<translate> The men worked together to drag the great log from the forest, ten of them pulling as one, calling to each other to keep the rhythm, and what no one could move alone they moved easily together.

Dingkar-dingkar nyubun kirrajin juku yalbay madjamuny jarrakulbanka, jana wubul nyubunku jarrakulban, jana kunja-wan nyubun-nyubunji yala nyubun, yamba nyubun bama murruji manil jana nyubun buban-buban manin.


<translate> You two saw the wooden sword there.


<translate> Every tool is a quiet teacher, the old woman handed down her grandmother's grinding stone: the hollow is her hand's memory, the smoothness is her patience, and when you work with it you are holding hands across four lifetimes.

Yamba-murni nyubun-nyubun milbil-bama wunbu, wulbumanangka kulji nyurrbalmuny babimuny dayan: dimbirr nyulu milka-binal maramuny nyungu, kima nyulu wawu-karrba nyungu, kaki yundu murnil yinyabu yundu mara karrbal wawu jambul-jambulburr.


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


<translate> Father hears the thunderstorm.


<translate> You see the big clam shell there.


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


<translate> In the late afternoon the friend came.


<translate> Rain fell, the water rose, and then wind came.

Kaba daran, bana yalbayman, muyar kadan-da.


<translate> You see the butcherbird here.


<translate> Mother watched the child digging yams.

Ngamu-ngku karrkay nyaji-l-nyaji-n, bambayal baka-l-baka-nya.


<translate> An argument broke out at the fire, and the old woman stopped it by asking the two men one question each: to the first she said, what did you actually see with your own eyes, not what you were told; and to the second she said, what did you actually do, not what you meant to do; and by the time each had answered honestly the quarrel had already dissolved.

Kuni-way wandin baya ngunduku, wulbumanangka kajan nyulu dingkar jambul babajin kuku nyubun nyubunku: ngadiku nyulu balkan, wanyu yundu nyaji nyungu miyilbu, kari yundu balkanmuny; jambulku nyulu balkan, wanyu yundu murni, kari yundu murnilku wawu-manilmuny; jana nyubun nyubun kuku-yukil-manin ngadiku kuni-way bada-manin.


<translate> Did they give you the meat? No, they gave it to him, not to me; but he shared it with me, so we ate together.

Jana yununku minya dayan? Kari, jana nyungunku dayan, kari ngaykunku; yambada nyulu ngaykunji daji-way, ngali muru nukan.


<translate> That native companion is here.


<translate> The bronze wing pigeon is here.


<translate> The woman saw grandmother's upper leg.


<translate> When you are angry, that is dukul-wuri, and anger is like fire: a small one warms the camp and cooks the food, but a big one burns everything down and leaves only ash.

Yundu dukul-wuri janay, dukul-wuri yala baya: buban bayan wumbulmanil, mayi wayjul, yambada yalbay yamba wubulku wajun, nulu nganga bawal.


<translate> You all saw the biyangkal yam here.


<translate> The garfish is long and thin, and it is very good to eat when it is roasted.

Kalu kalbay, nyulu ngulkurr-baja nuka-nka dinda-nya.


<translate> The cane must soak in the water first.


<translate> Take food lest you get hungry.


<translate> The two of them saw the kalkamal locust here.


<translate> The child saw the sun outside.


<translate> On the island the men found many turtle eggs, filled their bags, and came home singing before the sun was high.

Burrira dingkar-dingkarangka diburr wubul nyajin, balji mumban, bayanba kadan wulngku badinya wungar wangkar jananyjiku.


<translate> After many days of rain the whole country has become wet, the old woman laughed, squeezing the blankets: the wood is wet, the path is wet, the dog is wet and happy about it, and the firewood's one dry heart lies hidden deep inside, so learn to split the log and take the dry middle, and your fire will never die of rain.

Kaba wungar wubulkumuny bubu wubulku yaru-man, wulbumanangka yajarr-man, kararr jubilnya: juku yaru, baral yaru, kaya yaru nyulu wawu-mini baja, baya-juku wawu marral nyungu wunay ngakijin dukurrba, yalada binal-maka juku dumbarrinka wawu marral maninka, baya yundumuny kariku wulay kabamuny.


