


<translate> The old man told the young men a long story about the great flood of the old, old days.

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru-nka kuku kalbay balkan, bana yalbay mukul wungar-mu.


<translate> The dog followed me from behind.


<translate> You all see the small conical shellfish here.


<translate> The old people showed us the good water.

Kamba-kambangka bana ngulkurr milbin ngananda.


<translate> They saw the bajabaja lizard there.


<translate> Auntie's baby is growing big and strong.


<translate> The old woman went up to get the dog.

Wulbuman wangkar dungan kaya-nda mani-nka.


<glossary> walngkurril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> You ask your grandmother for food


<translate> You all saw the jungka wild cherry tree there.


<translate> I hear the grunt sound here.


<translate> The young man saw the snake on the ground.


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


<translate> So the old man named the whole living sea for the boy — fish and turtle, dugong and crab, oyster and shark and the great slow tide — the seafarers' whole country.

Yala mukul-dingkarangka jalun murrku narmba karrkay-nka burri — kuyu ngawiya-jirr, biwuy kiju-jirr, julul bilmbin yira yalbay buban-buban-jirr — Jalunji-mu bubu narmba.


<translate> I saw the baringkan small bird here.


<translate> The old man said the strong make peace and the weak make war, for it takes no courage to strike but great courage to offer your open hand to someone who has hurt you, not knowing whether they will take it or strike it away.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: junkurr bama wunbu-bungal, junkurr-kari bama kuni-way, wawu-junkurr-kari kuninka, yambada wawu-junkurr yalbay mara yaral dajinka bama nyulu yundu kaka-maninmuny, kari binal nyulu manil kuni baja.


<glossary> jungku ; type=noun ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> Queenie's house is on the end


<translate> In the morning mother took water.


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


<translate> They saw the young man here.


<translate> Every spear has its own work, the old man opened the bundle: kalka for the fish, dikarra for war, yinba for the small water, yirrmba the many-toothed for the low tide — and the man who brings the wrong spear brings home a story instead of dinner.

Kalka nyubun-nyubun murni-ji nyungu-nyungu-ji, mukulungku dingkarangka yinya ngalkal-bungan: kalka kuyunka, dikarra kuniwaynka, yinba bana-bubanka, yirrmba dirra-wubul-ji ngajalka, bama nyulu kalka mumbu wundil nyulu wundil bayanka kuku-jangkar, kari mayi.


<translate> We would have gone hungry that waterless year, the old man remembered, but the upriver people carried fish-nets down and we carried root-ground knowledge up, and not one child on this river cried from an empty stomach, and he said: hunger given out to others becomes a small hunger, but a stingy year makes many stingy years.

Ngana dakwuy-manyaku wungar bana-kari yinya, mukulungku dingkarangka milka-binalku, yambada bama wangkarmuny makarr wundin bada, ngana binal bubumuny bangkanmuny wundin wangkar, karrkay nyubun kariku badin jibar ngangamuny wawubajanga, nyulu balkan: dakwuy dayanmuny bamanka yindunka nyulu dakwuy buban-mal, wungar jakay-dandi nyulu wungar jakay-dandi wubul murnil.


<translate> She marked the tree with her axe and came back for the men.

Nyulu juku yakan waymbilda, kadan baja dingkar-dingkaranka.


<translate> I saw the ngadil hickory tree here.


<translate> By midday they reached the mangroves, where the men left the canoe and went in to look for mudcrabs.

Wungar wangkar janan, jana kajulba kadan, dingkar-dingkarangka marrakan bawan, walan kijuka.


<translate> The fruit from that tree is good.


<translate> Maybe I will stew the fish, maybe roast it.


<translate> The swift birds wheel and dart high in the evening sky in a great turning cloud, the old woman said, catching the small insects on the wing.

Jangkan jiri-ba wujurr-ma-nya karrkan-ba jurrki wanarri wubul muru-ma-nya, mukul-jalbu balkan, minya buban marra-warri-nya-ba mani.


<translate> If the fish does not come, what will we eat? If it does not come, we will dig for roots.

Kaki kuyu kari kaday, wanya ngali nukanka? Kaki kari kaday, ngali bangkan bakanka.


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


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


<glossary> muku-duku ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> The pregnant woman ate cassoway meat

Jalbungku kulngkuldu minya kurranji nukan, nyungu kangkal muku-dukumal


<glossary> walngkal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> The clothes are hanging on the line


<translate> They see the archerfish there.


<translate> When they agreed, there was a big gathering, and the two families exchanged gifts of food and tools.

Jana binalmanda, bama wubul kadan, jawunkarra jambulku mayi kalka dajiwan.


<translate> And so the long lesson passed like a good conversation, and the children did not even know that they were learning.

Yalaku milbil kalbay dungan yala kuku ngulkurr, karrkay-karrkay kari binalman jana binalmananya.


<translate> The friend asked mother about the house.


<translate> The charcoal lay on the ground.


<translate> The rain has gone; the sun is out; the clothes will get dry.

Kaba dungan; wungar wandin; kambi marralmal.


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


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


<glossary> yinyarrin ; type=demonstrative ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> Those carpenters, they work down (there) now

Yinyarrin carpenter jana bada-badada workmal


<translate> The dogs smelled the meat and came running.

Kaya-kayangka minya nyajin, warrin kadan.


<translate> Little one, a secret is not a stone you swallow; it is a seed — plant it with the right person, or it grows crooked.

Bubanku, kuku ngakijinmuny kari kulji yundu yurmbilmuny: nyulu diburr: yijarri bamanda yukilanda, yambada nyulu yalbay-mal mumbu.


<translate> They saw the grass tree here.


<translate> They followed the ridge single file, the old man first, then the women, then the children, then the young men at the rear watching behind, for that is the old way of walking in country where you do not know who else is travelling.

Jana yumal juru-kulbaway jilban, mukul ngadiku, jalbu baja, karrkay-karrkay baja, warru dumbay-mba kurrka-nyaji-ji, yinya jilbalmu yukil ngadiku bubungu wanja yundu murruji binal wanya yindu jilbanya.


<translate> Good weather for the island tomorrow.


<translate> You saw the ngurrkul fig tree there.


<translate> That kurunkal mangrove is there.


<translate> The two men carried the wallaby back to camp.

Bula dingkarangka kadar jarra-kulban bayanba.


<translate> That flooded river is far more dangerous now than the deep sea out beyond the reef.

Wawubaja bana yalbay-nya jarra-kuli niji jalun dajali-nka, dulngku-muny.


<translate> The two old men who had been boys together sixty years before embraced each other and wept together, for they had thought never to see each other again in this life.

Mukul dingkar jambul jana karrkay nyubun ngadiku bajaku wawu wubulmuny, jana karrba-wan badi-wan, jana milkabu baykan kari nyaji-way baja wawu nyubunba.


<translate> We saw the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> They saw the little wallaby there.


<translate> The old man fell down on the wet slippery rock, and hurt his leg badly on the hard stone.

Mukul-dingkar daran kulji duna julbarr-ba, nyungu jandal yakan kulji junkurr-bu kaka bajaku.


<translate> The old woman said when you teach a child to cook you are teaching them far more than food: you are teaching them to plan ahead, to be patient, to pay attention, to work with fire and knife without fear or carelessness, and above all to take pleasure in feeding others, and a child who learns to love the feeding of others has learned the beginning of every other kindness there is.

Wulbumanangka balkan: yundu karrkay waju milbilnya yundu jananka wubul-baja mayimuny milbil: yundu jananka milbil ngadiku ngaranka, maku-janalka, milka dajinka, baya jikanji kari yinilbu kari binal-karibu kirrajinka, wubul bajaku bama yindu dayalba wawu-mini karrbanka, karrkay nyulu binalman bama yindu dayal wawu-jirrayka nyulu binalman wawu-yukil yindu wubulku ngadiku.


<glossary> balkaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-function <usage_example> there are are flowers now


<translate> The two women whispered quietly about the young man, but the old woman heard every word they said.

Jalbu jambul yayngkar janka warru-mu, yamba mukul-jalbu kuku narmba nyajin jana balka-nya.


<translate> The man cut himself with a knife.


<translate> We see the bronze wing pigeon there.


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


<translate> We two, not you, see the straw-necked ibis here.


<glossary> wunay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> Are there any wallabies there?


<glossary> dajay ; type=noun ; domain=spirit-mythical-being <usage_example> The woman died, that's why they want to find her spirit

Nyulu jalbu wulan, yinyayanka jana nyungu dajay warrmba-bunganka


<glossary> kinbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> You got his attention to show him


<translate> The shield lay on the ground.


<translate> You and I saw the kulmba-kulmba gecko here.


<glossary> kunukunu ; type=adjective ; domain=food <usage_example> That soup is too fatty


<translate> The child went with father at night.


<translate> That large mud clam is here.


<translate> You all saw the wawukuna long wild yam here.


<translate> You two see the ridge pole there.


<translate> The two came and then went to the river.


<translate> I see the freshwater prawn here.


<translate> You all saw the barinkan scrub bird there.


