<translate> The old woman dug the roots at the fig tree, cooked them on the fire, and gave the food to the children.

Mukulungku jarrangkalba bangkan bakan, kunjinba wajun, mayi karrkay-karrkay dayan.


<translate> You all saw the bakay snake here.


<translate> That mass of vines is there.


<translate> In the long dry the country pulls its own water down into hidden camps, the old man taught: the creek goes under its own sand and keeps walking there, the frog shuts itself in a clay shelter, the tree drops many leaves and keeps the few, so the dry is not death, it is the country holding its breath, and the first rain is the long breathing-out.

Marral kalbayba bubu-bu bana nyungu-nyungu bada kulbal bayanka ngakijinka, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin: wawubaja dungay badabada jukar nyungu-nyungumuny, nyulu jilbal yinyanga yabarrka, yuday nandaji kambar-bayanba, jukubu birra wubul bawal, buban karrbal, yalada marral nyulu kari wula, nyulu bubu wawu karrbanya, kaba ngadiku nyulu wawu-dayal kalbay.


<translate> You saw the bakay snake there.


<translate> Eat your soup while it's hot!


<translate> The child put the stone on the ground.


<translate> I see the flat-tailed ray here.


<translate> The little birds make their nest high up in the hollow of the old blood wood tree.

Buyi buban bayan bunga-l babajaga mukul dimbirr wangkar-a.


<translate> The old woman said: know the animals, and you will never go hungry or be bitten.

Wulbumanangka balkan: minya wubul binalman, yundu kariku mayi-kari, kariku bayka-ji.


<translate> The old woman said the relation between certain cousins, the cross-cousins called kambanmu, was the opposite of the avoidance, for these were the joking kin, the ones you could tease and be teased by, laugh with freely, ask a favour of without shame, and often marry, so that where the mother-in-law bond was all careful distance, the cross-cousin bond was all warmth and easy laughter, and a person needed both kinds in a full life.

Wulbumanangka balkan karra bangunji nyubun-nyubun, kambanmu kunjal, nyulu yindu-yindu jibarr-jibarrmuny, yinya yajarr-karra, bama yundu jaway-jaway nyubunji, yajarr-way nganga, wawu-manil babajil bikirr-kari, wungar dunyu-manil baja, wanja biwul-karra nyulu wubulku jibarr-ngundu, kambanmu-karra nyulu wubulku wumbul yajarr kima, bama nyulu jambul-warra wawu-manil wawu kalbay-mba.


<translate> The children are playing near us, and the dogs are sleeping beside them.

Karrkay-karrkay ngananda warrma, kaya-kaya jananda wunay.


<translate> You all see the dikirr waterlily there.


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


<translate> The old man cut the turtle shell to make a good strong dish for water.

Mukul-dingkarangka yalnga kadan nyandan, bana-ka ngulkurr junkurr bunga-nka.


<translate> He saw the kalburiji bee there.


<translate> Is that a snake there in the long grass, or is it only a stick?

Yanyu jarba bilanji kalbay-mba, juku-baja?


<translate> The two young men will come back soon, when the sun stands high at midday over the hills.

Warru jambul nyunba nyiku-nyiku, wungar wangkar-wangkar janay jamba-nga.


<translate> Father sees the shallow water.


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


<translate> You two see the kurrburrubun magpie here.


<translate> The old man speared a big stingray and cut off its dangerous tail.

Mukul-dingkarangka yawu yalbay daman, nyungu banda bambay nyandan.


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> The women gathered plenty of shellfish, filled up their bags, and walked home along the beach.

Jalbu-ngka minya wubul bangkan, mani wubulku, jukar-a bayan-ka jilba-dungan-baja.


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

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


<translate> When at last they opened the oven at evening, the old woman lifted the earth and the leaves carefully so the fragrant steam rose in a cloud, and the smell of the cooked meat and the soft yams filled the whole camp, and everyone gathered, and the children could hardly wait, and this was the best moment of the day.

Jana dukul kurrma kajan kunarangkalba, wulbumanangka bubu birra buban-buban wangkar-manin bana-kubu nganja-ngulkurr ngurrbanba wandinya, minya wajun juwal buban jani nyungu nganja bayan wubulku buwun, bama wubulku bangkan, karrkay-karrkay murruji maku-janay, yinya wungarmu yukil bajaku.


<translate> I saw the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> The man saw the white crane.


<translate> The old man was carried back to the camp by the two young men in the evening.

Mukul-dingkar warru jambul-anda bayan-ka wundi-jin, wungar bada-nya.


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


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


<translate> You see the umbrella palm there.


<translate> The boy dropped the turtle egg by mistake and it broke on the hard rock below.

Warru buban-angka diburr kanban dara-y-manin, kulji jarra-nga bada dumbarrin.


<translate> She came to the camp with her mother-in-law in the evening.

Nyulu kadan bayan-ka biwul-jil-unji wungar bada dunga-nya.


<translate> The old man said a decision made with counsel and a decision made counselless are not equally wise, for one head holds only one view of a thing while many heads together turn it over and see all its sides, so before any big choice the old people would sit in a long circle and let every voice be heard, and the leader with many counsellors rarely walked the camp into disaster.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku-manin kuku-daji-ji kuku-manin kuku-daji-kari kari nyubun yala binal, nyubun-milka nyulu nyubun-nyaji yamba nyubunmuny yambada milka wubul nyubun-nyubunji murninya nyajil nyungu wubulku, kuku-yalbay ngadiku bama mukul bundan bangka kalbay kuku wubulku ngaranka, kuku-bama kuku-daji wubul-ji nyulu kariku bayan mumbu-mundu jilbaman.


<glossary> ngangkal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I found him here without expecting him


<translate> The children asked how you could know a person's heart, and the old woman said: You cannot know it in a day; you know it over many seasons, the way you know the weather.

Karrkay-karrkayangka babajin yala yundu bamamu wawu binalka, wulbumanangka balkan: Yundu murruji wungar nyubunba binal; yundu binal wungar wubul kudamundu, yala yundu wungar binal.


<translate> That mother's older sister is there.


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


<translate> Gather only the ripe fruit that falls, the old woman told the children, and leave the green fruit on the branch for the days to come.

Mayi kulbul dara-nya bangka nyubun-bu, mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay-karrkay balkan, mayi nganjil dakil-ba wuna wungar kada-nya-nka.


<translate> We stay at the water; perhaps the road is bad.

Ngana bana-nga bundanday, nguba baral buyun.


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


<translate> You saw the marril ti tree there.


<translate> You two see the tree kangaroo here.


<translate> Underwater the river has its own camps: cold ones, warm ones, and one where the big fish holds its meetings.

Kuralba wawubaja bayan-ji nyungu-nyungu-ji: kiway-kiway, wumbul, nyubunba kuyu yalbaybu kuku-yalbay karrbal.


<translate> He sees the diri-diri sandfly there.


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


<glossary> ngaluri ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> The flames leap up from the fire


<translate> The old man sent a message to the other camp with the fast young man and told him to come back before dark.

Mukul-dingkarangka kuku yungan bayan yindu-nka warru bila-anda, wujurr kada-nyjiku kada-nka balkan.


<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> Mother sees the mountain peak there.


<translate> The old man said a spearhead with a barb and one without are made for different game, for the barbed point holds the fish that would slip a smooth one, but the smooth point drives deeper into the big land animal and pulls free for a second throw, so a wise hunter carries both and reads the quarry before he chooses which spear to carry to the water or the plain.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kalka-murru jinil-ji jinil-kari yindu-yindu minya yindu-yindunka bungal, jinil-ji nyulu kuyu karrbal nyulu jinil-kari jarrbamuny, yambada jinil-kari nyulu wangkar dungay minya-yalbay bubungu jarra dungay bada bawal jambul-yilbalku, balbi-bama yukil jambul jarrakulbal minya ngaral nyulu kalka wanya jarrakulbalka bananmundu yaral-mundu baja.


<translate> Mother left the hook and line in the shade.


<translate> The mullet swim in a big group near the sandy bank in the early morning.

Kalngkan wubul-baja janji jukar karangkal wunkuwingku.


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


<translate> When the big crocodile rose up from the muddy water, everyone was frightened and ran far away.

Bilngkumu yalbay wandin bana buyun-muny, bama narmba yini-yini wanarrin kala-kalbay-ka.


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<translate> The dog keeps scratching itself.


<translate> The young man is lazy and no good for work.


<translate> I would have eaten that meat gladly, the old man said, but by the time I found it, it had already gone rotten.

Ngayu minya yinya nuka-nyaku jiba-ngulkurr, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba ngayu mani-nya-muny, minya kabu.


<translate> The eel slipped back into the river.


<translate> The old man said there was no such thing as an empty bush to the person with eyes to see, only a table always set, if you came to it with respect and thanks.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: madja yamba-kari kari janay bama nyulu miyilji nyajil, mayi-bubu yabarrka janay, kaki yundu ngulkurr-bu kaday, ngulkurr balkanya.


<translate> When the first rain comes, the new grass and the young leaves come up from the ground.

Kaba ngadiku kada-nya, bilanji buban birra buban daka-l bubu-muny.


<translate> The dog pulled the meat off the fire — quick, grab it!

Kayangka minya kulban bayamuny — karrba jinbalku!


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


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


<translate> The stone trap fed the camp all through the dry weather without anyone having to go far to hunt.

Makarr kuljimu bayan nukamanil wungar marralba wubulku, kari bama kalakalbay dungay balbinka.


<glossary> yala ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> he's like his father.


<translate> You saw the bayil jungle perch here.


<translate> He sees the ghost crab there.


<translate> The woman wove the bag from the black-palm upper fibre.


<glossary> wawu jirray ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I love eating fish


<translate> He speared the big fish, pulled it up onto the sand, and cut it into many pieces.

Nyulu kuyu yalbay daman, jukar-a wandi-manin, yaka-l-yaka-n.


<translate> At last, as the sun went down, the men came back carrying two big kangaroos and many fish.

Wungar bada dunganya, dingkar-dingkar kadan baja, mayarriji jambul yalbay wundin, kuyu wubul.


<translate> I see the black kangaroo here.


<translate> The old woman said fair does not mean equal, for a big man needs more food than a child and a sick person needs more care than a well one.

Wulbumanangka balkan: yukil kari nyubun, dingkar yalbay mayi wubul-baja wawu karrkaymuny, bambaybama nyajil wubul-baja wawu kakawarribamamuny.


<translate> They followed the tracks up from the water.


<translate> The old man said: Enough is a feast, and too much is a burden, and the whole art of a good life is learning where enough ends and too much begins.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Yukil mayi yalbay, wubul-baja dandi, wawu ngulkurrmu binal nyubun yala: binalka wanja yukil dungay, wanja wubul-baja badil.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the barinkan scrub bird there.


<translate> I have no money now, so I cannot buy the good sharp knife or the strong new dilly bag.

Ngayu mani-kari niji, ngayu naybu ngulkurr ngunyin jirakal junkurr kari mani.