<translate> You two saw the shield there.


<translate> The old woman kept sitting quietly and weaving, while the children kept running and playing outside.

Mukul-jalbu janka bundanday ngunyin bungal, karrkay-karrkay wanarri bayan-muny.


<translate> During the night long ago, people sang songs.


<translate> The old woman turned the baby toward the fire's warmth.


<translate> The women dug for the yams on this side of the river, near the big rock beside the still water.

Jalbu-jalbu wukay bakal wawubaja ngundu, kulji yalbay ngundu bana janka karangkal.


<translate> The people of this place gave food to the people of that place.

Yaluy-arra-ngka yinyay-arra-nda mayi dajin.


<glossary> mujal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> Ngayu baya mujan


<translate> The man saw the axe in the shade.


<translate> One night a young boy was afraid of the dark and could not sleep, and he lay stiff and cold with yinil crawling over his skin like ants.

Nyubun kunarangkal karrkay buban wujurrmuny yinil janay, murruji warngku wunay, nyulu wunan junkurr kiway yinil bangkarra walanya yala minya.


<translate> The old woman said the question you are most afraid to ask is usually the one you most need the answer to, and she taught the girls to notice that fear and turn toward it: if you are afraid to ask whether he still loves you, ask; if you are afraid to ask whether the lump is serious, ask; for the question avoided grows in the dark into a monster far worse than any true answer could ever be.

Wulbumanangka balkan kuku yundu yinil bajaku babajinka nyulu nganga kuku-yukil yundu bajaku wawu-manilmuny, nyulu jalbu-buban milbin yinil yinya nyajinka yinya-mundu wandimanka: kaki yundu yinil-ji babajinka nyulu yundu wawu-jirray karrbalmuny, babaji; kaki yundu yinil babajinka buyun-jiran yinya dandi, babaji; kuku bawal jarral wujurr-bu minya-mumbu-mundu ngulkurr-baja yamba kuku-yukil yukil nyubun kariku bajaku janaymuny.


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

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


<translate> There are three roads from raw to cooked, the old man laid them out: the open flame for speed, the coals for patience, the ground-fire for a whole camp — and the wise cook asks first how many mouths, and then chooses the road.

Baral kulur janay jani-karimuny janiku, mukulungku dingkarangka jana milbin: baya ngalkal warrinka, ngunjil wawu-karrbanka, bubu-baya bayan wubulkunka, waju-bama binal nyulu babaji-ngurr wanjarrinya ngandal, yalada baral manil.


<translate> When the coast people and the rainforest people met to trade, they laid their goods on the ground facing each other — shells and fish for stone and other things — and gave to each other until both were satisfied.

Jalunji bama majaji bama nyaji-wanda daji-wayka, jana nyungu yamba bubungu yijarrin nyubun-nyubun yaral, kuyu jalunmu kulji yamba yindu baja, jana daji-wan jambulku wawu-mini-manyjiku.


<glossary> baja ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> do you have more?


<translate> We see the karranda tree here.


<translate> A shark came close and everyone got out fast!

Yaburr kadan ngundu, jana wandirin jinbalku!


<translate> The girl came home tooth-without and grin-with, and her father laughed: the first gap is a road, the grown teeth come in through it.

Jalbu-buban kadan bayanka dirra-kari yajarr-ji, nganjan yajarr-man: baral-ngandal ngadiku nyulu baral, dirra bama-yalbaymuny yinyaburr kaday.


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

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


<translate> The echidna answered the dingoes with patience: by the time they agreed on a plan, he was a stone with legs.

Ngangkinbu murramu-murramu wawu-karrba-bu balkan: jana kuku nyubunku kadanya, nyulu kulji jandal-ji ngadiku.


<translate> They see the ngamu-murramu dingo there.


<translate> The nuts were bitter and could not be eaten; the women soaked them, pounded them, and cooked them with care.

Barka kabu, murruji nukal; jalbu-jalbungku bananga yijarrin, dudan, wajun ngulkurrku.


<translate> The old woman sat alongside the fire, and the child sat close beside her.