<translate> This water from the mountain spring is the best of all, sweeter and colder than the river water.

Nyiku bana bubu-yalbay-mu ngulkurr-baja-ku wubul-ku, jarra-kawar jarra-ngiki wawubaja-bana-ka.


<translate> You and I see the fish there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the birukay egg yolk there.


<translate> The man sees the mountain peak.


<translate> He saw the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish there.


<translate> The two of them saw the baliji people here.


<glossary> milka-dalkay-manil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> You remind me tomorrow about the monkey

Yundu nganya milka-dalkay-mana wunkun moneyka


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


<glossary> bajaybajay ; type=adjective ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> My body is sore after the fly


<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> The old man said a track with fresh sign and a track with old sign both tell you an animal passed, but only the reader who can tell the wet-edged new print from the crumbling old one knows whether to follow now or turn away, so learning to read fresh-marked ground from stale-marked ground is the very heart of the whole art of tracking.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan jina jirakal-ji jina mukul-ji jambul yundunka balkan minya nyubun jilbanmuny, nyubun nganga nyaji-bama nyulu balkal jina duna-nga jirakal jina buban-manda mukulmuny nyulu binal wukurri nyikuku yambada bawa dungayku, jina jirakal-ji bubu jina mukul-ji bubumuny ngaranka nyulu jina-binal wubulku milka bada bajaku.


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


<translate> Put the billycan on the fire — we'll drink tea.

Jungkalu yijarrika bayanga — ngana diyi nukal.


<translate> He sees the mukukanka tree here.


<glossary> yalaymburr ; type=temporal ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> I'll go before the rain comes


<translate> Do not go with that drunkard.


<translate> You all see the prawn there.


<translate> The whole camp worked like one body, the old man said, each part helping the other parts, and that is the secret of a camp that lasts.

Bayan wubulku kirrajin yala bangkarr nyubun, walu wubulku mara-daji-way, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, yinya bayan kalbay bundaymu kuku.


<translate> They saw the black spotted dart here.


<translate> The clothing here is not baggy.


<translate> I made a spear for my son; he made a spear for his son; that spear will pass from us to them, down all the generations.

Ngayu ngayku kangkalka kalka bungan; nyulu nyungu kangkalka kalka bungan; yinya kalka ngalindamuny jananka dungay, bada mula-mula wubul-burr.


<translate> They saw the kalbariji tree there.


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


<glossary> kayil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> People hooked out crabs


<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> The old woman said every language has its own words, but a good listener hears carefully.

Mukul-jalbu balkan, kuku yindu-mu kuku yindu, yamba bama milka-dandi-ngku ngulkurr nyajil.


<translate> The digging-stick is fire-hardened at the point, the old man said, so it will split the hard ground and not break in the hand.

Juwal biyul baya-ba junkurr-mani, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu bubu junkurr baka, kari dumbarri mara-nga.


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


<translate> He saw the morning star here.


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


<translate> We went from camp through the scrub to the river.

Nganjin bayan-muny madja-burr wawubaja-nga dungan.


<translate> You and I see the fighting spear there.


<translate> The old man said trade is the first peace: two peoples who give to each other regularly will not easily make war on each other, for you do not raise a spear against the hand that gives you what you need.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: daji-way wunbu ngadiku: bama jambul jana yabarrka daji-way kari junkurr kuni-way baja, yundu kalka kari wangkar-manil maranga nyulu yundunka yamba wawu dajilnya.


<translate> He saw the balarri queenfish there.


<glossary> baja-burray ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> I'm tired after the walkabout


<translate> You and I see the cheek there.


<translate> The old man said: if you see the black sky in the north-west, you know the storm is coming, so build the shelter first.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: kaki yundu jiri wujurr kuwanga nyaji, yundu binal jarramali kada-nya, yundu bayan ngara ngadiku.


<translate> That witchetty grub is there.


<translate> At the trading ground the old man taught the young the careful questions of exchange: what is this worth to you, what will you give for it, is this a fair trade, who vouches for the quality, and what happens if the thing fails, so that a trade was never a silent grab but a spoken agreement in which every question was asked and answered before a single thing changed hands.

Daji-way-bubungu mukulungku dingkarangka warru milbin kuku wawu-karrba daji-waymuny: wanyu yinya yundunka yukil, wanyu yundu dayal yinyanka, yinya daji-way yukil, wanya kuku-junkurr yamba yukilmuny, wanyu bungal kaki yamba bawanya, daji-way nyulu kariku bajaku dandi-bungal yambada kuku-junkurr balkal wanja kuku nyubun wubulku babajin kuku-yukil-manin ngadiku yamba nyubun mara-mundu murninmuny.


<translate> Come and sit beside me here by the warm fire, and tell me the news from the northern camp.

Kada-y bundal ngayku karangkal yala baya wumbul ngundu, kuku kungkarr bayan-mu balka-y.


<translate> I see the umbrella palm here.


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


<glossary> wurmbu ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> The bird is right up at the top


<translate> We two, not you, saw the bilbil-bilbil gecko here.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the ngurrkul fig tree there.


<translate> Tie the bags up high — the dogs will get them!

Balji kaja wangkar — kaya-kayangka manil!


<glossary> ngura-ngura ngal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Aim the gun


<translate> The old woman knows more than the young man, for she has walked this country many more wet seasons.

Wulbuman jarra-binal warru-nka, nyulu nyiku bubu bana-wungar wubul-baja jilban.


<translate> The oldest boy's wallaby was bigger than all the others, and he was very proud, but the old man said: A big catch is good, but a wise catch is better.

Karrkay yalbaymu darrba yalbay kanbal wubulmuny, nyulu wawu-yalbay bajaku, yambada mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Minya yalbay ngulkurr, minya binal ngulkurr-baja.


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


<translate> The clever child copied the bird-call exactly like this, and the old man laughed, for it sounded just like the real bird.

Karrkay binal-angka buyi-mu yirrka yala-ku nganjin, mukul-dingkar yajarrin, yala-rrku yirrka buyi nguymal-mu.


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


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


<translate> If you go to the deep river, the old man taught, then look for the narrow place where the water runs fast, and never the wide still pool.

Kaki yundu wawubaja badaka dungay, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin, yundu wanja buban nyajil bana junkurr dunganya, kari wanja yalbay bana jananya.


<translate> The old woman's final teaching was a question she left the children to carry all their lives, refusing ever to answer it for them: when you are as old as I am now, and a child sits at your fire and asks you what the whole of your life has taught you, what will you say, and are you living now in such a way that you will have a good answer, for that question, asked of yourself every night, is the truest compass there is.

Wulbumanangka nyungu milbil bada nyulu kuku bawan karrkay-karrkay jarrakulbalka wawu wubulku, kariku bawal kuku-yukil-manil jananka: yundu mukul yala ngayu nyiku-manda, karrkay yundu baya ngunduku bundal babajil yundu wanyu yundu wawu wubulku milbinmuny, wanyu yundu balkal, yundu wunay nyiku yala yundu kuku-yukil yukil karrbalmuny, yinya kuku, nyulu-nyulu babajin nyubun-nyubun wujurr, nyulu jina-yukil kuku-yukil bada bajaku janan.


<translate> Granny told the children: don't go near the river!

Babingka karrkay-karrkay balkan: kari wawubajanga dungay!


<glossary> dalngarri ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> make the fire give light


<translate> You see the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree there.


<translate> You two see the jirimandi coconut tree there.


<translate> Little sister is afraid of the mopoke's call.


<translate> The old man said to the old woman: "That child came."

Mukul-dingkar-angka mukul-jalbu-ndu balkan: "Yinya karrkay kadan."


<translate> We saw the blue-tongue lizard.


<translate> After you and I have eaten, we all will rest together by the big fire.

Ngaliny nuka-nya-muny, ngana muru mara-kunbay baya yalbay karangkal.


<translate> He sees the mungka-mungka tree there.


<translate> The friend laughed at the young man.


<translate> The two of them saw the yuray snake there.


<translate> The old woman asked the sick child: "What are you ill with?"

Mukul-jalbu karrkay-anda babajin: "Yundu wanyurrinji bambay?"


<translate> I see the giant herring here.


<translate> They made the big fire with dry bark and dry wood in the cold, dark evening.

Jana baya yalbay bungal dakil marral-bu juku marral-bu wujurr-ma-nya ngiki-ba.


<translate> You all saw the jalbil lizard there.


<translate> The two of them saw the juku-juku bronzewing dove there.


<translate> Cover the food well before you sleep, lest the dogs get at it in the night or the ants find it by morning and carry the whole meal away grain by grain.

Mayi ngulkurr nanda-ngarr warngku wunanyjiku, kaya kunarangkal nuka-nyji, minya wunkuwingku nyaji-nyji, mayi wubulku wundal dunga-nyji nyubun-nyubun.


<translate> The children asked where the song had come from, and the old woman said it came from far away.

Karrkay-karrkay babajin, wulngku wanjamuny kadan, mukul-jalbu-ngku balkan, kalakalbay-mundu.


<translate> You all see the salmon here.