<translate> The old man taught that the possum, the flying fox, and the tree they lived in were all one thing, and to waste one was to harm them all.

Mukulungku dingkarangka milbin: yawa, kambi, juku jana bundaymu, wubulku nyubun yamba, nyubun kilbanka yinya wubulku yinyil-kangal.


<translate> He sees the juku-juku bronzewing dove there.


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


<translate> Anger passes but the camp goes on, said the old man; do not hold your anger hard, like a hot coal.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: dukul-wuri dungay, bayan bundanday; kari karrba junkurrku dukul-wuri, yala baya wumbul.


<translate> They see the straw-necked ibis 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> You saw the sea turtle there.


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


<translate> Grandmother cooked food, the children ate, and then they slept.

Babi-ngku mayi wajun, karrkay-karrkay nukan, wunan-da.


<translate> You two see the spear barb there.


<translate> When the sun came back, the whole camp steamed like a cooking oven.

Wungar kadan baja, bayan yala kurrma wumbul.


<translate> Mother made the child happy.


<translate> That one is a good fisherman.


<translate> You two saw the jingajalka tree there.


<translate> The small conical shellfish is there.


<translate> The old woman said the shark is the boss of the reef and must be respected: do not swim when the water is dark, and never carry bleeding fish through the deep channel.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: bilmbin dulngku-mu maja, yararri-jirr: baluda maraji bana ngumbu-ba, kuyu mula-jirr baluda jarra-kulba bana dajali-burr.


<translate> The clothing here is not narrow.


<translate> Maybe that is the right track, maybe it is the track of another dingo.

Nguba yinya jina ngulkurr, nguba murramu yindu-mu jina.


<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> You and I saw the bajalji python there.


<translate> Wait! Let the old people drink first.

Janay! Bawa bama mukul nukanka ngadiku-ngurr.


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


<translate> He saw the bakay snake here.


<translate> I thought he was coming back.


<translate> The two children cried for their mother; she came to them quickly; she fed them and held them until they slept.

Bula karrkay ngamu-nka badin; nyulu bulanda warri kadan; nyulu bulanka mayi dayan, bulangan karrban jana wuna-nyjiku.


<translate> At sunset, people came to camp.


<translate> I gave my good stone knife to my elder brother, and he was very glad indeed.

Ngayu ngayku naybu ngulkurr yaba-ka dajin, nyulu ngulkurr-ma-n junkurr-baja.


<translate> The little girl cooked her first fish by herself, burnt on one side and raw on the other, and the old man ate every bit of it slowly and said it was the best fish of the wet season — and that is how cooks are made.

Jalbu-bubanangka kuyu ngadiku nyungu wajun nyubunji, wajun bajaku ngubara jani-kari ngubara yindu, mukulungku dingkarangka wubulku nukan buban-buban, balkan kuyu yukil bajaku bana-wungarmuny, yalabu waju-bama murninmuny.


<translate> So the old man taught the boy the whole shape of doing: keep at it, do it again, finish it, and only call a thing very good when it is truly finished.

Yala mukul-dingkarangka karrkay balka yukil-mu narmba: yudal bundanday, yalama-baja, kunbayn, kuku ngulkurr-baja-ku balka nyulu nguymal kunbayn-nya kariku.


<translate> The old woman ground the seed, roasted the cake, dug the sweet root, and split the black-bean, and by dusk the whole camp was fed and warm by the fire.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku diburr murni, mayi waju, ngara jiba-wulay baka, baway dumbarri, wujurr-ma-nya bayan narmba mayi-jirr wumbul baya ngundu.


<translate> The heavy stone axe belongs to the old man, but the little digging stick belongs to his good wife.

Warrbi kulngkul mukul-dingkar-mu, yamba juwal buban nyungu jalbu ngulkurr-mu.


<translate> You two see the bamboo stick there.


<translate> The boys raced each other to the river.


<translate> Where is your mother — has she gone down to the creek for water?

Yunu ngamu wanjabu — nyulu wawubaja-ka bana-ka dungan?


<translate> The children went to the waterhole to swim in the afternoon.

Karrkay-karrkay bana-ka dungan, maraji-nka wungar bada.


<translate> The child washed the plate in the water.


<translate> The remains dilly bag lay on the ground.


<translate> The children lay on their backs in the warm sand and learned the stars until their eyes closed and they slept.

Karrkay-karrkay muku wunan jukar wumbulba, dawar binalman miyil nandanyjiku warngku wunanyjiku.


<translate> She is happy in the early morning.


<translate> The children looked up at the rainbow with wonder and a little fear, and thought about the great snake below the water.

Karrkay-karrkay wangkar yiril nyajin wawu-mini yinil buban, milka-bu baykan jarba yalbay bana badabada.


<translate> The woman gave the food to the wrong child by mistake in the big crowd.

Jalbu-ngka mayi karrkay yindu-nka kanban dajin, bama wubul karangkal.


<translate> The kuray-kuray tree is here.


<translate> The old woman said the river washed the body clean and the swimming washed the mind clear, and a person came out new both ways.

Wulbumanangka balkan: banabu bangkarr julurril, janjilbu milka dayirrmanil, bama badi jirakal jambulku.


<translate> Bring your spears and our two dogs — the big animals are in the yam ground again.

Kalka yurramuny mana, kaya ngalimuny baja: minya yalbay juwal-bubungu baja.


<translate> The old man did not altogether finish the new spear; a little of it still remains for tomorrow.

Mukul-dingkar-angka kalka jirakal kari-rrku bungal; buban niji wungar kada-nya-mu.


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


<translate> You all see the jadalangka animal leg there.


<translate> Some withs weigh more than things, the old woman weighed them out for the girls: patience-with beats spear-with on a long day, laughter-with beats meat-with at a sad fire, and truth-with beats all of them everywhere.

Kuku '-ji' nyubun-nyubun dandi-baja yambamuny, wulbumanangka jana milbin jalbu-bubanka: wawu-karrba-ji nyulu junkurr-baja kalka-jimuny wungar kalbayba, yajarr-ji junkurr-baja minya-jimuny baya wawu-mumbuba, kuku-yukil-ji junkurr-baja wubulkumuny bubu nyubun-nyubunba.


<translate> You two saw the bujabay tree here.


<translate> When the boy asked the old woman where the water was hidden in the dry country, she did not tell him but asked him back three questions of her own: what do the deep-rooted trees know that the shallow ones do not, and which way do the birds fly at dusk, and where does the ground stay damp long after the rain has gone?

Buban wulbuman babajinnya wanja bana bubu-kiway buyanmuny, nyulu kari balkan yambada nyulu babajin jananka kuku kulur nyungu-nyungu: wanyu juku bangkan-jarra binal juku bangkan-buban kari binalmuny, wanjaburr buyi marra-warri kunarangkalba, wanja bubu duna janan kalbay bana dunganya ngadiku?


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


<lexeme> First bay south of Bloomfield River along coast


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


<translate> The pair of young men went walking to the river.

Warru-bulal jambul wawubaja-nga jilba-dungan.


<translate> The old woman knew every place where the best yams grew, deep under the vines in the soft black soil.

Wulbumanangka binal wanjawanja kawu ngulkurr bajaku wandin, badabada kalalmu bubu bubanba.


<translate> You and I will build a shelter here before the rain comes.

Ngaliny yaluy bayan bunga-l, bana kada-nyji.


<translate> All night long the many frogs sang together in the muddy water of the big, big swamp.

Wujurr wubulku karrkurr wubul muru balkan, daburri yalbay bana buyun-ba.


<translate> The black bean tree is here.


<translate> The old woman is teaching the girls the women's dances.

Wulbumanangka maral-maral binal-bungal jurbuka.


<translate> I see the light-coloured clothing.


<translate> The old woman is crying quietly in the dark, for her good husband died last cold season.

Mukul-jalbu janka badi ngungul-ba, nyungu dingkar ngulkurr wula ngiki-wungar kalbay-muny.


<translate> The old man said the roots and tubers of the ground are the food that never fails, for when the fruit is out of season and the fish will not bite and the game is scarce, the yams are still there in the earth waiting, so he taught the boys as carefully as the girls where each root grows, for a hunter who can also dig will never bring his family to real hunger.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bangkan juwal bubu baja nyulu mayi kariku bawalmuny, mayi wungar-karinga kuyu kari baykal minya buban janay-mba, juwal nganga bubungu janan maku-janal, nyulu warru-warru milbin jalbu-buban yala wanja bangkan nyubun jarral, balbi-bama nyulu bakal baja nyulu kariku jawun-karra dakwuy bajaku kadalmu.


<translate> We see the large mud clam here.


<translate> The centipede and the scorpion both hide under the bark and the stones in the day, the old woman said, so shake out your blanket and your bedding before you lie down.

Birinjil biringal-jirr jambulu dumbul kulji-jirr bada-ba wungar-a wuna, mukul-jalbu balkan, bilangkurr kararr-jirr balka wuna-nyjiku.


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


<translate> In the cold season the body is a fire, the old woman said: food is its wood, clothes are its bark shelter, running legs make it warm, and an old person's fire burns small, so on the cold nights give the old people the place close to the coals, for that law is older than all of us.

Bulur-iji bangkarr nyulu baya, wulbumanangka balkan: mayi nyulu juku nyungu, kambi nyulu bayan warrurmuny nyungu, jandal warrinya bangkarr wumbul-bungal, bama mukul baya nyungu buban wajul, yalada wujurr kiway-kiwaymba daya bamanda mukulanda bubu ngundu ngunjilba, yinya kuku mukul-baja nganamuny wubulmuny.


<translate> We see the small conical shellfish there.


<translate> My uncle is a good fisherman.


<translate> They saw the small patch of scrub there.


<glossary> dalbarril ; type=noun ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> the lightning struck the tree


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


<translate> You all saw the kandal maggot there.


<translate> The old man said the inner bark of certain trees is the mother of all string, and he showed the boys how to strip it, soak it, beat it soft, split it into even threads and roll it into cord strong enough for a net, a fishing line, a dilly-bag, or a rope to climb the tallest honey tree, so that from the bark of one tree came a hundred useful things.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan juku nyubun-nyubun warrur dukurr nyulu karra wubulku ngamu, nyulu warru-warru milbin yala kakanka, bananga wunay, buban-buban kunil, kakal karra nyubun-nyubun yala, murnil karra junkurr makarrku, kuyu-wukurr, balji, kalal-karra dakanka juku-wunba wangkarku baja, juku nyubun warrurmuny yamba yukil wubul kadan.


<translate> You two see the kurrujuwa sentry bird here.


<translate> Father filled the billycan with water.


<glossary> wawu jirray ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I love eating fish


<glossary> mulka-warri ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> Do you feel ambitious?


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


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


<translate> You two saw the jumper ant there.