Wulbuman baya karangkal bundan, karrkay nyungu ngundu bundan.


<translate> I saw the knife on the ground.


<translate> I would go fishing, but I have no fishing line.

Ngayu badur-ji dunga-nyaku, yambada ngayu badur-kari.


<glossary> nuril ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> The child is peeping through the window


<translate> The old people had seen big water before and nobody was afraid.

Kamba-kambangka bana yalbay nyajin ngadiku, jana yinil kari.


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


<glossary> jarra-jarra ; type=adjective ; domain=dimension-size <usage_example> They were grown up in the head (mind)


<translate> We two, not you, saw the ngarkay waterhen there.


<translate> Lost is a place too, the old man calmed the boy: sit down in it, listen, and its roads will introduce themselves.

Wulanmuny nyulu bubu baja, mukulungku dingkarangka buban wunbu-bungan: bunda yinyaba, milka-janay, baralbu nyulu-nyulu milbil.


<translate> My country is near the big mountain.


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


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

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


<translate> The little gecko lives in the roof of the bark shelter and comes out at night, the old woman said, and it clicks and calls softly and eats the mosquitoes.

Bilbil-bilbil wurun dumbul-mu wangkar-a wuna ngalkal wujurr-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu yirrka bada kima kamu nuka.


<translate> We see the black beetle here.


<translate> The old man said: a man does not own his children — he holds them for the country; he feeds them, names them, teaches them, and gives them back to the people when they are grown.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: dingkar nyungu kangkal-karra kari karrbal nyungu-nka — nyulu bubu-nku karrbal; nyulu mayi dayal, burri dayal, binal-bungal, jana yalbay-man bama-nka daji baja.


<glossary> ngarra-yilbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He passed me (while driving along)


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

Yinyarrin carpenter jana bada-badada workmal


<translate> You two see the parrot here.


<translate> The old man said these words were older than he was, older than his grandfather, older than the oldest story, and they would be just as true for the children's children's children.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: yinya kuku mukul-baja nyungumuny, mukul-baja nyungu ngajimuny, mukul-baja kuku ngadiku bajakumuny, yinya yukil janay karrkaymu karrkaymu karrkayka baja.


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> The old man said the vines of the scrub are a second string-store, always ready in an emergency, for a strong vine pulled fresh from the tree can lash a shelter, bind a raft, carry a load, or make a quick rope to reach water down a bank, and he taught the boys which vines were strong and which would snap, for the wrong vine at the wrong moment can cost a life.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kalal majaji nyulu karra jambul-mabi, yabarrka yukil dandi-ngunduku, kalal junkurr jukumuny jirakal kakalbu bayan kajal, marrakan kajal, yamba jarrakulbal, kalal-karra warri bungal bana jalkar badanmuny maninka, nyulu warru-warru milbin kalal wanyu junkurr wanyu kakan, kalal yukil-kari wungar yukil-karinga bayabu wawu manil.


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


<translate> You all see the marrku fruit there.


<translate> They saw the karrkurr frog there.


<translate> The two got fruit from the tree.


<translate> You all saw the mirrku kidney bird here.


<translate> He saw the smouldering log there.


<translate> Uncle turned the meat with a green stick.


<translate> We see the black bream here.


<translate> The old woman ground the seeds thoroughly between the two flat stones to make the good flour.

Mukul-jalbu mayi murni-l-murni-n kulji jambul-bu, mayi ngulkurr bunga-nka.


<translate> The hunter tied the stone axe-head to the handle so tightly that it never came loose; with it he cut wood, cut trees for honey, and shaped his spears.

Balbi-dingkarangka warrbi-kulji juku-ngu dandi karrban, kariku bawaji; nyulu juku yakan, juku yakan kawar-nka, kalka ngaran.


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


<translate> He saw the running water here.


<translate> I see the grass wallaby there.


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


<translate> The grey kangaroo is on the ground.


<translate> I see the wooden sword here.


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


<translate> The children learned that a gift of goods can be repaid and forgotten, but a kindness is never repaid, only passed on, and this is by design, for a kindness passed forward binds a whole people together across the generations.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman yamba daji yukil-manil milka-wulal baja, yambada wawu-yukil kari yukil-manil, nganga badaka dungay, yinya yukil, wawu-yukil yaral yungalmuny bama wubulku kajil wungar wubulmuny.