<translate> We saw the kurrubal freshwater cod here.


<glossary> walngkal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> The clothes are hanging on the line


<translate> My own elder brother taught me to swim and to spear the fish in the river, the old man said, when I was still a very small child myself.

Ngayku yaba-ngku nganya binal-bungal maraji-nka kuyu dama-nka bana-jandu-ngka, mukul-dingkar balkan, ngayu karrkay buban-baja-nya.


<translate> We see the death adder here.


<translate> You all see the thigh there.


<translate> You all see the karraway snail here.


<translate> They saw the small red ant here.


<translate> Granny cooked three ways that day: she roasted yams in the coals, boiled fish in water, and baked meat in the ground oven.

Babingka kulur yala wajun yinya wungar: wukay dindan nulungu, kuyu nyaman bananga, minya wajun kurrmanga.


<translate> You and I saw the wakuka bird here.


<translate> The old woman said do not swim in the deep water, for the big crocodile lives on the far bank.

Mukul-jalbu balka, kari janji-l bana dajali-nga, bilngkumu yalbay daburri kala-kalbay-mba wunay.


<translate> The bird is standing outside.


<translate> The old woman's husband died many years ago, far away in the north country.

Mukul-jalbu-mu dunyu wulan kalbay-muny, kala-kalbay kungkarr bubu-ngu.


<translate> They see the bamboo spear stick here.


<translate> The two hunters followed the kangaroo tracks all day, up the river and into the dry hinterland.

Balbi-bama jambul mayarriji jina wukurrin wungar wubulku, wangkar wawubaja jibarr marral-ka.


<translate> He speared the fish from the bank, standing still, while the others swam in the deep water.

Nyulu kuyu daman daburri-mundu, janay janka, yindu janji-nya bana dajali-nga.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jungarr marsupial native cat here.


<translate> The friend asked grandfather about meat.


<translate> We have no water at the camp.


<translate> They paddled home with the eggs and two big fish.

Jana bayanba kadan baja, diburrji kuyuji.


<translate> The old woman said if you must choose between being right and being kind, choose kind, for the person who is only ever right ends up alone and cold, while the person who is kind is surrounded to the end, and being right was never as warm as being loved.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki yundu jambulmuny manil yukilmuny wawu-yukilmuny, wawu-yukil mani, bama nyulu nganga yukil janay nyulu nganga kiway dumbay-mba, bama wawu-yukil bama wubulku ngunduka dumbay-mba, yukil janay kariku wumbul yala wawu-jirraymuny.


<glossary> wanjaburr ; type=interrogative ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> WHich way did you come?


<translate> You all see the nyamun natural debris there.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the jimalili lizard here.


<translate> You two see the mirrki kidney bird here.


<translate> The old woman said a woman moving to her husband's country at marriage carried her own kin and country inside her always, and taught her children about their mother's people and mother's places even while they grew up on their father's land, so that a child of a proper marriage inherited two countries, two lines of kin, and two sets of stories, and was the richer for standing with a foot in each.

Wulbumanangka balkan jalbu dunyu nyungu bubungu jilban dunyu-manilba nyulu karrbal nyungu-nyungu karra bubu wawungu yabarrka, milbin nyungu karrkay-warra ngamu nyungu bama ngamu nyungu yamba-warra jana nganjan nyungu bubungu warru-mandanya, karrkay dunyu-manin yukilmuny nyulu manin bubu jambul, karra-jina jambul, kuku-jangkar jambul baja, nyulu yamba-yukil-baja janan jina nyubun-nyubunba.


<translate> Grandmother came from the house with the baby.


<translate> The women rolled up the blankets and tied the bundles.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the yarrka bee here.


<translate> The possum sleeps all day in the hollow of the tall tree and comes out to feed in the dark night.

Yawa warngku wuna wungar wubulku juku kalbay dukurr, wandin nukal-nka wujurr ngungul-ba.


<translate> You two saw the jirabay lizard there.


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


<translate> When the wet season comes the barramundi go down the flooded river to the sea, and all of them travel together.

Bana-wungar kada-nya judi wawubaja bada dungay jalun-ka, jana wubulku muru dungan.


<translate> He sees the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree there.


<lexeme> {'english': 'Yabaju kari diday-mana ngaykundu. Ngayu babarr', 'translation': "Don't say bad something bad about my younger brother to me. I'm his older sister."}


<translate> You two saw the wakuka bird there.


<translate> The old woman would have dug a big basket of yams that day, the old man said, but the ground was baked too hard by the long dry.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku bambayal ngunyin yalbay baka-nyaku yinya wungar-a, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba bubu marral-muny junkurr bajaku dandi-ma-n.


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


<translate> Then the old man stood up, took his long spear, and walked out into the cold grey morning.

Yinyamun mukul-dingkar wandin, nyungu kalka kalbay manin, ngalkal jilban ngiki wulman wunkuwingku.


<translate> The little birds live in the low scrub trees along the edge of the wide swamp.

Buyi buban julbin buban-ba wunay, daburri kalbay karangkal.


<translate> Did you two make peace? Yes, we talked together a long time, we saw each other's side, and now we help each other again.

Yubal ngulkurr-man? Yuwu, ngali yalbay wungar balka-wan, ngali nyaji-wan, ngali mara-daji-way baja.


<translate> Mother took the child to water.


<translate> Don't leave the axe in the rain; the wood swells and the edge goes bad.

Kari warrbi bawa kabanga: juku yalbay-mal, dirra mumbu-mal.


<translate> You want to speak only to me.


<translate> They saw the light-coloured clothing.


<translate> The bark of this tree is rough.


<translate> That night the boy gave the first and best piece of meat to the oldest woman in the camp, as is right.

Yinya kunarangkal karrkayangka minya ngulkurr bajaku wulbuman kamba bajaku dajinyarr, yala yukil.


<translate> You two saw the mackerel sky there.


<translate> The still water of the lagoon is smooth and bright, like a big flat shining stone.

Bana daburri janka jinali balbal, yala kulji jirakal kalbay balbal.


<translate> Grandmother cooks food before the child gets hungry.

Babi-ngka mayi wajul, karrkay dakuy-ma-nyjiku.


<translate> He saw the jinabiju goshawk there.


<translate> The old people believe that the spirits of the dead go up to live in the dark night sky.

Mukul-bama manubaja-bungal, bama wula-nya-mu dubu wangkar dunga-y wuna-nka jiri wujurr-ba.


<translate> The two of them saw the kalngkan small mullet there.


<translate> Is that old woman your grandmother? No, she is my mother's older sister; I call her by a different name, but she cares for me like a grandmother.

Yinya mukul nyungu babi? Kari, nyulu ngayku mukay; ngayu nyulu yindu-bu kunjal, yambada nyulu nganya kuji-l babi yala.


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


<translate> The knife lay on the ground.


<translate> The old man said: every living animal has its own time and its own place — the wallaby at dusk, the fish at the turning tide, the honey when the tree flowers — so learn the seasons of each, and the country will feed you always.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: minya juran wubul nyungu wungar nyungu bubu — kadar wungar bada-nya, kuyu bana kada-nya, wunba juku mayi-nya; yundu wungar wubul binal, bubu yundu daya mayi ngadiku-ngadiku.


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


<translate> The woomera is the arm's second arm, the old man showed the throw: short wood, and the hand becomes long — the spear leaves the hand twice, and the second leaving is the one that feeds you.

Balur nyulu wakuy jambulku wakuymuny, mukulungku dingkarangka mumal milbin: juku buban, mara kalbay-mal, kalka dungay maramuny jambulku, dungay jambulkubu nyulu yununy mayi-dayal.


<translate> Her voice was sweet like honey, and all the children listened to her.

Nyungu kuku jiba-wula-wula yala wunba, karrkay wubul ngaran.


<translate> Grandfather got firewood outside.


<translate> We see the white-tailed rat here.


<translate> Tomorrow there is more walking.


<translate> The eagle is bigger than the crow, and it can carry a snake up to its high home.

Wandi jarra-yalbay waja-ka, nyulu jarba wangkar bayan-ka wundil.


<translate> They see the deep water here.


<translate> You and I saw the freshwater turtle there.


<translate> The children asked: "Where did the big grey kangaroo go when it hopped away across the plain?"

Karrkay-karrkay babajin: Julmbanu yalbay wanjabu dungan, nyulu bubu-burr warri-nya?


<translate> The child came to the river.


<translate> The old man said a person is never without kin even far from home, for the kin-web reaches out through the moieties and the shared relations so that a traveller arriving among strangers can, by tracing the connections, find that this old man is a kind of father and that woman a kind of sister, and once the links are found the stranger is a stranger no longer but a relative who must be housed and fed and kept safe.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bama nyulu kari karra-kari bayan-kiway baja, jawun-karra jilban bama-jambul-mundu karra-nyubun-mundu bama jilba-bama bama-yindu-ngu kadanya nyulu, karra wukurrilbu, manil dingkar mukul yinya nganjan-mabi jalbu yinya babarr-mabi, karra nyaji-manda bama-yindu nyulu bama-yindu kari-baja yambada bama-karra nyulu bayan-manil dayal wunay-manil.