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


<translate> The old man said: Do not measure yourself against your brother, for one of you runs better and one is stronger, and the country needs both kinds of man.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Kari yundu-yundu yabaji milbi-ji, nyubun warri ngulkurr-baja, nyubun junkurr-baja, bububu jambul dingkar wawu.


<glossary> nulngkun ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> That girl has big breasts


<glossary> kakawarri ; type=adverb ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> He sang well then


<translate> The dog bit the little boy's hand hard, and the frightened child cried out loudly in the camp.

Kaya-ngka karrkay buban mara baykan junkurr, karrkay yini-yini yirrkan yalbay bayan-ba.


<translate> We see the jingajalka tree there.


<glossary> kunil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He hit the dog with a stick


<translate> Sit close and tell me everything from the beginning.

Bunda ngundu, balka ngaykunka wubulku ngadikumuny.


<translate> The wild bullock was angry and dangerous, so all the people ran quickly away from that place.

Bulki kuli buyun baja, bama narmba wanarrin buyun-muny yinya bubu-muny.


<translate> The tree with leaves stands there.


<translate> Sweet — the children's faces were covered in honey all afternoon!

Karrkay-karrkaymu walu wunbaji yilay-yilay!


<translate> You want to speak only to me.


<translate> The grey kangaroo is in the scrub.


<translate> You see the bronze wing pigeon here.


<translate> The girl asked grandmother about news.


<glossary> duru-duru ; type=adjective ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I'm puzzled about the engine


<translate> The old woman said the fire is the great changer of the world, for it makes the wet wood dry and the hard clay soft, it makes the tough root tender enough to eat, it makes the green bark curl, it makes the cold body warm and the frightened heart calm, so that a person who has learned to master fire has learned to change a hundred things that without it would stay forever as they are.

Wulbumanangka balkan baya nyulu yindu-bungal-bama yalbay bubumuny, nyulu juku ngawa kaka-bungal dandi-kambar kima-bal, nyulu bangkan dandi kima-bungal nukanka, nyulu warrur jirakal murrnga-bungal, nyulu bangkarr kiway-kiway wumbul-bungal wawu yinil-ji wunbu-bungal, bama nyulu baya karrbanka binalman nyulu binalman yindu-bungalka wubul yamba nyulu baya-kari-ji janan wungar wubulku yala jana janan.


<translate> The child asked grandmother about water.


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


<translate> They saw the grey March fly here.


<translate> The black palm stands there.


<translate> If the child is hungry, grandmother will give food.

Kaki karrkay dakuy, babi-ngka mayi dajil.


<translate> The old woman showed the young mother how to carry and settle a fretful baby: she wrapped it firmly in the soft bark, held it upright against the warmth of her body, walked slowly with a swaying step, hummed the low quieting song, watched for the moment the little eyes grew heavy, laid it down without waking it, and then sat close by until she was sure it was deeply asleep.

Wulbumanangka karrkay-ngamu milbin yala ngawa jiba-badi jarrakulbalka janka-bungalka: nyulu kambi jinbalbu junkurr buwan, wangkar karrban nyungu bangkarr wumbul ngundu, buban-buban jilban jibul-jibul jinabu, kuku janka buban wangan, bundan dukul miyil buban dandi-mandanya, wunaman kari wandi-manilbu, yalada ngundu bundan dukul nyulu binal nyulu wujurr-bu wunanmu.


<translate> The country itself speaks in withs, the old man swept his arm across it: flower-with means honey soon, cloud-with means look at the shelters, smoke-with means people, track-with means dinner — so a reader of withs is never startled twice.

Bubu nyulu-nyulu balkal '-ji'-bu, mukulungku dingkarangka wakuy milbin: nganka-ji balkal wunba ngundu, ngurrban-ji balkal bayan nyaji, kubu-ji balkal bama, jina-ji balkal mayi, yalada bama '-ji' nyajilmuny nyulu kariku yinil-mal jambulku.


<translate> We see the kalu garfish here.


<translate> The one without a spear cannot hunt the big kangaroo, and the one without a net catches no fish.

Kalka-kari-ngka mayarriji yalbay kari balbi, makarr-kari-ngka kuyu kari manil.


<glossary> didal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=clothing-adornment <usage_example> I put my good clothes on


<translate> The young man brought fish and turtle to his wife's father for many long seasons, the old man said, exactly as the old law of marriage requires of a man.

Warru-ngku kuyu ngawiya-jirr nyungu biwar-mu ngalayan-nka wundi wungar-jarra wubul, mukul-dingkar balkan, yala dunyu-mu yalaku kalbay-muny balka.


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


<translate> You see the scrub tree there.


<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 old man said the measure of a people is how they treat those who can no longer contribute: a people that discards its old and weak has already lost its soul, whatever else it may have gained, and a people that carries them has kept the one thing that matters.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bama nyubunmu dandi yala jana ngaral bama jana kari dajil: bama nyulu mukul junkurr-kari kudamundu yilbal nyungu wawu ngadiku kilban, nyulu yamba yindu manin baja, bama nyulu jana jarrakulbal yamba nyubun dandi karrbal.


<translate> First the lightning, then the thunder, then the rain — the storm keeps its own order every time.

Balbay-ngurr, yalada jabulbina, yalada kaba, jarramalibu murni-jina nyungu-nyungu karrbal nyubun-nyubunbu.


<translate> We see the marrku fruit here.


<translate> The tide is out — let's get shellfish!


<glossary> babarr ; type=noun ; domain=kinship <usage_example> The younger brothers went to their older sister for food


<translate> We see the murrkul tree there.


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


<translate> Grandmother saw the digging stick on the ground.


<translate> I see the black kangaroo here.


<translate> It is the mother's brother, not the father, who gives the boy his very first spear, the old man said, and who watches over the whole of his growing up.

Kalnga-ngku, kari nganjan-ngku, karrkay kalka nyubun-nya daji, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu nyungu yalbay-ma-nya narmba nyaji-nyaji.


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


<translate> You see the jinjajalka tree there.


<translate> The children chased each other around the big fig tree in the afternoon.

Karrkay-karrkay kanga-way dukal-juku yalbay kudamundu, wungar bada.


<translate> You all saw the kujuway pigeon here.


<translate> When will the women come back?


<glossary> janbangaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The car is stuck in the mud


<translate> The dog dug up granny's yams — she growled at it!

Kayangka babimu wukay bakan — babi yirrkan kayanda!


<translate> The fish were all caught by the children with their bare hands in the shallow creek.

Kuyu wubul karrkay-anda mara-bu karrba-jin, wawubaja buban-ba.


<translate> You two saw the kalngkan small mullet there.


<translate> The old woman closed the house.


<translate> A tree that feeds everyone is a good tree, he said, and a person who shares like that tree is a good person.

Juku bama wubulku nukamanil juku ngulkurr, nyulu balkan, bama nyulu dajil yala juku bama ngulkurr.


<translate> The dog chased the children.


<translate> Granny laughed and lifted the baby up high.


<translate> You and I saw the kubu-kubu tadpole there.


<translate> We see the running water here.


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


<translate> The children carried this last of the old ones' teachings, and it served them all their lives: prepare like a pessimist, then live like an optimist, for the one who has prepared for rain can walk in the sun without a care.

Karrkay-karrkayangka yinya kuku ngadikumu ngadiku wundin, nyulu jana kirrajin wawu wubulku: yamba mumbuka ngara-ngarr, yalada wawu-mini bunda, bama nyulu kabaka ngaranmuny wungara nyulu jilbay milka-kari.


<translate> We see the jungka wild cherry tree there.


<translate> The girls carried the yams back to the camp and washed them in the water.

Jalbu-jalbu-ngka bambayal bayan-ka wundin, bana-nga julurriny.


<translate> The old man said the whole kin-system rested finally on memory and on telling, for none of it was written and none of it could be looked up, and so a people kept its kin-web alive only by the old constantly telling the young how everyone was related, at every gathering, at every meal, on every walk, so that the ceaseless quiet naming of relations was the very act by which the web was kept from unravelling across the generations.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan jawun-karra wubulku janan bada bajaku milka-nga kuku-balkalba, yinya kari nyubun kunkul-manin nyubun kari nyaji-manilmuny, bama nyungu jawun-karra wunay-manil nganga mukul wungar wubulku warru-warra balkalmuny yala bama wubulku kajan, bangkarr nyubun-nyubunba, mayi nyubun-nyubunba, jilbal wungara baja, kunjal dandi bada-kari karra-nga nyulu yamba nyubun jawun-karra janga-kari karrbanmuny wungar-kadal wubulku.


<translate> You saw the sea turtle there.


<glossary> biwur ; type=adverb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> He is sitting with his hands holding his legs


<translate> You see the cockatoo crest there.


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


<translate> They saw that marrabal ti tree.


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> Match the with to its company, the old woman kept the grammar straight: things take ji, people and dogs take nji, and after a trilled tail it is iji — walarr-iji, the bearded one — for even with must dress for its company.

Kaja '-ji' jawunka nyunguka, wulbumanangka kuku-jina dandi karrban: yambabu manil '-ji', bamabu kayabu manil '-nji', badaba 'rr'-muny nyulu '-iji', 'walarr-iji', kuku '-ji' baja nyulu kambi yindu-yindu manil.


<translate> You see the daughter's child.


<translate> We see the archerfish there.


<translate> The fire is hotter than the water.


<translate> The two women looked at each other and chatted happily by the fire.

Jalbu bula nyaji-way, balka-way ngulkurr baya karangkal.


<translate> The father shaped a small toy spear for his son so the boy could learn to throw; the boy practised all day, and by dusk he could hit the mark.

Nganjangka karrkay-nka kalka baki buban bungan, karrkay yilba binalma; karrkay wungar-wungar yilban, wungar bada-nya nyulu duburan daman.


<translate> They filled every dilly bag.


<translate> I saw the freshwater turtle here.


<translate> You all saw the wakuka bird there.


<translate> With a sharp knife you cut the meat, and with a heavy stone axe you split the hard, dry wood.

Naybu-bu minya yaka-l, warrbi-bu juku junkurr marral yaka-l.


<translate> In the long dry the country pulls its own water down into hidden camps, the old man taught: the creek goes under its own sand and keeps walking there, the frog shuts itself in a clay shelter, the tree drops many leaves and keeps the few, so the dry is not death, it is the country holding its breath, and the first rain is the long breathing-out.

Marral kalbayba bubu-bu bana nyungu-nyungu bada kulbal bayanka ngakijinka, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin: wawubaja dungay badabada jukar nyungu-nyungumuny, nyulu jilbal yinyanga yabarrka, yuday nandaji kambar-bayanba, jukubu birra wubul bawal, buban karrbal, yalada marral nyulu kari wula, nyulu bubu wawu karrbanya, kaba ngadiku nyulu wawu-dayal kalbay.


<translate> The two of them see the whip snake there.


<translate> You see the knight fish here.


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


<translate> The old man's summing was this: everything a person can have, they can also lack, and the whole of a life is learning which havings truly matter and which lackings truly wound, for a person can be rich in things and poor in every way that counts, or own almost nothing and be full to overflowing, so measure your life not by the with and the without but by whether the withs are the ones worth having.