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


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


<translate> The woman went to the road with a stick.


<translate> You saw the kurkunbay butcherbird here.


<translate> The boy's first throw missed, and the small wallaby ran away into the scrub, but the old man only smiled.

Karrkaymu yilbanyarr kari daman, darrba buban warrin madjaka, yambada mukul dingkar wawu-mini nganga.


<translate> The owl caught the little bush rat in its sharp claws in the dark of the night.

Kalkuy-angka minya buban karrban wujurr-ba, jina junkurr-bu.


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


<translate> The girls sent word to granny: we found honey!

Maral-maralangka kuku yungan babinda: ngana wunba nyajin!


<translate> The snake is lying in the grass.


<translate> Mother washed grandmother's hand.


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<glossary> nganku ; type=adjective ; domain=manner <usage_example> He went too quickly, I didn't finish my letter

Nyulu ngankuku dungan ngayu letter kariku kunbay-manin


<glossary> ngukal-badi ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> Don't steal (it), just ask (for it)

Yundu kari wurrmay-bakamaka, ngukal-badiku


<translate> The old man said the frog is a patient teacher: it waits in the ground through the whole long dry without complaint, and sings the moment the rain comes.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: yirku-yirku binal-bungal-bama kangarr, nyulu bubu-ba bundanday marral-wungar narmba balka-kari, yirrka kaba kada-nya-ba nyubun-bu.


<translate> Grandmother washed the child's neck.


<translate> The women went out for yams.


<translate> Don't speak for me at the meeting; carry my words in my order, or carry only my name.

Kari balkal ngaykunka kuku-yalbayba: kuku ngayku wundi jinanji ngaykumunyji, yambada burri ngayku nganga wundi.


<translate> The old man gave his grandson the last stone axe and said: this is older than any of us; it built the humpies of our grandfathers; keep it, and when you are old, put it in the hand of a child who will remember.

Mukul-dingkarangka nyungu kami-karrkay warrbi-kulji ngadiku-nyubun dayan, balkan: nyiku ngana wubul-ngadiku mukul; nyulu ngananga kami-karra-mu bayan ngaran; yundu karrba, yundu mukul-manya, karrkay-mu mara-nga wuna, nyulu milka-nga karrbal.


<translate> What food did you love as a child? — Roasted sweet potato from my grandmother's coals; I can smell it now, forty wet seasons away.

Wanyu mayi yundu wawu-manin karrkay-wungara? Bangkamu dindanmuny ngunjilmuny babimuny ngayku, ngayu jila manil nyiku, bana-wungar wubulku kala-kalbaymuny.


<translate> The folded clothing is here.


<translate> The woman asked father about the mango.


<translate> The children learned the names and the ways and the tracks and the calls of every animal in the country, one by one, over many seasons of watching and listening.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman minyamu burri, yala, jina, kuku wubulku bubungu, nyubun-nyubun, wungar wubul kudamundu nyajinya milka-jananya.


<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> The sun went down behind the western hills, and the sky burned red before the dark night came.

Wungar bada dungan jamba kudamundu, jiri kulbul wajun wujurr kada-nya kariku.


<translate> The stinging tree is standing in the scrub.


<translate> The children asked how you could leave off comparing, and the old woman said: You look at what you have until you see how much it is, and then there is no room left for wanting what another has.

Karrkay-karrkayangka babajin yala yundu milbi-ji bawanka, wulbumanangka balkan: Yundu nyungu yamba nyaji binalnyjiku wanjarrinya, yalada kari wanja janay wawuka bama yindumu yambaka.


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

Walu julurrijika — ngana babinda dungay.


<glossary> ngangkay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> You will soon be surprised when I show you something

Yundu juma ngangkay, ngayu yunundu junjuy milbil


<translate> The man watched the young man spearing fish.

Dingkar-angka warru nyaji-l-nyaji-n, kuyu dama-l-dama-nya.


<translate> The old people gave the young men the sacred law and the true old stories of the country.