<translate> Night falls quickly in this country, and the darkness lies over the hills and the deep river valleys.

Wujurr buyun-buyun kaday bubu yinya-ba, ngungul jamba wawubaja dajali-ba wuna.


<translate> Grandfather saw the black bean tree outside.


<translate> The men called to each other across the valley, and when they met at the big tree they shared the news of the hunt.

Dingkar-dingkar bubu-burr kunja-wan, jana juku yalbaymba nyaji-way, kuku balbi-muny daji-wan.


<translate> The old man said even a person's whole way of being can change if they truly will it, though this is the slowest and hardest change of all, for a mean person can become generous, a coward brave, a liar honest, but only through years of small acts each pushing against the old habit, so he told the young never to say a person cannot change, but rather that changing the deep self is the longest journey a person can undertake, and the most worth the walking.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bama nyungu yala wubulku yindu-mal kaki nyulu bajaku wawu-manil, yinya buban-buban dandi bajaku yindu wubulmuny, bama jakay-dandi nyulu dayal-bama-mal, yinil-bama junkurr-mal, kuku-mumbu-bama kuku-jirakal-mal, yambada nganga wungar wubulku buban-buban yamba-murni bubanbu nyubun-nyubun yala mukul jurrngal, nyulu warru milbin kariku balka bama nyulu kari yindu-manmuny, yambada wawu dukurr yindu-bungal nyulu baral kalbay bajaku bama nyulu jilbalmuny, yukil bajaku jilbanmuny.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the juku-juku bronzewing dove here.


<translate> Father washed mother's hand.


<translate> The child asked grandfather about water.


<translate> We see the frill necked lizard there.


<translate> The wild yam is long and thin and hides among the tree roots.

Banjay kalbay buban, juku-bangkan-ba ngakijin.


<translate> Father called the young man: "Go!"


<translate> The thick fog lies low over the river until the warm morning sun burns it away.

Ngurrbal yalbay wawubaja-nga bada wuna-l, wungar wumbul-angka waju-nka.


<translate> Mother saw the child after he had entered.

Ngamu-ngku karrkay nyajin, wawu-wala-nya-muny.


<translate> We saw the bird in the tree.


<translate> The old woman washed the child's mouth.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay ngandal julurrin.


<translate> The large mud clam is there.


<translate> Mother sees the loya cane here.


<translate> The old woman said: hold your kin close, for family is the country that walks.

Kamba-ngka balkan: yunu jawun karrba ngundu, jawun-karra nyulu bubu jilba-nya.


<translate> They see the whip snake here.


<glossary> binal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I want to know


<translate> You all see the ngadil hickory tree here.


<translate> When you are afraid, that is yinil, and there is no shame in it, for even the bravest hunter feels yinil before a fight; the brave one only does not let it rule him.

Yundu yinil janay, yinya kari milka-murruji, balbibama wawu-junkurr bajaku yinil janay kuni-wanyjiku; wawu-junkurr nyulu nganga kari yinilbu kujil.


<translate> The girl watched the people while they danced the corroboree all through the night.

Maralangka bama nyajin, malkarri warrma-warrma-nya wujurr wubulku.


<translate> The old man would have speared the barramundi, but the water was too muddy.

Mukul-dingkar judi dama-nyaku, yambada bana kambal-kambal-baja.


<translate> The woman washed the baby's face.


<translate> You and I saw the jalbil lizard here.


<translate> Maybe he is late, maybe he is hurt, maybe he found honey — we start walking at the second maybe.

Nguba nyulu badaku, nguba nyulu baykanmuny, nguba nyulu wunba manin: ngana dungay kuku jambulkungu.


<translate> I did not eat the fish; I ate the good meat and the sweet ripe fruit instead by the fire.

Ngayu kuyu kari nukan; ngayu minya ngulkurr mayi kulbul jiba-wulay nukan baya ngundu.


<translate> The youngest boy hit the mark first and grandad laughed with joy.

Yabajungku damanyarr, kami yajarrinda wawu-mini.


<translate> Many parrots flew up together from the water hole when they saw the hawk overhead.

Birrbirr wubul bana-muny muru wandin, kalin-kalin wangkar-a nyaji-nya.


<translate> The woman took food to camp.


<translate> If a stranger comes to the camp, the old man said, then give him food and water first, and ask his business only after he has eaten.

Kaki bama yindu bayanka kaday, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, nyungunka mayi bana dayangarr, nyungu kirraji babaji nukanyjiku.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the biru-biru rainbow bird here.


<translate> You all saw the bajal bower bird there.


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


<glossary> babal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> While I'm cooking the food I'll taste it for salt

ngayu mayi wayjul-wayjul, babal saltmunku


<translate> The men cut long straight poles of hard wood to build the strong frame of the humpy.

Dingkar-angka juku jinbal kalbay yakan, wurun junkurr bunga-nka.


<translate> Maybe I will come back today, maybe tomorrow.

Nguba ngayu nyiku kaday-baja, nguba wunkuny.


<glossary> kambal ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> Get the food from the low (branch)


<translate> My liver is glad now, because my son has come home safely from the long, far hunt.

Ngayu jiba-ngulkurr-ma-n niji, ngayku kangkal kadan balbi kala-kalbay-muny ngulkurr.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the dukunjulu golden whistler there.


<glossary> julbarr-warri ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> I slipped in the mud


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


<translate> When the father died, the eldest brother took care of all the younger children, the old man said, and raised them as if he were their own father.

Nganjan wula-nya-muny, yaba yalbay-angka karrkay-karrkay buban wubulku nyaji-nyaji, mukul-dingkar balkan, jana yalbay-bungal yala nyulu nganjan.


<translate> You all saw the biru-biru rainbow bird here.


<translate> You see the bamboo stick here.


<translate> That person there is unskilled.


<translate> Hold the baby tight by the deep water, lest you drop it into the river.

Ngawa junkurr karrba bana dukurr karangkal, bana-ka dara-y-mani-nyji.


<translate> You two see the mura tree there.


<translate> He drank water after the walk.


<translate> You see the striped water snake there.


<translate> What kind of tree gives that sweet fruit the flying foxes love?

Juku wanyunguy mayi jiba-wula-wula dajil, kambi-ngka wawu?


<translate> You two see the bandicoot here.


<translate> The two old women talked together by the fire while the children stayed quiet.

Mukul-jalbu-bulal balkalawan baya ngundu-ba, karrkay-karrkay janka bundanday.


<translate> The child saw the cassowary outside.

Karrkay-ngku kurranji ngalkal-ba nyajin.


<translate> You two saw the dukul-mukul lizard there.


<translate> In the morning the visitors and the home camp shared a big meal before setting off on the long walk home.

Wunkuwingku jawunkarra bayanmuny jambul mayi yalbay nukan, jilba kalakalbay dunganyjiku.


<translate> This bag carries more than it looks — grandmother tied hidden knowledge into it.

Balji yanya wundil wubul-baja nyajilmuny, babingka binal ngakijinmuny kajan yinyaka.


<translate> The two old women helped each other carry the heavy load of yams to camp.

Wulbuman bula mara-daji-way, bambayal kulngkul wundi-nka bayan-ka.


<translate> You two saw the banamu snake here.


<translate> We two (not you) see the three-pronged spear here.


<glossary> yulmbarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> The school children come from down south, all the people welcomed them

Jana school children nakamun kadarin, bamangka wubulduku jananin yulmbarrin


<glossary> jindi ; type=noun ; domain=fauna-fish <usage_example> We gathered the green ants in dishes


<translate> The wise man of the old days read sickness like tracks, they say — rrunyuji; the word itself is rare now, keep it warm.

Rrunyuji bambay nyajin yala jina, bamabu balkal: kuku nyulu-nyulu buban nyiku, karrba nyulu wumbulbu.


<translate> Do not touch that sacred thing — desist — for it belongs to the old law of the country.

Balu, yundu yinya yirmbal kari damal; yinya kuku mukul bubu-mu.


<translate> The old woman crushed the seeds to a paste on the grinding-stone, mixed in water, and shaped the small cakes to cook slow in the ashes.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku diburr murni kulji-ba, bana kaja, mayi buban bungal waju kubu-ba buban-buban.


<translate> The child did not open the bag.


<translate> The old man does not eat the meat of the snake, for his fathers did not eat it long, long ago.

Mukul-dingkar jarba minya kari nukal, nyungu nganjan-nganjan kari nukan kalbay-muny.


<translate> The broad leaf from the tree lay in the bag.


<translate> The woman wove a dilly bag and carried the fruit in it; when the bag was full she hung it on a branch and rested in the shade.

Jalbungku ngunyin wukurrin, mayi ngunyin-ba wundin; ngunyin yajin-manya, nyulu juku-ngu karrban, wabarr-ba mara-kunban.


<translate> The two brothers would have been taken by the water at the narrow crossing, the old people still count it among the near things, but an uncle on the bank read the water fast and threw the long vine early, and both came home wet and alive, and the camp fed that uncle first for a whole wet season.