Mukul nyungu kuku-dumbal yinya: yamba wubulku bama karrbalmuny, nyulu baja bawal, wawu wubulku kalbaymu nyulu binalman wanya karrbal bajaku yukil wanya bawal bajaku buyun, bama nyulu yamba-ji yamba wubulku yamba-kari baral wubulkubu, yambada yamba nganga karrbal nyulu jiba yajin bajaku, nyaji nyungu wawu kari yamba-ji yamba-kari-bu yambada yamba-ji nyulu nyubun karrbanka yukilmuny.


<translate> The boys gathered wood; the girls got water; the fire was going before night.

Dabalangka juku bangkan; maral-maralangka bana manin; baya wajun wujurrmanyjiku.


<translate> Give this meat to the old man, and keep that for the children.

Yanyu minya mukul-dingkar-nka daji, yinya karrkay-nka karrba.


<translate> The pebble there is not round.


<translate> The two brothers are exactly alike; you cannot tell the older one from the younger one.

Yaba jambul yala-karrajikur; yundu kari binal, wanjinya mukul wanjinya buban.


<translate> The little girl cooked her first fish by herself, burnt on one side and raw on the other, and the old man ate every bit of it slowly and said it was the best fish of the wet season — and that is how cooks are made.

Jalbu-bubanangka kuyu ngadiku nyungu wajun nyubunji, wajun bajaku ngubara jani-kari ngubara yindu, mukulungku dingkarangka wubulku nukan buban-buban, balkan kuyu yukil bajaku bana-wungarmuny, yalabu waju-bama murninmuny.


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


<translate> The old man watched the woman weaving the dilly-bag from the vine, the old woman said, and he saw that her fingers were quick and sure.

Mukul-dingkarangka jalbu nyaji-l-nyaji-n, ngunyin jaba-l-jaba-nya wangay-mu, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu nyaji nyungu mara bila junkurr.


<translate> We see the ngarkay waterhen here.


<translate> That night the whole camp ate together and told stories until the little ones fell asleep.

Yinya kunarangkal jana wubulku mayi nukan, kuku balkan, ngawa-ngawa warngku wunanyjiku.


<translate> They ground the seeds between two flat stones to make fine flour for damper.

Jalbu-jalbungku diburr nyurrban kulji jambulbu, bulawu buban damba ngaranka.


<translate> The warrior held the broad wooden shield up and turned the flying spear aside.

Dingkar-angka kunjuri juku yalbay wangkar-a karrban, kalka mumal-nya nyunban.


<translate> You all see the bush fire here.


<translate> They took the net to catch a lot of fish, but they forgot the bag for carrying them home, the old man laughed about his own young days, so we stood like ibis birds with our arms full, and the teaching is: see the whole road, not only the shining part where the fish are.

Jana makarr wundin kuyu wubul bangkanka, yambada jana balji milka-wulan kuyu wundinka bayanka, mukulungku dingkarangka yajarr-man wungar warrumuny nyungu-nyungumuny, ngana janan yala birmba wakuy jakal-ji, milbil nyulu yala: nyaji baral wubulku, kari nganga bubu jilu-jilu kuyu wunanya.


<translate> Father saw the freshwater turtle in the water.


<translate> The old man said: teach the children to make fire, to make spears, and to heal the sick, because the one who can make things is never poor.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: karrkay-karrkay binal-bunga baya jakalamba, kalka bunga, bambay kakawarri-bunga, bama bunga-l-bama kariku mayi-kari.


<translate> The freshwater prawn is there.


<translate> My spear broke — I'll make a new one.

Ngayku kalka kadaban — ngayu jirakal balkal.


<translate> The fire was left burning all through the night, and by morning only charcoal remained.

Baya waju-l bawa-jin wujurr wubulku, wunkuwingku ngunjil nganga wuna-l.


<translate> The dog chased the wallaby into the scrub, but the wallaby was fast and ran off across the river.

Kayangka kadar madjanga kangan, yambada kadar warri, wawubajaburr dungan.


<translate> We see the sand whiting here.


<translate> The child hurt itself on the sharp rock while it was playing by the water.

Karrkay kulji jalngkun-bu buyun-dama-jin, bana karangkal kinka-nya.


<translate> And that, said the old man, is the last and deepest precaution of all: to look clearly, before you act, at who you will have become when the acting is done — for of all the things you must prepare for, the hardest to face is yourself.

Yinya, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, nyaji-ngarr ngadiku bada bajaku wubulmuny: yaral nyaji, ngaranyjiku ngadiku, wanya yundu kambanya ngaran dunganyjiku, yamba wubulmuny yundu ngaranka, dandi bajaku nyajinka yundu nyulu-nyulu.


<glossary> bajaku ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> he's a real aboriginal


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


<translate> Tell the children the flood story before the flood comes back, the old woman pressed the young parents every wet season, for the water returns on its own law, and a story told in the right time is a hard shelter, but a story told afterwards is only a stone with marks on it.

Karrkay-karrkaynka kuku-jangkar bana-yalbaymuny balka bana kadanyjiku baja, wulbumanangka warru-dunyu jurrngan bana-wungar nyubun-nyubunba, bana nyulu kaday baja kuku nyungu-nyungubu, kuku-jangkar balkanmuny wungara yukilba nyulu bayan dandi, yambada kuku-jangkar balkanmuny badaku nyulu kulji nganga jina-ji.


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> Do not swim in the deep water at dusk, the old woman ordered the children, and do not wash fish close to the water, lest the crocodile learn that this camp feeds it, for the crocodile holds in its ear every heedless camp on the river.

Kari maraji bana dukurrba miyil-wujurr-wujurrba, wulbumanangka karrkay-karrkay balkan, kari kuyu julurrika bana ngundu, bilngkumu binal-manyji yinya bayanda nyulu mayi-dayal, bilngkumungku karrbal milkanga bayan milka-kari nyubun-nyubun wawubajanga.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the dawa-dawa magpie here.


<translate> A boy asked why they worked so hard on the tools when the rain kept them in camp anyway.

Karrkayangka babajin: wanyurringku jana junkurrku kirrajil yambaka, kababu jana bayanba kujinya?


<translate> Stop and give up now; leave that heavy log where it lies, it is too big to move.

Balu niji! Bawa juku kulngkul yinya, nyulu yalbay-baja wandi-mani-nka.


<translate> I see the wurarr-wurarr dragonfly there.


<translate> The dog called out at the kangaroo.


<translate> The child left the dilly bag in the shade.


<translate> The old man said taste is a map of the country: a person who knows their food knows the land, for each plant grows only in its own place and season and tells you where you are and what time it is, and a traveller far from home who tastes a familiar food knows a piece of their own country has reached out to meet them in a strange place.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: nganja bubumu jina-yukil: bama nyulu nyungu mayi binal nyulu bubu binal, mayi nyubun wubulku nyulu-nyulu bubungu wungara nganga jarra yundunka balkal wanja yundu janay wanya wungar, jilba-bama bayanmuny kala-kalbay nyulu mayi binalbu nganja-kangal nyulu binal nyungu bubu buban nyulu ngundu-mundu nyaji-wa-nka bubu yindungu.


<translate> The boy fell ill after the long walk, his body grew hot, but after two days he became well and stood up strong again.

Buban bambay-man jilbay yalbay-muny, nyulu wumbul-man, yambada wungar jambul-muny nyulu kakawarri-man, junkurr wandin baja.


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


<translate> The wind dropped and the sea went flat.


<translate> Mother washed the child's face.


<translate> Grandfather brought clothes from the house.


<translate> The two of them saw the jabarrangkul ant here.


<translate> That food there is not sticky.


<translate> Meanwhile in the water, I saw fish.


<translate> Sit close and tell me everything from the beginning.

Bunda ngundu, balka ngaykunka wubulku ngadikumuny.


<translate> We, not you, saw the jandu starch there.


<translate> The cold water was sweet in the hunter's throat after the long walk.

Bana ngiki jiba-wula-wula balbi-bama-mu manu-ngu, jilba-l kalbay-muny.


<translate> He sees the spear point here.


<translate> Late in the afternoon the sun sinks low and the shadows grow long on the ground.

Wungar bada dunga-y niji, wabarr kalbay-ma-l bubu-ngu.


<translate> We see the willie wagtail here.


<translate> You and I saw the stingray there.


<translate> The old man asked grandfather about news.


<translate> The old woman said the hardest question a person ever faces is asked in silence by their own conscience in the dark before sleep: did I act well today, was I fair, did I take more than I gave, did I turn away from someone who needed me, and she taught that a person who can lie awake honestly asking themselves these questions will grow good, while one who never asks them will not.

Wulbumanangka balkan kuku dandi bajaku bama nyubun nyajil babajin dandi-bu nyungu-nyungu wawu-milka wujurr-bu wunay ngadiku: ngayu murni yukil yinya wungar, ngayu daji-way-yukil, ngayu manin ngulkurr-baja dayanmuny, ngayu bawan bama nyubun ngaya wawu-manilmuny, nyulu milbin bama nyulu wuna-janan kuku-yukil-bu nyulu-nyulu babajil kuku yinya nyulu yukil-manda, yambada nyulu kariku babajil nyulu kari.


<translate> The dog is not vicious, but its teeth are bad.


<translate> You all saw the ngumbul snake here.


<translate> You all see the kookaburra here.


<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> The old woman said a good cook tastes as she goes, adjusting by memory and by feel, adding a little of this and a little of that, for cooking is not a fixed law but a conversation between the cook and the food, and the same dish is never quite the same twice, and this is not a flaw but the whole living pleasure of it.

Wulbumanangka balkan: waju-bama yukil nganja-kangal nyulu dungalba, murni-manil milkabu marabu, buban yinyamu daya buban yindumu baja, waju kari kuku-yukil janji yambada kuku-daji waju-bama mayi baja dukurr-bu, mayi nyubun kariku nyubun jambulmu, yinya kari mumbu yambada wawu-mini wula wubulku nyungu.


<translate> The old man's liver is the seat of his sorrow, and his liver-cry shows he grieves for the sick child.

Mukul-dingkar jiba nyungu jiba-badi-mu, jiba-badi nyaji-mani nyulu karrkay bambay-nka.


<translate> That willie wagtail is here.


<translate> The woman asked father about food.


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


<translate> They saw the bronze wing pigeon here.


<translate> They saw the kalkuri tree there.


<translate> I see the forest kingfisher here.


<translate> The old woman said a lost person should sit down and wait to be found.

Wulbumanangka balkan bama nubi-ji-nya bunday, jana milbi-nka.


<translate> Do not touch the vicious dog lest it bite you.

Kari kaya kuli-ji karrba, yununy bayka-nyji.


<translate> They saw the shell back snail here.


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


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


<translate> I saw the karrkurr frog there.