Mukul-bama-ngku warru-warru kuku yirmbal-mu, kuku mukul yukil bubu-mu dajin.


<translate> Ask the dillybag expert about dillybags.


<translate> The hunter killed the wallaby with his long spear, not with the small throwing stick.

Balbi-bama-ngka kadar kunin kalka kalbay-bu, kari juku buban-bu.


<translate> Many people gathered at the big meeting, more people than the old man had ever seen before.

Bama wubul malkarri yalbay-ka muru-ma-n, bama jarra-wubul mukul-dingkar nyaji-nya-muny.


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


<translate> You two saw the running water there.


<translate> They see the smouldering log here.


<translate> We, not you, saw the mawul freshwater eel here.


<translate> The grandmother said: When you are tempted to shame the family, think of the hundred who made you; and when you are tempted to give up, remember that you carry the future of a hundred more who are not yet born.

Babingka balkan: Yundu jawun-karra milka-murruji-manka wawunya, milka bama wubul yundu bunganmuny; yundu bawanka wawunya, binalku yundu wunkun karrbal bama wubul-baja jana kariku kambanmuny.


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


<translate> The old woman was growing old, and she began to teach one clever girl everything she knew about the plants.

Wulbumanangka kambamanda, nyulu maral binal nyubun binalbungan yambayamba mayimu.


<translate> You and I saw the kurkunbay butcherbird here.


<translate> The children learned that anger was not bad in itself, for anger at a real wrong could give a person the strength to set it right, but anger let loose blindly only made more wrong.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman dukul-wuri kari mumbu nganga, dukul-wuri yamba mumbu yukilka bamaka junkurr dajil ngulkurr-bunganka, yambada dukul-wuri nganga bawanmuny mumbu wubul-baja ngaran.


<translate> A child's mother's brother is a man of special weight, the old man said — he is the one who teaches the boy the hard law and speaks to him sternly.

Karrkay-mu kalnga dingkar junkurr, mukul-dingkar balkan — nyulu karrkay binal-bungal yalaku dandi, nyunguny balka kuli-bu.


<translate> The meat was shared by custom, each family getting its proper part, the hunters' families getting the best.

Minya dajiwan yala ngadiku, jawunkarra wubulku nyungu yala manin, balbibamamu jawunkarra ngulkurr bajaku manin.


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


<translate> I saw the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> They saw the shooting star there.


<translate> Maybe grandmother knows where the water is.


<translate> Grandmother put the hook and line on the ground.


<translate> The old woman was afraid of the death adder and would not walk in the long grass.

Mukul-jalbu yinil kundurr-ku, nyulu kari jikan kalbay-ba jilba-dunga-y.


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


<translate> The man carved a dugout canoe from a big cedar; he shaped the stern, then took it out on the water and speared fish from it.

Dingkarangka marrakan juku yalbay-muny yakan; nyulu bijikan ngaran, bana-nga wundin, marrakan-du kuyu daman.


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


<glossary> balu ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I thought he came but he didn't


<translate> They see the domestic turkey there.


<translate> The old woman said fear of a place can be changed into knowledge of it, and this was how the old people made a child brave, not by telling them there was nothing to fear in the dark scrub but by walking them through it again and again by day and then by dark and then in the middle of the night, until the unknown became known, the strange became familiar, and the terror that had ruled the child slowly changed into an easy confidence born of true knowing.

Wulbumanangka balkan yinil bubu nyubunmuny yindu-bungal binalku, yinya yala bama mukul karrkay yinil-kari-bungal, kari kukubu yamba-kari yinilka majaji wujurrba yambada jana jilba-bungal majanga jambulku jambulku wungarbu yalada wujurrbu yalada kunarangkalbu, binal-kari binal-mal, bubu yindu bubu-binal-mal, yinil nyulu karrkay junkurr-manin nyulu buban-buban yindu-mal wawu-junkurr binal yukilmuny wandinmuny.


<translate> You two see the flathead here.


<translate> Teach the child the ways of the country while you are still strong, the old man said, lest he grow up not knowing them after you are gone.