Yabaju jambul bana-maninyaku bana-baralba bubanba, bama mukulungku yinya yabarrka milka-binalku, yambada kalngangka jalkara bana nyajin warri, kalal kalbay yilban ngadiku, jambul kadan bayanka bana-ji juran baja, bayanda kalnga yinya mayi-dayan ngadiku bana-wungar nyubunku.


<translate> The cherry-like tree is there.


<translate> The flowers fell from the flame tree into the water.


<translate> We see the older sister there.


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


<translate> The old man said a good traveller reads three things: the sky, to know the weather coming; the ground, to know who and what has passed; and their own body, to know when to walk and when to rest, and the greatest of these is the last.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: jilba-bama yukil kulur nyajil: jiri, wangkar kadanya binalka; bubu, wanyu wanya ngadiku dunganmu binalka; nyungu bangkarr, wanjinya jilbanka wanjinya mara-kunbanka, yalbay bajaku yinyamu ngamu-baja.


<translate> Two long spears are in the house.


<translate> We see the fighting stick here.


<translate> The stockwhip bird is there.


<translate> The young man asked grandfather about the mango.


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


<translate> The children helped granny carry the bags up from the river.

Karrkay-karrkayangka babi mara-dajin, balji jarra-kulbanya wangkar.


<translate> You saw the kurranday seagull there.


<translate> You all see the warrabuka yam there.


<translate> The friend came from the sea.


<translate> So the children grew up giving and helping and teaching each other, and they carried that way of living to their own children after them.

Yalaku karrkay-karrkay kambaman daji-wanya, mara-daji-wanya, milbi-wanya, jana yinya yala bundaymu wundin nyungu karrkay-karrkayka kudamundu.


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


<translate> Fire-building is an order you can hear, the old woman said with her eyes closed: first the dry grass whispers, then the small sticks talk, then the big wood speaks low, and if you hurry the order the fire goes quiet — work it again, little one, and this time let each voice finish.

Baya-murni nyulu murni-jina yundu milka-janaymuny, wulbumanangka balkan miyil nandanmuny-ji: jikan-ngurr marral balkal buban, yalada juku buban balkal, yalada juku yalbay balkal bada, kaki yundu murni-jina warri-bungal baya wunbu-mal, murni-baja bubanku, yalada bawa kuku nyubun-nyubun kunbay-manilka.


<translate> You two see the hillside here.


<translate> You all see the ridge pole there.


<translate> Our country is big; its rivers are deep and its scrub is full of food.

Ngananga bubu yalbay; nyungu wawubaja dukurr, nyungu madja mayi-nji yajin.


<glossary> ngunya-ngunya ; type=noun ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I imagined I got a knife


<translate> I speared a fish first of all, then I got two crabs at the low tide.

Ngayu kuyu-ngurr daman, yalada ngayu kiju jambul manin ngajalba.


<translate> You see the fire stick there.


<translate> The little fish happened to get caught by the child down in the shallow water.

Kuyu buban karrkay-anda karrba-jin, bana buban-ba bada.


<translate> The women worked the oyster rocks with sharp stones, breaking the shells open and eating some as they went.

Jalbu-jalbungku julul kuljinga kirrajin kulji dirrabu, milbar dumbarrin, nukan buban dunganya.


<translate> The man put his foot on the stone.


<translate> The men spread out in a wide half-circle and moved in slowly, driving the wallabies toward the hunters who waited hidden in the long grass with their spears.

Dingkar-dingkarangka bubu yalbaymba jarran, buban-buban walan, darrba balbibamaka jurrkiman, jana ngaki-jinya jikan kalbaymba kalkaji maku-jananya.


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


<translate> He believed the shortcut, and now he believes the swamp.

Nyulu baral buban manubaja-bungan, nyiku nyulu daburri manubaja-bungal.


<translate> You two saw the kalkarrumbarr lizard here.


<glossary> mulkal-mulkal ; type=noun ; domain=spirit-mythical-being <usage_example> They're fighting for no reason. Someone will have a baby.

Bula mulkal-mulkal; somebodyngka baby haveim-bungal


<translate> Grandad said: that bird is telling us something.

Kamingka balkan: yinya buyingku ngananda balkal.


<translate> The children found a turtle on the sand. They put it back in the sea.

Karrkay-karrkayangka ngawiya nyajin jukara. Jana yijarrin baja jalunbu.


<translate> You see the grandmother here.


<translate> The old man kept coming back to the same waterhole every morning to watch the birds drink.

Mukul-dingkar kankaday janku nyubun-ka wunkuwingku wubulku, buyi nyaji-nka bana nuka-nya.


<translate> The old man speared two big fish in the cool clear water with his long, sharp spear.

Mukul-dingkar-angka kuyu yalbay jambul daman bana ngiki-ba, kalka kalbay-bu.


<translate> We see the kookaburra there.


<translate> The woman came from the sea.


<translate> Father took the bark from the ground.


<translate> My husband's brother is my brother-in-law; he helps me carry the heavy loads, and I cook for him when my husband is away hunting.

Ngayku dunyu-mu yaba ngayku banji; nyulu nganya mara-dajil wubul junkurr, ngayu nyulu wajul dunyu balbi dunga-nya.


<translate> The men went out past the reef to spear the big turtle in the deep blue water.

Dingkar jalun-ka dungay kulji-muny, ngawiya yalbay damanka bana-dukurr-ba.


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


<translate> She is happy in the early morning.


<glossary> jarri ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> He hasn't come yet, is staying away


<translate> You see the bark belt there.


<translate> We hear a song from far away.


<translate> The story of Kubirri is long — sit down and listen.

Kuku Kubirrinka kalbay — bunday, milka-janay!


<translate> The old man said the young man is rather brave, but the man who is afraid and stands anyway is very brave, and that is the one to follow.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: warru jarra-yinil-kari, yamba dingkar yinil-jirr janay-baja nyulu yinil-kari-baja-ku, yinya nyunba-nka.


<translate> The younger brother must respect the elder brother in all things, the old man said, and the elder brother must always share the catch out fairly among them.

Yabaju-ngku yaba junkurr-ma-l wubulku-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, yaba-ngku marri minya ngulkurr-bu jana-nka muru daji.


<translate> The little boy ran to his father and asked: Are you going hunting today, and can I come with you, and can I carry your spear?

Karrkay bubanangka nyungu dingkarka warrin, babajin: Yundu nyiku balbil dungay, ngayu yununji kaday, ngayu yunu kalka wundil?


<translate> My grandmother knows every fish in this river by its scales and its fins.

Ngayku babingka kuyu wubul binal yanyu wawubaja-mu, nyungu jindi-bu kanya-bu.


<translate> I saw the jabarrangkul ant there.


<translate> The old man said the strong make peace and the weak make war, for it takes no courage to strike but great courage to offer your open hand to someone who has hurt you, not knowing whether they will take it or strike it away.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: junkurr bama wunbu-bungal, junkurr-kari bama kuni-way, wawu-junkurr-kari kuninka, yambada wawu-junkurr yalbay mara yaral dajinka bama nyulu yundu kaka-maninmuny, kari binal nyulu manil kuni baja.


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


<translate> The old man followed the honey-bird to the hollow tree and read the small dark bees going in and out, then made a smoky fire below to quiet them, climbed to the hollow, and took out the dark wild honey and the wax comb, leaving some behind so the nest would live and give again another season.

Mukulungku dingkarangka wunba-jujubala wukurrin juku dimbirr-mundu nyajin minya-buban wujurr dandi walanya dunganya, yalada baya kubu bada bungan jana janka-bungalka, dimbirr-mundu dakan, wunba wujurr mandi-mandi baja manin, buban bawan juku-bayan wula nyulu daji baja wungar yindungu.


<translate> The old man said the country is full of old roads that no one walks anymore, grown over and forgotten, and each was once a living path between two peoples who traded and married and shared, and when the road died, something between the peoples died too, and someone should walk them again.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bubu baral ngadiku wubulmu wawu bama nyubun kari jilbal, juku wandin milka-wulan, nyubun wubulku ngadiku baral wawu-yukil bama jambulmu jana daji-way manyarr-way daji-way baja, baral wulanya, yamba bama jambul dukurrbu wula baja, bama nyubun yinya jilbal baja.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the dukunjulu golden whistler there.


<translate> I saw the wooden sword here.


<translate> My mother collected the ripe figs from the tree and brought them in the coolamon for the children.

Ngamungku binanji kulbul jukumuny mujan, dubalba wundin karrkay-karrkayka.


<translate> The seasons themselves are told by the creatures, the old woman taught: when the certain bird first calls, the yams are ready; when the flying foxes come to a particular tree, that fruit is ripe; when the fish move up the river, the wet is turning; and a person who ties each creature's sign to the right work will always be gathering the right food at the right time.

Wungar nyulu-nyulu minya balkan, wulbumanangka milbin: buyi nyubun ngadiku balkanya, juwal yukil; kambi juku nyubun-mundu kadanya, mayi yinya kulbul; kuyu wawubaja wangkar marra-warrinya, bana-wungar murninya; bama nyulu minya nyubun wari kirraji yukilbu kajal nyulu yabarrka mayi yukil wungar yukilba bangkal.