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

Yinyarrin carpenter jana bada-badada workmal


<translate> I take a spear just in case a pig comes.

Ngayu kalka wundil, nganganjirrka bikibiki kada-nya-mun-ku.


<translate> They saw the small ant bed here.


<glossary> kana-baykal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I'm angry at you


<translate> The old man said: teach the children to ask well. A good question opens the country; ask who, ask what, ask where and when — the one who asks learns, the one who is silent stays small.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: karrkay-karrkay binal-bunga ngulkurr babaji-nka. Babaji ngulkurr bubu bakal; wanya babaji, wanyu babaji, wanjabu, wanja-wanja babaji — babaji-bama binalmal, nganga-bama buban wunay.


<translate> Burn ironwood bark lest thunder come.

Jujabala dumbul waju, jarramali kada-nyji.


<translate> The sick child's body was hot with fever, and the old woman gave him bush medicine.

Karrkay bambay-mu bangkarr wumbul-baja, wulbumanangka dukunjaka dajin.


<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


<translate> You two saw the jalkay salmon here.


<translate> Everywhere you dig here you find someone's morning — move the camp, not the ground.

Yiringkurr yundu bakal yanyaba, yundu muduwaju bamamuny manil: bayan wundi, kari bubu.


<translate> I am afraid to go out in the dark.


<translate> The red king parrot is there.


<translate> She sang the song through twice, then the girls sang it too, and then they sang it alone.

Nyulu wulngku badin jambulku, yalada jalbu-buban badin baja, yalada nyubunji jana badin.


<translate> Do not eat that food; it is bad.


<translate> You and I saw the jakalkulu tree stump there.


<translate> You two see the swallow there.


<translate> I see the willie wagtail here.


<translate> Grandad is telling a story about the big water.


<translate> A big tree had fallen across the path in the night, and the men cut it up for firewood.

Juku yalbay daran jinanga kunarangkal, dingkar-dingkarangka juku yakan bayaka wubulku.


<translate> Grandmother went into the grass with the baby.


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


<translate> We see the seashell headband there.


<translate> They see the king parrot here.


<translate> We see the diburr-miyil eyeball here.


<translate> We stayed at camp; meanwhile rain fell.


<translate> You all saw the diwalngku bird here.


<translate> The little boy stubbed his big toe hard on the rock and cried out loudly in real pain.

Warru buban durru yalbay kulji-nga kunin, nyulu yalbay-bu yirrkan kaka-baja.


<translate> The two of them saw the mali small bat there.


<translate> The stars are the small fires of the old dead people, burning far away in the black night sky.

Dawar bama wula-nya-mu baya buban, kala-kalbay wajun jiri ngumbu wujurr-ba.


<translate> You see the red king parrot there.

Yundu karrambil ngala-ngala yinyay nyajil.


<translate> Hold the baby while I tie the bag, then we can go.

Ngawa karrba ngayu balji kajanya, yalada ngana dungay.


<glossary> balanbalan ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> When you camp out, you should build your shelter on flat ground

Yundu balnhi wunay, bayan ngara bubunga balanbalanba


<translate> The stingray hides by becoming the floor — some strength is in the lying still.

Yawu ngakijil bubu-manya: junkurr nyubun-nyubun wunanya wunbu.


<translate> I saw the mirrku kidney bird there.


<glossary> walkandu ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> Don't talk in English


<translate> I saw the birinjil centipede here.


<translate> We see the small sticks here.


<translate> I see the freshwater turtle here.


<translate> The old people said the kin must look after each other when times are hard.

Bama mukul balkan jawun kuji-way ngiki-wungar-a.


<translate> People made too much noise at night, and the old man told them to be quiet because the children were sleeping.

Bama nyurra-baka wujurr-ba, mukul-dingkarangka jana-nka balkan, janka, karrkay-karrkay warngku wunay.


<translate> The white wattle tree stands there.


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


<translate> The big rock python swallowed a whole kangaroo and then lay still for many days.

Kabul yalbay-angka mayarriji nyubun durrban, yalada kalbay-baja janka wuna-l wungar wubulku.


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


<translate> They see the waterfall there.


<translate> The two of them saw the jadi goanna there.


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


<translate> That marngkil ti tree is there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the bilu-warra spoonbill there.


<translate> The baby's tooth is sore — it keeps crying.


<translate> He sees the miyilabu mangrove tree there.


<lexeme> the point between Kangkiji and Kaway


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


<glossary> binju ; type=noun ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> tea that is too strong


<translate> The children laughed and laughed when the old man told the story about the cheeky dog.

Karrkay-karrkay yajarrin yajarrin, mukul-dingkar-angka kuku balkan kaya-mu.


<translate> The old man said: What you give to each other comes back to you, and what you keep from each other is lost to everyone, including yourself.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Yurra wanyu daji-way, yinya yurranka kaday baja; yurra wanyu bawa-way, yinya wubulkumuny kilbay, yurra baja.


<translate> You two saw the jamal egg white there.


<translate> People shouted from down there, so the old man heard them and sent a child to look.

Bama badabada-mundu yirrkan, mukul-dingkarangka jana nyajin, karrkay yungan nyaji-nka.


<translate> They saw the black beetle there.


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


<translate> The hunter got water from the waterhole and filled his dilly-bag before he set out on the long walk at first light.

Balbi-bama bana-mabi-muny bana mani, ngunyin warmba, kala-kalbay-ka jilba-nyjiku wunkuwingku-ba.


<translate> Grandmother got loya vine leaves for the shelter.


<translate> The woman saw the bottlebrush tree.


<lexeme> upper reaches of the Bloomfield River


<translate> You all see the spear barb there.


<translate> The old man said each tree has its own use: this one for spears, that one for dilly-bag string, and the big fig for shade and food.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: juku wubulku nyungu yukil — yinya kalka-nka, yinya yinkar-karra-nka, dukal yalbay ngungul mayi-jirr.


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


<translate> The men built a low bark humpy to keep the whole family dry through the wet season.

Dingkar-angka wurun warrur-bu buban bungan, jawun-karra wubul kaba-muny.


<translate> You see the small ant bed here.


<translate> Heat is a heavy thing that cannot be seen, the old woman said, making wind over the baby with a leaf: it sits on the chest of the old people, the dogs dig cool beds under the shade, and it turns the waterbag into the best-loved relative, so in the hot season call nobody lazy — the heavy thing they are carrying just does not show.

Wumbul nyulu yamba dandi nyajil-kari, wulbumanangka balkan, ngawa birrabu muyar-bunganya: nyulu bundal damungu bama mukulmuny, kayangka bubu bakal wabarr badabada, nyulu bana-balji jawun yukil bajaku murnil, yalada wangariji kari bama kunja junkurr-kari, yamba dandi jana wundilmuny nyulu nganga nyajil-kari.


<translate> The old man said nothing about his warning; he only wrapped them in warm bark and gave them hot food.

Mukul dingkar kari balkan nyungu milbinmuny; nyulu nganga jana buykubu wumbulbu nandan, mayi wumbul dajin.


<translate> Mother saw the child's ankle.


<translate> Which part goes to the old people? — The soft inside parts, always; their teeth have grown old from much work.

Wanjaku yamba bama mukulanka? Yamba kima dukurrmuny, yabarrka, dirra jana mukul-man murnimuny wubulkumuny.


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


<translate> You and I see the clam there.


<translate> I see the wankar tree there.


<translate> First the lightning, then the thunder, then the rain — the storm keeps its own order every time.

Balbay-ngurr, yalada jabulbina, yalada kaba, jarramalibu murni-jina nyungu-nyungu karrbal nyubun-nyubunbu.


<translate> We, not you, saw the balja food there.


<translate> In the rotting log the old man also found fat white grubs, a special food the children love.

Juku kabungu mukulungku dingkarangka jambun wandul nyajin baja, mayi ngulkurr karrkay-karrkayangka wawu jirray.


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


<translate> The mother always fed the little children first, the old woman said, and ate only what was left over when everyone else had already eaten.

Ngamu-ngku marri karrkay-karrkay buban nyubun mayi daji, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu nuka kanbal-jinbaji wubulku wawu-nuka-nya-muny.


<translate> The crested pigeon is there.


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


<glossary> babaji ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> I asked him, Who is he?


<translate> The men cooked the whole kangaroo in a ground oven with hot stones.

Dingkar mayarriji wubul wajun bubu-janku-ngu, kulji wumbul-bu.


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


<translate> The Leichhardt tree is standing outside.


<translate> I did not sleep well in the night, for the mosquitoes were very bad.

Ngayu wujurr-ba ngulkurr kari wunan, kamu wubul-baja.


<translate> Speak to the angry man tomorrow, not tonight, the old woman advised her grandson, lest two hot words build a fight that many cold words cannot pull down, for anger is a fire in dry grass: do not feed it tonight, cover it with sand, and tomorrow you will walk on warm quiet ash.

Balka dingkar kuli-jirranda wunkuny, kari wujurrba, wulbumanangka kaminjarranda milbin, kuku wumbul jambulbu kuniway bunganyji, kuku kiway-kiway wubulbu nyulu kariku bada-bungal, kuli nyulu baya jikanba bana-kari: kari nyulu mayi-daya wujurrba, jukarbu nanda, wunkuny yundu jilbal jukara wumbul wunbu.


<translate> We see the sugar glider there.


<translate> We see the marku species of oyster here.


<translate> You all see the waterfall there.


<translate> Grandad built a small fire and sat beside it.

Kamingka baya buban ngaran, bayanga bundanda.


<translate> You two see the pumice stone there.


<translate> The black bean walks the longest road of any food, the old woman counted it out beside the fire: gather first of all, then crack, then into the water for many days, then grind, then wash in the running water, then cook, and only then eat — many gates, she said, and the impatient walk through one less of them, exactly once.

Baway jilbal baral kalbay bajaku mayimuny wubulkumuny, wulbumanangka yinya milbin baya ngundu: mana-ngurr, yalada dumbarrika, yalada bananga yijarrika wungar wubulku, yalada yurrika, yalada julurrika bana warrinya, yalada wajuka, yalada nganga nuka, baral-ngandal wubul, nyulu balkan, bama wawu-karrba-kari jilbal nyubun-kari nganga, nyubunbu nganga.


<glossary> kulay ; type=noun ; domain=human-generic-classifier <usage_example> Don't commit adultery


<translate> I saw the flower on the tree.


<glossary> damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> the pastor baptised him


<translate> That azure kingfisher is there.


<lexeme> the point between Kangkiji and Kaway


<translate> The girl laughed at the young man.


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


<translate> You saw the jinabiju goshawk here.


<translate> The witchetty grub is fat and white, and it is good to eat raw or cooked.

Mujurr yalbay ngumbu-kari, ngulkurr nuka-nka kabu-kari wajun.


<translate> We see the black spotted dart there.


<translate> The child asked father about water.


<translate> You and I see the mudcrab there.


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


<translate> You and I see the swamp there.