Karrkay bubu-mu balka yundu junkurr niji-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu binal-kari yalbay-ma-nyji yundu wula-nya-muny.


<translate> The grass lay on the ground.


<translate> And so the children learned the last and hardest lesson of all: that a person is not their feelings but the quiet watcher behind them, and that this watcher, once found, can never be truly troubled again.

Yalaku karrkay-karrkay binalman milbil ngadiku dandi bajaku wubulmuny: bama kari nyungu wawu, yambada nyajilbama wunbu kudamundu, yinya nyajilbama, nyajinmuny, kari yukil yinil-manda baja yabarrka.


<translate> The two young men were fighting, but the old man stopped them.

Warru jambul kuni-way, yambada mukul-dingkarangka nandan.


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


<translate> The paperbark tree gives soft bark, for the food and for the camp.

Buyku-juku nyungu birra kima dajil, mayi-ka bayan-ka.


<translate> He caught the possum by the tail and pulled it down, and it bit and scratched, but he held it fast and killed it quickly and cleanly.

Nyulu yawa banda karrban, bada kulban, nyulu baykan yirban, yambada nyulu junkurr karrban, kunin junkurr ngulkurr.


<translate> You and I see the kurrkal shortcut there.


<translate> The old woman said the whole bush was a great garden that no one had planted but everyone could eat from, if only they knew how to look and how to take.

Wulbumanangka balkan: madja wubulku mayi-bubu yalbay, bama nyubungku kari ngaranmuny, bama wubulku nukanka, kaki jana binal yala nyajinka, yala maninka.


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


<translate> You and I see the river here.


<translate> The cat cleaned itself in the sun after the meal, quiet and content.

Buji julurri-ji wungar-a nuka-ny-muny, janka ngulkurr.


<translate> Mother gave green ant to the child.


<translate> My mother always cooked the fish first and the roots after; the other mother did it the other way around — and both families ate well.

Ngamungku ngayku kuyu-ngurr wajun yabarrka, bangkan badaku, ngamungku yindubu murnin muku-jinabu, jawun-karra jambul nukan yukil.


<translate> You two saw the dilly bag here.


<translate> That man is from Wujal Wujal.


<translate> The great old fig tree by the river crossing is a meeting place for all the river people.

Baril-baril yalbay mukul wawubaja karangkal, bama wubul muru-ma-nka bubu yinya.


<translate> The two young men stood, hearts pounding, and slowly the anger left them, and they looked at each other and were ashamed, and the older one put out his hand, and the younger one took it, and it was over.

Warru jambul wawu junkurr janay, buban-buban dukul-wuri jananmuny dungan, jana nyaji-way milka-murruji janay, warru yalbaymu nyungu mara wangkar-manin, warru bubanangka manin, yinya dungan.


<translate> We saw the jika-birra tobacco leaf here.


<translate> You see the father's sister here.


<translate> The children ran out to the wet world, and their feet made the first new tracks.

Karrkay-karrkay warrin ngalkalba, jina jirakal bawanda.


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


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


<translate> The frogmouth sits so still on a broken branch all day, the old man said, that it looks just like a dead tree, and no one sees it at all.

Bulnja dakil dumbarri-nya-ba wungar wubulku janka bajaku bunda, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu yala juku wula-nya, bama kari nyaji.


<translate> Let the dog go now, the old man said, it will follow the blood and find the speared wallaby for us in the thick scrub.

Balu kaya niji dunga, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu mula jina-bu kadar dama-nya ngana-nka mani madja junkurr-ba.


<translate> You two saw the kundurr-kundurr crescent perch here.


<translate> We see the water gum tree here.


<translate> We see the milbarakal tree here.


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


<translate> I saw the crocodile in the water.


<translate> How many long seasons have you lived in this same country, grandmother, the child asked, and the old woman only laughed softly and said nothing.

Wanjarrinya wungar-jarra yundu yinya bubu-ba wuna-n, babi? karrkay nyajin, mukul-jalbu nyubun yajarri janka, kari nyubun-bu balkan.


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

Kami kadan marrakanda, kulbalkulbanya bananga bubanba.