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


<translate> You see the burnt patch of grass here.


<translate> The children asked the old man who was the oldest person in the whole camp, and he said he himself was, older even than the tallest tree by the river.

Karrkay-karrkayangka mukul dingkar babajin wanya bayanba mukul bajaku, nyulu balkan nyulu-nyulu, mukul-baja juku kalbay bajaku wawubaja ngundumuny.


<translate> They were afraid of the curse song.


<translate> Don't put the axe down in the grass, don't give your spear to a man you do not know, and don't sharpen anything at dusk while the eye tells soft lies, the old man said, for the laws of the axe and the spear are short, and every short law was cut on somebody's hand.

Kari warrbi yijarrika jikanba, kari kalka daya dingkaranda yundu kari binal, kari yamba junkurr-bunga miyil-wujurr-wujurrba, miyilbu kuku kima balkanya, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, kuku warrbimuny kalkamuny nyulu buban, kuku buban nyubun-nyubun yakanmuny maranga bamamuny.


<translate> This will be a big storm, he said, so bring the children in and cover the food and tie down everything the wind could take.

Yanyu jarramali yalbay kadanya, nyulu balkan, karrkay-karrkay dukurr wundi, mayi nanda, yamba wubulku kaja muyarbu kari manilnyji.


<translate> I saw the jalbil lizard here.


<translate> The old man showed the young how to grind the hard seeds and nuts between two stones, the big flat stone below and the round stone above, working with the weight of the whole body, not just the arm, until the seed becomes a fine flour that can be mixed with water and baked into bread on the coals.

Mukulungku dingkarangka warru milbin yala jarra-buyun kulji jambulba nyurrbanka, kulji yalbay yaral bada kulji jirakal wangkar, kirraji bangkarr wubulkubu, kari mara nyubunku, dukul jarra buban-buban buban-manda nyulu bananji buwal kawar bunganka ngunjilba.


<translate> The old man has not yet died, but he is very sick, and the healer sits near him all through the night.

Mukul-dingkar kariku wula, yamba nyulu bambay bajaku, murri nyungu ngundu bundan wujurr wubulku.


<translate> I see the spoon bill bird here.


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


<lexeme> {'english': 'Yabaju kari diday-mana ngaykundu. Ngayu babarr', 'translation': "Don't say bad something bad about my younger brother to me. I'm his older sister."}


<translate> The cold wind of the dry time makes the old people shiver by the morning fire.

Muyar kiway-angka mukul-bama kiway-mani-l, baya wunkuwingku karangkal.


<translate> You and I saw the murramu dingo there.


<translate> The little girl gathered the sweet ripe fruit and put it into her small dilly bag by the tree.

Maral-angka mayi kulbul jiba-wulay bangkan, ngunyin buban-ba nanda juku ngundu.


<translate> The old people read the animals for the weather better than any sign in the sky: when the ants carry their eggs to high ground and the fish stop biting and the birds fly low and restless and the frogs begin to call in the dry gullies, the big rain is a day or two away, and a wise camp moves its gear up under good cover before it comes.

Bama mukul minya ngaral bana-wungarnka ngulkurr-baja yamba jiri-mabimuny: munjurr jana jamal wangkar-mundu jarrakulbal kuyu baykal dumbal buyi bada janka-kari marra-warril diburr-kaya badi bubu-jandu kiwaymba, bana yalbay wungar jambul baja kala-kalbay, bayan binal nyungu yamba wangkar birra bada murni-manil ngadiku kadanya.


<translate> That native companion is there.


<translate> The old man knew the names of all the trees and all the birds in his whole wide country.

Mukul-dingkar-angka juku narmba buyi narmba burri binal, nyungu bubu wubulku-ba.


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


<translate> The turkey ran into the scrub and hid in the grass.

Diwan madjanga warrin, jikanba ngakijinda.


<translate> Grandmother left the bark at camp.


<translate> I saw the bajabaja lizard there.


<translate> Many grey stones lay scattered on the flat ground where the old people once made their fires.

Kulji-kulji bubu jirakal-ba yindu-yindu wunay, mukul-bama baya bunga-nya-mu.


<translate> That person there is not quiet.


<translate> Everyone in the camp helped to build the new shelter before the first heavy rains of the wet season came, the old woman said.

Bama bayan-mu wubulku mara-dajil wurun jirakal bunga-nka kaba yalbay kaba-wungar-mu kada-nyjiku, mukul-jalbu balkan.


<translate> You two see the fingernail there.


<translate> The policeman shot at the man while he himself was running fast, not the other man.

Buliman-angka dingkar kunin, wanarri-nya-mun-du jinbal-baja.


<translate> He saw the jabarrangkul ant there.


<translate> The kangaroo feeds in the cool early morning and lies down in the shade through the hot day.

Mayarriji nukal wunkuwingku ngiki-ba, wunay wabarr-ba wungar wumbul-ba.


<translate> The grandmother said your relatives are of three kinds: those above you whom you must respect and care for, those beside you whom you share everything with, and those below you whom you must teach and protect.

Babingka balkan: yundu jawun-karra kulur yala: jana wangkar yundunka yundu wawu-yukil nyaji, jana ngundu yundunka yundu yamba wubulku daji-way, jana bada yundunka yundu milbil kujil.


<translate> I saw the kalkarrumbarr lizard there.


<translate> The old man sat with the children and told them the names of the old people who had gone before.

Mukulungku dingkarangka karrkay-karrkay ngundu bundandan, jananda balkan kamba-kambamu burri, jana ngadiku dunganmuny.


<translate> I see the newly cleared scrub here.


<translate> The man paints himself with red ochre for the corroboree.

Dingkar julngka-ji ngala-ngala-bu warrma-ka.


<glossary> julbarr-warri ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> I slipped in the mud


<translate> She made a remedy from stewed bark and leaves and gave him medicine to drink each morning.

Nyulu kalbal ngaran dubalji birraji, nyungu kalbal dajin nukanka wunkuwingku wubulku.


<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 compass here is its own, the old man drew it in the sand: kungkarr, kuwa, jibarr, naka — and for the sea there is no compass word: just say jalun-bu, to the sea; the land's words stay with the land.

Kuku-jina bubumuny nyungu-nyungu, mukulungku dingkarangka jukara milbin: kungkarr, kuwa, jibarr, naka: jalunka kari kuku-jina: 'jalunbu' nganga balka, kuku bubumuny bubunka janay.


<translate> I saw you at the corroboree, but you did not see me.

Ngayu yununy nyajin malkarri-nga, yundu kari nganya nyajin.


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


<translate> Maybe the rain will come tomorrow.


<translate> You all saw the dukul-mukul lizard there.


<translate> The old man watched the ants carrying their eggs to higher ground and knew the big rains were near.

Mukulungku dingkarangka kawa nyajin, jana diburr wundinya wangkar bubuka, binal kaba yalbay ngundu.


<translate> The old woman said every child should be taken on one long hard journey before they are grown, not for any place at the end of it, but so that they learn in their own legs and their own hunger what their people endured, and carry that knowing for the rest of their lives.

Wulbumanangka balkan: karrkay wubulku jilbal nyubun kalbay dandinga maninka nyulu warru-manda ngadiku, kari bubu dumbay-mba yamba, yambada jana binalka nyungu jadalba nyungu dakwuy-mbu wanya jana bama kilban, yinya binal karrbal wawu wubulmuny.


<glossary> nyirray ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> That child is always crying


<translate> Mother saw the black bean tree.


<translate> The flowers on the tree are wilted.


<translate> The old man said children should be taught not only the answers their people have found but the great questions their people have never answered, for a child raised believing everything is already known becomes small and closed, while a child shown the vast dark edge of the unknown, the questions the ancestors argued and died still asking, becomes a mind that reaches, and it is the reaching, not the knowing, that keeps a people alive.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan karrkay milbil kari nganga kuku-yukil bama nyungu maninmuny yambada kuku-yalbay bama nyungu kariku kuku-yukil-maninmuny, karrkay warru-manda binal yamba wubulku ngadiku binal buban-manda karra-manda, yambada karrkay milbin wujurr-ba yalbay binal-karimuny, kuku ngadiku-bama baji-way wulan janan babajil, milka nyulu wangkarril-manda, yinya wangkarril, kari binal, nyulu bama wula-manilmuny.


<translate> This red king parrot is here.


<translate> The mother's brother is here.


<translate> You see the wankar tree here.


<translate> I see the kaya-kaya dogs there.


<translate> You and I saw the karrmbil parakeet there.


<translate> He sees the jajikal screw palm there.


<translate> The old people always step around a snake, never over it, and teach this to the smallest child before it can even walk far, for the snake asks only to be left alone and will strike only when trodden on or cornered, and a person who watches the ground and gives the snake its road will grow old having never once been bitten.