<translate> The old woman sorted anger into three baskets: dukul-wuri the hot head, jakay-jakay the prickling skin, kana-baykal the slow rising — name the basket, she said, and you are already halfway out of it.

Wulbumanangka kuli yijarrin baljinga kulura: dukul-wuri dukul wumbul, jakay-jakay bangkarr jakay, kana-baykal wandil buban-buban: kunja wanjaku balji, nyulu balkan, yundu baralba ngalkalku ngadiku.


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


<translate> We see the stony crossing here.


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


<translate> Granny cooked the yams in the hot ashes. They tasted good.

Babingka wukay wayjun nulungu wumbulngu. Ngulkurr nukajin.


<translate> We see the clean house here.


<translate> You all see the thigh there.


<translate> After the cyclone the country lay beaten down, and the young people cried at the sight of it, but the old woman walked through that country naming the living: this root will rise again, these many seeds were standing ready for exactly this, that hollow tree fed the fire but its own children stand all around it, so she said: the country is not broken, it is becoming-first again, and that work this country knows best of all.

Wadjalmuny bubu wunan bada yala kuninmuny, warru-warru badin nyajinya, yambada wulbuman jilban bubu-burr yinya, juran kunjanya: bangkan yala nyulu wandil baja, diburr wubulku janan yinyaka nganga, juku dimbirr yinya bayaka dungan yambada kangkal nyungu janay ngundu wubulku, yalada nyulu balkan: bubu nyulu kari dumbarrijin, nyulu ngadiku-mal baja, yinya murni bubu-bu binal yukil bajaku.


<translate> You see the dark cloud there.


<glossary> kunjal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> Mother's calling you


<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


<translate> You two saw the outrigger canoe there.


<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> You two see the mulumu dove here.


<translate> Mum got water from the river.


<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.


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


<translate> The young man went up there.


<translate> The young men sat in the dugout canoe.


<translate> We see the scrub tree there.


<glossary> kiji-kijiyal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He is tickling the child


<translate> You see the high bank there.


<translate> The old woman taught the cure for jealousy: when you feel ngujan rising, turn your eyes from what another has to what you have, and look at it slowly until the wanting quiets.

Wulbumanangka milbin ngujanmu kakawarri: yundu ngujan wandinya milkanya, yundu miyil murni bama yindumu yambamuny yundu nyungu yambaka, nyaji buban-buban wawu wunbu-manyjiku.


<translate> You and I see the lizard there.


<translate> The man put the meat in the bag.


<translate> The child saw the slippery ground.


<glossary> wulman ; type=noun ; domain=weapon <usage_example> Where is your husband?


<translate> You and I see the kakarr grass there.


<glossary> janbangaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The car is stuck in the mud


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


<translate> The old woman said a country with a keeper and a country without one grow apart within a single lifetime, for the kept country has its tracks kept clear, its waters kept clean, its stories kept alive and its burning done in season, while the keeper-less country grows wild and choked and dangerous and slowly forgets the people just as the people forgot it.

Wulbumanangka balkan bubu kuji-bama-ji bubu kuji-bama-kari yindu-yindu janji wawu nyubun kalbay-mba, bubu kujin nyungu jina jirakal karrban, bana yukil karrban, jangkar wunay karrban baya wungar bungan, yambada bubu kuji-bama-kari jiwarrin karra-manda yinil-manda buban-buban milka-wulan bama yala bama nyulu milka-wulanmuny.


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


<translate> I saw the kinga caterpillar here.


<translate> Grandmother saw the morning star.


<translate> Those small sticks are there.


<translate> The person there is beautiful.


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

Nyulu nganjar-nganjar kadan, jana wanjamun kamukamu manin


<glossary> yirrnga ; type=noun ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> When you have your labour pains, go to the hospital


<translate> I see the cockatoo crest here.


<translate> The old man said to the boy: "When the hot season comes, where will we two find the ripe fruit and honey?"

Mukul-dingkar-angka karrkay balkan: Wumbul-wungar kada-nya, ngali wanjabu mayi kulbul wunba mani?


<translate> He sees the jirimandi coconut tree here.


<glossary> majamal-majamal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> He is too bossy


<translate> That baggy clothing is 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> You and I saw the jurriyan satin bower bird there.


<translate> The old woman washed her foot.


<glossary> duru-duru ; type=adjective ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I'm puzzled about the engine


<translate> You saw the juku-juku bronzewing dove there.


<translate> You and I saw the dukul-barangkal flathead fish there.


<translate> They saw the jungarr marsupial native cat here.


<glossary> yukil ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Is it true that he came?


<translate> They see the karranda tree here.


<translate> The women dug the mussels from the sand with sticks and laid them in their paperbark before the tide turned.

Jalbu mukirr jukar-muny bakan juku-bu, nyungu buyku-ngu wunan yira jurrkin ngadiku.


<translate> They saw the love handles here.


<translate> You two saw the karunkurr crested pigeon here.


<translate> The two of them saw the makirr yellow ochre here.


<translate> He sees the kajarrbi clam shell here.


<translate> He is well now after being sick.


<translate> You two saw the yiki owl there.


<translate> The old woman said the trees teach the deepest patience of all, for a person plants a nut knowing they will never sit in its shade, that the shade is for the grandchildren of their grandchildren, and yet the old people planted anyway, generation after generation, and this is why the country was full of great old trees, because a thousand generations chose to give a gift they would never receive.

Wulbumanangka balkan juku milbil maku-janal bada bajaku wubulmuny, bama barka jarral binal nyulu kariku nyungu wabarrba bundal, wabarr nyungu jija-jija nyungu jija-jijamu, yambada bama mukul jarran yambada, wungar-kadal wungar-kadal baja, yinya bubu buwan juku yalbay mukul-mabibu, wubul wungar-kadal manin dayanka daji jana kariku manilmuny.


<translate> I saw the biwul snake there.


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


<translate> They see the pumice stone here.


<translate> Did you hear that lonely bird calling out in the deep of the night, the old woman asked, for that call is a sure sign of the rains coming soon.

Yundu buyi yinya wujurr dajali-ba yirrka-nya milka-janan? mukul-jalbu-ngku nyajin, yinya yirrka kaba kada-nya-mu nyaji.


<translate> You two see the scrub goanna there.


<glossary> yaral ; type=adjective ; domain=water <usage_example> You talk in the right way (not cheeky - talk as you should in a court case)


<glossary> milka ngabal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> God will give them judgement


<translate> The dog bit grandfather's upper leg.


<glossary> bajaku ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> They got very much food from the store


<translate> Shame and small-fear are neighbours; greet them differently.

Murru-kaday yinil-buban jambul bayan-jawun: yulmbarri jana yindu-yindubu.


<glossary> baja ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> They hit the snake again and again with stones

jana kuljubu jarba kunin baja, kunin baja


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


<translate> You saw the mawal bee there.


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> I saw the baringkan small bird there.


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


<translate> You all see the sugar glider here.


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


<translate> You all see the mijan wart there.


<translate> The old people sang, and the children listened.

Mukul-bama wulngku badin, karrkay-karrkay milka-janan.


<glossary> ngaluri ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> The flames leap up from the fire


<translate> The young man's head is sore.


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


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


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


<translate> You see the diri-diri sandfly here.


<translate> You two saw the spring there.


<translate> You saw the kawarr bloodwood tree here.


<glossary> diburr ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> Ngayu diburr manin Sisterandamun


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<translate> The cassowary is heavier than the brolga, so two men are needed to carry it back to the camp.

Kurranji jarra-kulngkul kulbal-ka, dingkar jambul wawu nyulu bayan-ka wundinka.


<translate> The willie wagtail is there.


<translate> We heard the mopoke calling.

Ngana ngurrku nyajin, yirrkan-yirrkanya.


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


<translate> The boy forgot to tie the fishing-net tight to the mangrove root, the old woman said, and the strong tide pulled it loose and carried it out to sea.

Karrkay milka-wula makarr junkurr kajul ngara-ka kaja-nka, mukul-jalbu balkan, yira junkurr-bu kulba jalun-ka jarra-kulba.


<translate> I saw the kalbali tall man there.


<translate> Father saw the young man's arm.


<translate> The satin bower bird is there.


<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 little boy sat very quietly, still and silent, like a small grey rock in the hot sun.

Warru buban janka-baja-ku bundan, janka wumbul-ba, yala kulji buban ngungul wungar-a.


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


<translate> You and I see the mawal bee there.


<translate> The fresh water snake is here.


<translate> The children asked the old man which of all his relatives he had loved the most, and he smiled and said: That is like asking which of my fingers I would keep — I need them all, and each one differently, and a hand is not a hand without every one.

Karrkay-karrkayangka mukul dingkar babajin wanya nyungu jawun-karramuny nyulu wawu jirray bajaku, nyulu yajarrin, balkan: Yinya yala babajil wanya ngayku maramuny ngayu karrbal, ngayu wubulku wawu, wubulku yindu-yindu, mara kari mara nyubun-karimuny.


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


<translate> The child put the paperbark at camp.


<translate> We see the scrub wallaby here.


<translate> I saw the Torres Strait Island pigeon there.


<translate> You two see the dukul-barangkal flathead fish here.


<translate> They walked, came to the water, and then sat down.

Jana jilba-dungan, bana-ka kadan, bundan-da.


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


<translate> Grandmother left the stone on the road.


<translate> They see the grasshopper here.


<translate> I see the milbarkal tree here.


<translate> You two saw the walkarr goanna here.


<glossary> jarra-jarra ; type=adjective ; domain=dimension-size <usage_example> She climbed up high


<translate> He threw the boomerang at the flock of birds, and it knocked two of them down to the ground.

Nyulu wangal daman buyi wubul-ka, jambul bada kunin bubu-ngu.


<translate> You and I see the flathead there.


<translate> The child saw the duck outside.

Karrkay-ngku nili-nili ngalkal-ba nyajin.


<translate> The liar's fire needs wood every night; the truth sleeps and wakes warm.

Bama warmbijilmuny baya nyungu juku wawu-manil wujurr nyubun-nyubunba: manubaja wunay, wandil wumbul.


<translate> Grandfather got firewood outside.


<translate> The grandmother wrapped the baby in soft paperbark and laid it in a bark cradle; the wind rocked the bark cradle, and the baby slept while she wove.

Babingka ngawa buyku kima-bu karrban, dumbul-bu wunan; muyar-bu dumbul-buwa yungan, ngawa wunan, babi wukurrin.


<translate> You all saw the grasshopper here.


<translate> They saw the ngarkay waterhen here.


<translate> You and I see the dove there.


<translate> Granny is teaching the children language.

Babingka karrkay-karrkay binal-bungal kukuku.


<translate> You and I see the marrku fruit there.


<glossary> kunjal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> Mother's calling you


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


<translate> Stone is harder than wood, so the old people made the best axe-heads from stone.

Kulji jarra-dandi juku-ka, bama mukul kalka ngulkurr-baja-ku kulji-muny bungan.


<translate> When the old woman speaks, her tongue is quick and her words are always straight and true.