Bama mukul yabarrka jarba ngundu-mundu jilbal, kariku wangkar-mundu, milbil yinya karrkay buban ngadiku nyulu kalbay jilbanya, jarba nyulu nganga bawanka wawu-karrba nyulu baykal nganga yundu jina-mandanya yambada janku-karinga, bama nyulu bubu nyajil jarbanka baral dayal nyulu mukul-manda kariku nyubun baykanmuny.


<translate> The paperbark tree grows near the water, and we take its soft bark for our warm beds.

Buyku bana ngundu janay, ngana nyungu warrur kima mani-l wunay-ka.


<glossary> wurrmay ; type=noun ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Don't steal


<translate> The child went to the sea with father.


<translate> The little child is like a small shadow of the old woman, always close by her wherever she walks in the camp.

Karrkay buban yala ngungul buban mukul-jalbu-mu, yinya ngundu wubulku nyulu jilba bayan-ba.


<translate> You see the kunjarri palm there.


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


<glossary> maru-maru ; type=adverb ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I came with nothing, having nothing


<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> We, not you, saw the yiki owl here.


<translate> The men burned the grass in the cold season.

Dingkar-dingkarangka jikan wajun buluriji.


<translate> Which one is your house — the one there beside the big tree?

Wanjinya yunu bayan — yinya juku yalbay karangkal?


<translate> I go for a walk with the childless old woman in the cool evening.

Ngayu jilba dunga-y kangkal-kari-ji wulbuman-ji wungar bada dunga-nya.


<glossary> diburr ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> Give me some bullets for my gun


<glossary> wuban ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> pulled with all our strength


<glossary> jikaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> You stretch when you get up


<translate> They saw the native cat there.


<translate> I see the small ant bed here.


<glossary> dandi ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> The meat is tough, I cooked it a short time


<translate> The river is running fast after the rain.


<translate> To make the earth oven the old woman first dug a pit as deep as her arm, then filled it with dry wood and a layer of stones, and lit the fire and let it burn down for a long time until the stones glowed and the wood was all red coals, for the stones must hold the heat, not the flame.

Kurrma bunganka wulbumanangka ngadiku bubu bakan bada mara kilba, yalada juku kiway-kiway kulji baja yijarrin, baya wandiman wula bada dungan kalbay dukul kulji ngala-ngala wula juku wubulku ngunjil mula-mula, kulji yabarrka wumbul karrbal, kari wula.


<translate> You and I see the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> He wanted to go hunting for kangaroo, but the heavy rain fell and he stayed in the camp.

Nyulu wawu balbi-nka mayarriji-ka, yamba kaba kulngkul daran, nyulu bayan-ba bundan.


<translate> The crocodile does not hurry, and yet nobody arrives late to it.

Bilngkumu kariku warri-warri, yambada bama nyubun kariku badaku kadal yinyanka.


<translate> The country tells you everything, if you learn to watch and listen like the old people do.

Bububu yununda milbil yambayamba, kaki yundu binalmal nyajinka milka-jananka yala kamba-kamba.


<translate> My back is sore from digging the deep yams in the hard dry ground all morning, the old woman said, and I must rest now.

Ngayu muku kaka, bambayal dajali baka-l-baka-nya bubu junkurr marral-ba wunkuwingku, mukul-jalbu balkan, ngayu niji bundanday.


<translate> You and I see the hillside here.


<translate> The children did not come home last night, and their mother waited all through the dark.

Karrkay-karrkay bayan-ka kari kadan wujurr-muny, ngamu wujurr wubulku maku-janan.


<translate> That is how a camp stays strong, said granny: the young feed the old, and the old teach the young.

Yalaku bayan junkurr bundanday, babingka balkan: warru-warrungku kamba-kamba nukamanil, kamba-kambangka warru-warru binal-bungal.


<translate> The women collected firewood before the rain.

Jalbu-jalbungku baya bangkan, kaba kadanyjiku.


<translate> The old man taught the boys: if you catch a big animal, give the best part to the old people first, and then no one in the camp will be hungry.

Mukul-dingkarangka warru-warru binalbungan: kaki yundu minya yalbay karrba, minya bada daya mukul-mukulka ngadiku, bama bayanba kariku dakwuy.


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


<translate> You go ahead first with the firestick, I will follow behind with the children.

Yundu dungay ngadiku-ngurr baya-juku-ji, ngayu wukurril badaku karrkay-karrkayanji.


<translate> The little yams grow deep, so you must dig a long way down with a strong stick.

Bambayal buban bubu-dukurr-ba yalbay-mal, yundu juku yaykarr-bu kalbay bada bakal.


<translate> He sees the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> Stay away from that bad place, for the old people say a dangerous spirit lives inside the cave.

Yinya bubu buyun-mundu wuna-y, mukul-bama balka, dubu buyun kana kulji dukurr wunay.


<translate> The rain fell for three days without stopping, and the children played string games and listened to stories inside the shelter.

Kaba daran wungar kulur, kari dungan; karrkay-karrkay karraji kinkan, kuku milka-jananya bayanba.


<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 small conical shellfish is there.


<translate> Go back! is a whole sentence in one breath, the old man taught: dungay-baja sends the dog home, brings the boy out of the deep water, turns a story to its beginning, so treasure the little baja, for it is the word that lets one road be walked twice.

'Dungay-baja!' nyulu kuku wubulku wawu nyubunba, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin: 'dungay-baja' kaya yungal bayanka, nyulu buban manil bana dukurrmuny, nyulu kuku-jangkar murnil ngadikuku nyungu, yalada karrba kuku buban 'baja', nyulu kuku baral nyubun jilbanka jambulku dayalmuny.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the bajal bower bird there.


<glossary> nbuyun-birrku ; type=adverb ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I'll deliver it only once


<translate> Granny pulled it out by the tail!


<translate> You and I see the wurrbal fog there.


<translate> The woman saw the shield in the shade.


<translate> Next time we'll tie the canoe more tightly.


<translate> You see the daughter's child here.


<translate> The children called out at night.


<translate> I see the yellow March fly here.


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


<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> The low tide is the sea's gift, said the old woman; the sea shows you the food underneath.

Ngajal jalunmu dajil, wulbumanangka balkan; jalunbu mayi badabada milbin, yundu nyajinka.


<glossary> kulun ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> He didn't give any food because of selfishness


<translate> The children were tired and hungry, and they wanted to go back home to the camp.

Karrkay-karrkay bajaburray, dakwuy baja, jana wawu bayan-ka dunga-nka.


<translate> The old man named the fish for the boy as they walked the reef — this is kingfish, this queenfish, this the poison catfish — so the sea would feed him always.

Mukul-dingkarangka kuyu wubulku karrkay-nka burri dulngku jilba-nya — yinya danbal, yinya balarri, yinya kanyaji ngunyanji — jalun nyungu-nka mayi dajil wubulku.


<glossary> damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> she washed clothes in the creek


<translate> The girl asked her mother about the food.


<translate> Father saw the freshwater turtle.


<translate> The young man went with a spear.


<translate> We see the archerfish there.


<translate> What did the two men bring back with them from the long hunt in the deep scrub, the children asked, running out to meet them.

Wanyu dingkar-jarra jambul balbi wumbul-muny bayan-ka wundin? karrkay-karrkay nyajin, jana-nka warri nyaji-nka.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jabil lizard here.


<translate> Grandad turned the canoe toward the island.


<translate> The old man made a new spear, straightening the shaft with his teeth and hardening the point in the fire.

Mukulungku dingkarangka kalka jirakal ngaran, juku dirrabu ngulkurr-bungan, kalka bayanga junkurr-bungan.


<translate> And so the long lesson passed like a good conversation, and the children did not even know that they were learning.

Yalaku milbil kalbay dungan yala kuku ngulkurr, karrkay-karrkay kari binalman jana binalmananya.


<translate> The old woman said this is the deepest magic there is: that love, given to a child, does not disappear but flows onward through them into children not yet born, so that a grandmother's love reaches, unbroken, into a future she will never live to see.

Wulbumanangka balkan: yinya yamba dandi bajaku wubulmuny: wawu jirray, karrkayka dajinmuny, kari dungay, yambada nyulubu badaka dungay karrkay kariku kambanmuny, babimu wawu jirray kalakalbay dungay, kari kaka, wunkunka nyulu kari nyajilnya.


<translate> I saw the jadi goanna there.


<translate> The hawk circles high above the grass, watching for a little mouse to move down below.

Kalin-kalin wangkar-a yalbay-ba dunga-y, minya buban bada nyaji-l.


<translate> You two saw the rainbow there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the bajarr fern leaves here.


<translate> Grandfather saw the whirlwind there.


<translate> He sees the dulmbi umbrella palm here.


<translate> Grandmother left the remains dilly bag in the shade.


<glossary> yiljun ; type=noun ; domain=fauna-insect <usage_example> When the grasshopper sings, the wukay (type of yam) are ready


<translate> Grandmother asked grandfather about news.


<translate> The water snake lives in the still lagoon and the mangrove creek, the old woman said, and the children must never swim where they have seen one.