Mukul-jalbu balka-nya, nyungu nyabil jinbal, nyungu kuku jinbal ngulkurr baja.


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


<translate> The girls bathe in the water.


<translate> The child saw the saltwater crocodile in the water.


<translate> The death adder lies hidden in the leaves, so you must watch where you put your foot.

Kundurr birra-nga ngakiji wunay, yundu nyajilka wanja yundu jina wunan.


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


<translate> The girl helped her mother make ochre paint for the dancers: they dug the red ochre from the known place in the bank, ground it fine on a flat stone, mixed it with water and a little fat to bind it, warmed it gently by the fire, tested the color on a piece of bark, filled the small shell cups for each dancer, and then watched the men paint the old designs on one another before the evening dance.

Karrkay-jalbu nyungu ngamu mara-daji murbuy-kabu bama-nka bunganka: jana murbuy mula-mula jalkar-a bubu-binalmuny bakan, kulji yaralba jinbal nyurrban, bananji wandul buban baja murni-manin, baya ngunduku buban-buban wumbul-manin, murni kambi-buban-ba murni-nyajin, dakilji-kuyalin buban buwan bama nyubun nyubun, yalada dingkar-dingkar nyajin murbuy-burri ngadiku nyubun-nyubunji birra-bungal kunarangkal janji ngadiku.


<translate> I came from the far northern country, walked along the river track, and stayed at the big camp.

Ngayu bubu kala-kalbay kungkarr-muny kadan, wawubaja jina-burr jilban, bayan yalbay-mba bundan.


<translate> You two saw the bakay snake there.


<translate> You all saw the dawa-dawa magpie there.


<translate> They saw the giant herring here.


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


<glossary> walngal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Open the gate


<translate> The man speared the fish as it came close to the rock.

Dingkarangka kuyu daman, nyulu ngundu kada-nya.


<translate> The leaves on that tree are big.


<translate> The young man was weak with hunger from hunting so long without making any catch, the old woman said, and he came home with empty hands.

Warru dakuy-bu bambay, balbi-balbi-nya wumbul kari minya mani-nya, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu bayan-ka kaday mara ngamba-jirr.


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


<translate> You two see the sugar glider here.


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


<translate> You and I see the kurrujuwa sentry bird there.


<translate> The old man taught the boys that the right first question at a strange camp is not who are you or what do you want but where is your country, for the answer places a stranger in the whole web of relations at once, telling you who their people are, how they are tied to yours, and what law holds between you, so that where is your country is really the question who are you in disguise.

Mukulungku dingkarangka warru-warru milbin kuku ngadiku yukil bayan-yindungu nyulu kari wanya yundu yambada wanyu yundu wawu-manil yambada wanja yundu bubu, kuku-yukil bama-yindu kajal jawun-karra wubulku nyubunku, balkal wanya nyungu bama, wanjarr jana yundunji kajanmuny, wanyu kuku yundu-yindu jambul karrbal, wanja yundu bubu nyulu bajaku wanya yundu jindu-mabi.


<translate> He sees the mura tree there.


<translate> We see the forest kingfisher here.


<translate> The child sees the fish spear.


<translate> The stingray buries itself so well in the sand that a person can put a foot on it without seeing it at all.

Yawu jukar-a nyungu-nyungu ngulkurr-baja-ku ngakijin, bama nyulu jina yinya-nga wunan nyaji-kari.


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


<translate> The two women carried the water back to the camp in a big bark container held in their hands.

Jalbu-ngku jambul bana wundin bayan-ka dakil yalbay-mba, mara-bu karrba-l.


<translate> Mother went to the sea with clothes.


<glossary> babaji ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> I asked him, Who is he?


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<translate> What would you have done differently? the girls asked the old woman, and she thought a long time by the fire and said: I would have asked my grandmother more questions, everything else found its own road, but her words went under the ground with her, and that is the one hunger that no wet season ever ends.

Wanyu yundu murninyaku yindubu? jalbu-bubanangka wulbuman babajin, wulbuman milkabu baykan kalbay bayanga, yalada balkan: ngayu babi ngayku babajinyaku kuku wubulku-baja, yamba yindu wubulku baral nyungu-nyungu manin, yambada kuku nyungu dungan badabada bubungu baja, yinya dakwuy nyubun bana-wungarbu kariku kunbay-manil.


<translate> She woke up at dawn, made the fire, and cooked the food for all the hungry children.

Nyulu muduwaju wandin, baya wajun, mayi karrkay-karrkay dakwuy-ka wubul wajun-baja.


<glossary> bawal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> the fish wouldn't bite so I quit fishing

Kuyungku kari bajaku baykan, ngayu badu bawanda


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


<translate> You and I saw the mountain here.


<translate> You all see the mayfly here.


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


<translate> The child saw grandmother's ankle.


<translate> The two of them see the kajarrbi clam shell there.


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


<translate> The old woman told the children to gather plenty of firewood before dark, the old man said, for the night would be cold and long.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay-karrkay-nka balkan juku-buri wubul bangka-nka wujurr kada-nyjiku, mukul-dingkar balkan, wujurr ngiki marri-bu.


<translate> Her navel is small and round, and the little child laughs when the mother tickles her soft belly.

Nyungu wurra buban murru-murru, karrkay buban yajarri-l, ngamu-ngku nyungu jibar balbal dama-nya.


<translate> He sees the fire stick here.


<translate> The old woman said we are all of one blood, one family, from the old people.

Wulbumanangka balkan ngana wubul mula nyubun, jawun nyubun, mukul-bama-muny.


<glossary> janay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> The children are standing in front of the school

Jana kaykay-kaykay janjanay jakalba school


<translate> You and I see the dijarr freshwater perch there.


<translate> At night there were many stars.


<translate> They saw the scrub wallaby there.


<translate> On the fourth morning the fever broke and the boy woke clear-eyed and hungry, and his mother wept with joy.

Jambul-jambul wunkuwingku wumbul dungan, karrkay wandin miyil ngulkurrbu, dakwuyji, ngamu badin wawu-mini.


<translate> They two saw the bamboo stick here.


<translate> The flood broke down the shelter.


<translate> We, not you, saw the biyangkal yam there.


<translate> Is the old woman getting better? Yes, she was very sick, but she drank the green-ant medicine and now she is becoming well again.

Mukul ngulkurr-mal? Yuwu, nyulu bambay bajaku, yambada nyulu yangka-mayi nukan, nyulu kakawarri-mal baja.


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


<translate> You and I saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo here.


<translate> You all see the black-tip shark there.


<translate> Those white ant eggs are there.


<translate> You see the smooth rock there.


<translate> I saw the pig on the open ground.


<glossary> mururr-mururr ; type=adjective ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> We came the same time


<translate> I saw the jirimandi coconut tree there.


<translate> Where did you get all this sweet honey from? — I got it from the old hollow ironbark tree.

Yundu wanjamuny wunba jiba-wulay wubul manin? Ngayu juku mali dukurr-muny manin.


<translate> You see the waterfall there.


<translate> You all saw the waterfall there.


<translate> My old mother worries too much when I go hunting alone far away in the scrub.

Ngayku ngamu mukul wawu-buyun bajaku, ngayu balbi dunga-y nyubun-bu madja kala-kalbay-ba.


<translate> He saw the wuju grass sponge there.


<translate> You two saw the spring here.


<translate> For three days and nights the old woman sat with the child, giving him the medicine and singing the old healing songs.

Kulur wungar kunarangkalji wulbumanangka karrkayji bundandan, nyungu mayi dajin, wulngku ngadiku badinya.


<translate> He sees the sea turtle here.


<translate> We, not you, saw the kurranday seagull there.


<translate> You all see the bush fire there.


<lexeme> sharp corner in the upper reaches of Daintree River


<translate> The old man said if you are angry at the world, plant a tree, and if you are angry at a person, plant a tree with them, for the work of the hands quiets the noise of the heart, and something living grows out of what would otherwise have only burned, and years later the shade you sit in is the anger you did not act on.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki yundu bubu wubulkunka dukul-wuri, juku jarra, kaki yundu bamanka dukul-wuri, juku jarra nyulunji, mara-kirraji janji-manil jiba-jangarrmu, yamba wawu-karrbal wandin yamba nyulu nganga waju-nyaku, wungar wubulmuny wabarr yundu bundanya nyulu dukul-wuri yundu kari bunganmu.


<translate> The good cook cut up the fish.


<translate> The Moreton Bay fig tree is standing at camp.


<glossary> yarangkay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> He fell and sprained his ankle


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


<translate> The woman lit the fire, boiled the water, put in the roots, and then gave the broth to the sick child.

Jalbungku baya jakalamban, bana nyaman, bangkan mumban, wuynkurr karrkay bambayka dayanda.


<translate> You two saw the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> The taboo thing grabs you and holds you.


<translate> The young man carried the possums home on a string over his shoulder, and that night the whole family ate well and the children slept with full bellies.

Warru-warrungka yawa bayanka wundin karrabu jakaymba, yinya kunarangkal jawunkarra wubulku ngulkurr nukan, karrkay-karrkay warngku wunan jibar mayi-ji.


<translate> The young man's stomach is painful.


<translate> Where is your mother? Your mother is at the river, digging for roots. And where are you going now? I am going to the water to catch fish.

Yunu ngamu wanjabu? Yunu ngamu wawubajanga, bunkuny baka. Yundu wanjabu dungay? Ngayu bana-nka dungay, kuyu karrbanka.


<translate> The clever old man could read the whole sky: he said a red dawn looks just like fire, and warns of a big wind coming.

Mukul-dingkar binal jiri narmba nyajin: nyulu balkan, wunkuwingku kulbul yala walu-walu yala baya, muyar yalbay kada-nya balka.


<translate> They saw the grasshopper here.


<translate> You two saw the spear barb here.


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


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


<translate> The child went to the house to eat food.


<translate> They saw the muya bird there.


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


<translate> The old woman scolded the child.


<translate> The young man's neck is good.


<translate> The children left figs on the low branches for the birds and the possums, as the old people had taught them.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binanji bawan dakilba badabada buyika yawaka, yala kamba-kambangka jana milbinmuny.


<translate> The chicken hawk snatched the small chick from right beside the camp fire.

Jinabiju-ngka jukijuki buban baya karangkal nyarrman.


<translate> In the morning we saw the burnt tree.


<translate> The children learned to greet a stranger properly: look them in the eye, say your name and your people, ask their name and their people, and find the relative you share, for everyone shares a relative if you look far enough.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman bama yindu ngulkurr nyajinka: miyilba nyaji, nyungu burri nyungu bama balka, nyungu burri nyungu bama babaji, jawun yundu daji-way nyaji, bama wubulku jawun daji-way kaki yundu kalakalbay nyajil.


<translate> I see the wuli-wuli soldier crab here.


<translate> The old woman said the mark of a truly educated person is not how much they know but how much they know they do not know, and how eagerly they seek out those who can teach them what they lack.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bama binal yukil bajaku nyungu milbil kari nyulu wanjarrinya binal, yambada nyulu wanjarrinya binal nyulu murruji binal, yala nyulu wawu-junkurrbu nyajil bama jana nyulunka milbil yamba nyulu kari karrbal.


<translate> The man heard the wind there.


<translate> The little baby cried all night for its mother, and no one in the camp could sleep at all.

Karrkay buban badi wujurr wubulku ngamu-nka, bama narmba bayan-ba kari warngku wuna-l.


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


<translate> In the country with plenty of water and good food, all the people ate well through the long dry.

Bubu bana wubul-jirr, mayi ngulkurr-ji, bama narmba yinyay mayi nukal marral-wungar-a kalbay-mba.


<translate> That blue mountain parakeet is there.


<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> The young man carried a burning bark torch to light the dark path all the way home.

Warru-ngku jidi warrur-bu karrban, jina wujurr-ba balbal-mani-nka bayan-ka.


<translate> You see the clean house there.


<translate> Grow strong, learn the old ways, make your children good, and keep the language alive!

Junkurr-maka, bubu ngadiku binal-maka, karrkay-karrkay ngulkurr-bunga, kuku juran-bunga!


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


<translate> The old man said a hand with generosity and a hand that is closed are known to the whole camp within a season, for nothing a person does is more closely watched than how they share food, and the open-handed one will never go without in old age because the camp remembers, while the tight-fisted one may find themselves strangely alone when they finally need help.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan mara daji-ji mara kajan-kari bayan wubulku binal wungar nyubunba, yamba nyubun bama bungal kari ngulkurr-baja nyajil yala nyulu mayi daji-way, mara-kaja-kari-bama nyulu kariku bajaku yamba-kari mukul-mandanya bayan karrbalmu, mara-kulun-bama nyulu nyaji-manda nganga bajaku nyulu bajaku kalbal wawu-manilnya.


<translate> Each person has a totem from the country, the old woman said, an animal or a plant of their own that they must never once harm or hunt or eat.

Bama nyubun-nyubun-ngku mulkal-mulkal bubu-muny karrba, mukul-jalbu balkan, minya juku-baja nyungu-mu nyulu kari nyubun-bu kuni balbi nuka.


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


<translate> You saw the duburan directional sign here.


<translate> Grandfather saw the parrot there.


<translate> We see the small red ant there.


<translate> I saw the kurranday seagull here.


<translate> The man broke the billycan with a stone.

Dingkar-angka jungkalu kulji-bu dumbarrin.


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


<translate> The camp dogs answered back.


<translate> The men came back with nothing.


<translate> They two saw the shield there.


<translate> They saw the large round oyster there.


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


<translate> Grandmother put the bark outside.


<lexeme> tree (this term is very rarely used for money)


<translate> My hands are sore and stiff from grinding the hard seeds on the stone since the first light of day, the old woman said, and I have not yet finished.

Ngayu mara kaka dandi, diburr junkurr murni-l-murni-nya kulji-ba wunkuwingku-muny, mukul-jalbu balkan, ngayu kari-rrku kunbayn.


<glossary> bama-ngaykunku ; type=interjection ; domain=interjection <usage_example> my word, I was almost hit


<translate> The old people knew this whole country like the flat palm of their own hand.

Mukul-bama-ngka bubu yinya wubulku binal, nyungu mara jirakal yala.


<glossary> dalkil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> I gave her the name Carol


<translate> Mother left the fire stick in the shade.


<translate> The men cooked the whole kangaroo in a ground oven with hot stones.

Dingkar mayarriji wubul wajun bubu-janku-ngu, kulji wumbul-bu.


<translate> We two (not you) see the spear thrower there.


<translate> We would have crossed in the morning, the old man admitted at the fire, but we slept long, and the river came up while we lay there, so we sat on the wrong bank for three days, and he told the young men: the river does not wait for a person while he sleeps, cross when the water says cross.

Ngana bana-baral dunganyaku muduwajuny, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bayanga, yambada ngana wunan kalbay, wawubaja wangkar kadan ngana wunanya, yalada ngana bundan jalkara mumbuba wungar kulurku, nyulu warru-warru milbin: wawubaja kariku janay bamanka wunanya, dungay bana balkanya dungay.


<translate> A man must never look at or speak directly to his mother-in-law, the old man said — that is the very strongest law of avoidance among all the people.

Dingkar-angka biwul kari nyaji kari nyunguny balka nyubun-bu, mukul-dingkar balkan — yinya yalaku junkurr bajaku bama-mu wubulku.


<translate> You and I see the cheek there.


<translate> Don't eat that fruit — it is not ripe, and it will hurt your belly.

Kari yinya mayi nuka — nyulu kulbul-kari, jibar bambay-bungal.


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


<translate> They saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo 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


<translate> They saw the bush fire here.


<translate> You all saw the barka snake here.


<translate> You all see the jalil-jalil mudskipper there.


<translate> That one was from the dream!


<translate> They see the death adder there.


<translate> I saw the darrba grass wallaby here.


<translate> While the tide was low, the women walked far out on the reef, and they came back with baskets full of oysters and mussels.

Bana bada-nya, jalbu kala-kalbay kulji-nga jilban, jana kada baja balji nikar mukirriji yajin.


<translate> You and I see the kookaburra there.


<translate> The children ran fast across the wide sand to the cool water, laughing and calling to each other.

Karrkay-karrkay warrin naka-naka jukar kalbay-burr bana ngiki-ka, yajarri-l yirrka-wa.


<translate> The women made a shelter from paperbark.


<translate> Mum made damper for the children.


<translate> We see the tiger shark here.


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


<glossary> mururr-mururr ; type=adjective ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> We came the same time


<translate> The old man said if a young man asks you for advice, give it once, plainly, and then be quiet, for if he is wise he heard you the first time and needs no more, and if he is foolish he will not hear you the tenth time either, and repeating only makes both of you tired.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki warru yundunka kuku-yukil babaji, daya nyubun, ngulkurr, yalada janka, kaki nyulu binal nyulu ngaran yundu ngadiku kariku wubul wawu, kaki nyulu buban nyulu kariku ngara yundu wubulku baja, balka-balka jambulku wawu-wula-y-manil.


<translate> Hot damper and sweet tea — a good morning.

Damba wumbul, diyi ngulkurr — wunkuwingku ngulkurr.


<translate> You all saw the kalkamuku snake there.


<translate> Don't wake the baby — she has only just fallen asleep.

Kari ngawa wandi-mani — nyulu niji warngku-wunan.


<translate> He knows how to spear fish in the deep water of the river.

Nyulu binal kuyu dama-nka wawubaja bana-dukurr-ba.


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


<translate> The children filled two dilly-bags with oysters and mudcrabs and small fish, and the whole camp ate well from the reef that night.

Karrkay-karrkay ngunyin jambul julul kiju kuyu jirril-jirr warmba, bayan narmba dulngku-muny ngulkurr nuka wujurr yinya-ba.


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


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


<translate> That house is big and this one is small.

Yinya bayan yalbay, yanyu bayan karrkay.


<translate> The grandmother said the measure of how you were loved is how you love, and the measure of how you will be remembered is not what you kept but what you gave away, above all to those too young to thank you and those not yet born to know your name.

Babingka balkan: yala yundu wawu jirray jananmuny dandi yala yundu wawu jirray, yala yundu binalku karra dandi kari yundu yamba karrbanmuny, yambada yamba dajinmuny, wangkar bajaku warru jana buban-baja yundu wawu-mini balkanka, jana kariku kamba yundu burri binalka.


<translate> Perhaps it will rain tomorrow, the old man said, for the clouds are piling up black and heavy in the west over the far ranges.

Nguba kaba wunkun daray, mukul-dingkar balkan, ngurrban ngumbu junkurr kaba-wungar-a manjal kala-kalbay-mu wangkar-a muru-ma-l.


<translate> The jealous one asked the moon why it praised the sun's light — and the moon kept walking.

Bama ngujan-jibu kija babajin wanyurrinku nyulu wungar milbil: kija jilban yabarrka.


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

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


<translate> The old man said: The country will feed you forever if you treat it as a mother, but it will turn its face away if you treat it as a thing to be used up and thrown down.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Bububu yundu nukamanil yabarrka, kaki yundu ngamu yala nyajil, yambada nyungu walu murnil kudamundu, kaki yundu yamba yala nyajil kilbanka yilbanka.


<glossary> milka ngabal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> I reminded you yesterday


<translate> The old woman said the fig tree is a whole world of its own, feeding the flying foxes and the pigeons and the people, hiding the possums in its hollows and the pythons along its great limbs, and its shade holding the biggest camp, so she taught that to sit under an old fig in fruit is to sit at the richest table in the country, shared by every living thing at once.

Wulbumanangka balkan dukal-juku nyulu bubu nyubun nyungu-nyungu, kambi bakamu bama baja dayal, yawa nyungu dimbirrba buyan bajalji nyungu dakil yalbay-mba baja, nyungu wabarr bayan yalbay bajaku karrbal, nyulu milbin dukal mukul mayi-mabi ngunduku bundanka yala bubu yamba-ji bajakungu bundal, minya wula-mabi wubulku daji-way nyubunku.


<translate> You two see the milbarkal tree here.


<translate> That big fig tree has stood beside the crossing since the time of the old, old people.

Baril-baril yalbay yinya wawubaja karangkal janay, mukul-bama mukul wungar-muny.


<translate> After the meal, grandmother stays at the camp.

Wawu-mayi-muny, babi bayan-ba bundanday.


<translate> The cherry tree stands full of small red fruit at the beginning of the long dry season.

Banday mayi buban wubul-jirr janay, wungar marral niji-nya.


<lexeme> Rattlesnake point - Fritz Creek


<translate> You should have left the dog outside — the old man quoted the oldest growl in the language when the camp dog stole the meat, and everybody laughed, for people have said that sentence in this country for as long as dogs have followed people home, and they will say it tomorrow too.

Yundu kaya bawanyaku ngalkalba, mukulungku dingkarangka kuku mukul bajaku balkan, kayangka minya manin bayanmuny, bama wubulku yajarr-man, kuku yinya bamangka balkal bubungu yabarrka, kaya ngadiku bama wukurrinmuny bayanka, jana nyulu balkal wunkuny baja.


<translate> The marsupial native cat is here.


<translate> The girl looked at herself in the still water of the rock pool.

Jalbu-buban nyaji-ji bana janka-nga kulji-bana-nga.


<translate> I got water from the bark container.


<translate> The old man said talking is how people find each other in the dark: two people who talk long enough will always discover the ground they share, and standing on that shared ground, they can build anything.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: balka-way yala bama nyubun-nyubun nyajil wujurrbu: bama jambul jana kalbay balka-wanya jana yabarrka bubu jana daji-way nyajil, yinya bubungu janay, jana yamba wubulku bungal.


<translate> They see the scrub goanna here.