Bakay bana janka-ba kajul bana-jandu-ngka wuna, mukul-jalbu balkan, karrkay-karrkay wanja jana bakay nyaji-nya-ba baluda maraji.


<translate> The old people taught us the songs.

Kamba-kambangka nganangan binal-bungan, wulngku badinka.


<translate> The old woman was strict about the mothers with young: never take a female bird from the nest in the laying season, never take a wallaby with a joey in the pouch, never dig out a burrow full of small ones, for the country stays full only if the mothers are let live, and a hunter who cannot wait for the right season is no hunter at all but a robber of the future.

Wulbumanangka junkurr ngamu buban-buban baja: kariku jalbu-buyi birra-bayanmuny mani dalkay-wungara, kari darrba jarrakay karrbal baja mani, kari janku buban wubulku bakan, bubu nyulu buwan nganga kaki ngamu wula-manda, balbi-bama nyulu kari maku-janal wungar yukilka nyulu balbi-bama-kari yambada bama-kulun wungar-kadalmuny.


<translate> You all see the black cockatoo there.


<translate> The kangaroo and the wallaby feed together on the plain, but the wallaby keeps close to the scrub.

Mayarriji kadar muru nukal bubu-ba, yamba kadar madja karangkal janka bundan.


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


<translate> They saw the grey March fly there.


<translate> That black tip shark is there.


<translate> A thing the old people built for us, we keep for the children who come after, said the old man.

Yamba kamba-kambangka ngananka ngaranmuny, ngana kujil karrkay-karrkayka jana kadanyjiku, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan.


<translate> I see the kuray-kuray tree here.


<translate> He saw the bajabaja lizard there.


<translate> You all see the jingajalka tree here.


<glossary> ngura-nyajil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I'm jealous of that girl with a new dress

Ngayu yinya ngura-nyajin jalbu kambiji jirakalji


<translate> The child was the first to get food.


<translate> The old woman carried the baby in one dilly bag and the yams in another; the rope strap cut into her shoulder, so she stopped often to rest.

Mukulungku ngawa nyubun ngunyin-ba wundin, banjay yindu ngunyin-ba; karra-ngku nyungu binda yakan, nyulu wungar-wungar janan mara-kunba-nka.


<translate> The eel lives in the deep waterhole and comes out only at night to feed on the small fish.

Mawul bana-dukurr-ba wunay, wujurr-ba nyulu kadan kuyu buban nukanka.


<translate> The young woman came to the old healer confused and afraid, pouring out questions: what is this sickness, where did it come from, how long will it last, why did it choose me, and will I get well again? And the old woman held her hands and answered the questions she could and said honestly of the others, I do not know, and that honesty steadied the frightened girl more than any false comfort.

Karrkay-jalbu kalbal-mukulmundu kadan milka-murruji yinil-ji, kuku badan: wanyu yinya buyun, wanjamuny nyulu kadan, wanja-wanja nyulu janay, wanyurrinku nyulu ngayku manin, ngayu kalba baja? Wulbumanangka nyungu mara karrban balkan kuku nyulu balkalmuny balkan yukil yindumuny, ngayu kari binal, yinya kuku-yukil nyulu jalbu yinil-ji kajan ngulkurr-baja kuku-mumbu wubulmuny.


<translate> You and I saw the murramu dingo there.


<translate> The old woman showed the young woman how to carry: the baby sits high on the back, tied with soft cloth, its cheek at the mother's neck, so the two hands stay free for the work and the fire, and the child learns its mother's walk before it learns any word.

Wulbumanangka jalbu-buban milbin karrbanka: ngawa bundal wangkar mukungu, kajan kambibu kimabu, kangkul nyungu ngamu-mu jakaymba, yalada mara jambul janay ngalkal murninka bayaka baja, karrkay binal-mal jilba ngamumuny kuku wubulku ngadiku.


<translate> They made their own fire smoke to answer, and by evening the two groups could see each other across the valley.

Jana baya wajun, kubu yijarrin balkanka, yilay-yilay jana jambul nyajilwan bubu badanga.


<translate> The two of them saw the jayju kangaroo rat there.


<glossary> mulkay-warri ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I watched them playing and I felt happy

Ngayu jananiin nyajin ngujurinya, ngayu mulkay-warrin


<translate> The trees lean kungkarr on this ridge — the storm wind writes its name on everything that stands still.

Juku murnil kungkarrku wangkara yanyaba: muyarbu jarramalimunybu burri nyungu yijarril yamba janaymunyba.


<glossary> walu karimal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> There aren't many crocodiles any more

Nyiku-nyiku bilngkumu walu karimanijinkuda


<translate> The parents and the grandparents all sat down together and shared the big feed of turtle.

Ngamu-karra nganjan-karra kami-karra baja narmba muru bundan, ngawiya minya yalbay nukan.


<translate> The old man said: when a man is frightened in the dark scrub, he must sit still and make himself calm, because fear makes the feet stumble.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: dingkar wujurr madjanga yinil-kanga-jin, nyulu dandi bundal, nyulu ngulkurr-ma-ji, yinil jina buyun-bungal.


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


<translate> You see the miyilabu mangrove tree here.


<translate> You two see the flames there.


<translate> We saw the juku-juku bronzewing dove here.


<translate> A meal has an order like a song, the old woman walked the girls through it: wash first of all, the elders served, the children fed, the workers filled, the stories after the food, the coals covered last — and a camp that eats in order sleeps in peace.

Mayi-nuka nyulu jina-ji yala wulngku, wulbumanangka jalbu-buban yinya jilba-bungan: julurri-ka-rr, bama mukul-ngurr, karrkay badaku mayi-dayan, murni-bama jakal-bungan, kuku-jangkar wawu-mayi-muny, ngunjil nandanda badaku, bayan nyulu nukal jinanji nyulu wunay kaka-kari.


<translate> The two brothers set out to catch the big eel that lived under the old log in the deep pool: they blocked the downstream end with a stone wall, one felt carefully under the log with his hands while the other stood ready with the spear, the eel shot out and the spearman missed, they tried again more patiently, the eel came out slow and the spear went true, they carried the great eel home between them, and then their mother cooked it whole for a feast.

Yaba jambul badan kubarr yalbay maninka nyulu juku mukul badanga bana dukurr-bu wunaymu: jana bada-mundu karra kulji-bayanbu, nyubun buban-buban juku bada maranji nyajil yindu kalka yukil janji, kubarr wandin kalka-bama bawan, jana murni-nyajin maku-janalbu, kubarr buban wandin kalka murni dungan, jana kubarr yalbay nyubun-nyubun dukurr-bu jarrakulban, yalada nyungu ngamu bubungu wajun bangkarr-yalbaynka.


<translate> You and I see the board here.


<translate> The long hot dry season makes the ground hard as stone, the old woman said, and the yams go deep and are very hard to dig.

Marral-wungar marri wungar-iji-ngku bubu junkurr kulji yala dandi-bungal, mukul-jalbu balkan, bambayal dajali dunga, baka buyun bajaku.


<translate> He saw the julurr-julurr moomoo bird there.


<translate> The ripe fruit fell down from the tall tree, and the children ran to gather it up from the ground.

Mayi kulbul bada daran juku kalbay-muny, karrkay-karrkay warrin bangka-nka bubu-muny.


<translate> You and I see the ghost crab here.


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


<translate> He saw the kurrmaja larvae here.


<translate> The child remembered the true story and told it quietly to his younger brother.

Karrkay kuku yukil binalku, yabaju-nku janka balkan baya ngundu-ba.


<translate> Dad showed the boomerang to me.


<translate> If you walk very quietly the old man taught, you come close enough to the wallaby to throw the spear.

Kaki yundu janka bajaku jilba, mukul-dingkar balkan, yundu kadar-ka ngundu kaday kalka dama-nka.


<translate> The swallow flies low and fast over the water just before the rain, the old man said, and the old people read the coming weather in the way it flies.

Mabal bana wangkar-a bada bila marra-warri kaba kada-nyjiku, mukul-dingkar balkan, mukul-bama wungar kada-nya nyaji nyulu marra-warri-nya-ba.


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


<translate> You and I saw the walkarr goanna here.


<translate> The two of them saw the bajabaja lizard here.


<translate> The old woman said: the body grows old, but the story stays young forever.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bangkarr mukul-mal, yambada kuku ngadiku buban-baja kalbay-baja.


<translate> The young man climbed the tree first, knocked the ripe fruit down, the others gathered it below, and then they all shared it by the fire.

Warru ngadiku juku dakan, mayi kulbul bada yilban, yindu bada munjan, jana muru daji-wanda kunjinba.


<translate> You all saw the pumice stone here.


<glossary> maru-maru ; type=adverb ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I came with nothing, having nothing


<translate> The two of them saw the kandal maggot there.


<translate> They two see the mudcrab there.


<glossary> majin ; type=adjective ; domain=texture <usage_example> Your hair is too oily


<translate> He sees the freshwater eel here.


<glossary> wadil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=sky-weather <usage_example> They hung a blanket up because the cold might come in

Jana blanket walngkan-daman buluruku wadinji


<translate> The white crane is standing there.