<translate> Without is not empty, the old man corrected the boy who mocked: the man without a spear may be carrying knowledge, the camp without noise may be full of thought — so read the kari twice before you say one bad word.

Kuku '-kari' nyulu kari nganga-yamba, mukulungku dingkarangka buban murnin yukil, nyulu yajarr-manya bamanka: dingkar kalka-kari nyulu binal wundilnya, bayan kuku-kari nyulu milkabu-baykal-ji, yalada nyaji 'kari' jambulku kuku-mumbu balkanka ngadiku.


<translate> You two saw the kurriyala snake there.


<translate> Mother put the spear on the road.


<translate> The kingfisher sits still on the low branch over the still water and watches for a long time without moving, then drops like a thrown stone and comes up with a small fish every time, and the old man told the boy to hunt the same way: sit still, watch long, waste no movement, and strike only once when you are certain.

Dabuy janka juku-mara bada bana janka dukurr-bu bundan nyaji maku-janal kari murninya, yalada badan kulji yilbanmabi yala bada kadan kuyu buban wungar wubulku, mukulungku dingkarangka buban balkan yala nyubun balbinka: janka bunda, nyaji maku-jana, kari murni bawa, daman nyubun nyundu binalnya.


<translate> You and I see the wooden sword there.


<translate> The old man said: burn the ironwood lest the storm come, and cover the fire lest it spread to the grass.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: juku waju, jarramali kada-nyji; baya nanda, jikanba dunga-nyji.


<translate> We see the bujabay tree there.


<translate> The child heard the song from far away.

Karrkay-ngku wulngku kalakalbay-mundu nyajin.


<translate> I saw the dukunjulu golden whistler here.


<translate> He said: Water, then earth, then beating with a stick — know all three ways first before you ever need them, for a fire will not wait while you learn.

Nyulu balkan: bana ngadiku, bubu yindu, jukubu kunil yindu, yala kulur ngadiku binal wawunmuny, baya kari maku-janay yundu binalmalnya.


<translate> The man made rope from kuralbi bark.

Dingkar-angka karra balkan kuralbi-muny.


<translate> The young man got tree bark used as vine.


<translate> They saw the ngarkay waterhen there.


<translate> You two see the liver there.


<translate> The dog called out at the kangaroo.


<translate> You two saw the wakuka bird here.


<translate> When the cassowary ran past, the hidden hunter threw his spear and struck it in the neck.

Kurranji warrinya ngundu, balbibama ngakijinmuny kalka yilban, jakay daman.


<translate> The two hunters came back to the camp at dark, carrying two big kangaroos and one fat pig.

Balbi-bama jambul bayan-ka kadan wujurr-ba, mayarriji yalbay jambul bikibiki nyubun wundin.


<translate> The two of them saw the murrkul tree there.


<translate> That straw-necked ibis is there.


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

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


<translate> We hear the whistle sound here.


<translate> You and I saw the baban angelfish there.


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


<translate> The children called out at the sea.


<translate> The women cut up the wallaby meat and shared it out to all the children by the evening fire.

Jalbu-jalbu minya kadar yakan, karrkay-karrkay narmba-nka dajin baya ngundu wujurr-ba.


<translate> The white-tailed rat is here.


<glossary> dalngarri ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> I have to go to the toilet


<translate> The child asked grandmother about the song.


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


<translate> I saw the yikari hardened beeswax there.


<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> We see the balmbalka tree here.


<translate> Sweep the whole house thoroughly.


<translate> You saw the spear point here.


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

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


<translate> The young man made a spear from wood.


<translate> He sees the death adder here.


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


<lexeme> First bay south of Bloomfield River along coast


<translate> The old man said: what is mine is yours, what is yours is the children's, and what is the children's belongs to the country — nothing belongs to one person alone.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: ngayku minya yununku, yunu minya karrkay-karrkayka, karrkay-karrkay-amu minya bubu-nku — nyubun bama-nka wubul kari.


<translate> Grandmother takes green ants in order to get better.


<translate> Mother washed the child's navel.


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


<translate> You two see the red bream there.


<translate> Two hunters worked together, one driving the bird toward the other, who waited hidden behind a tree.

Balbibama jambul jambulku kirrajin, nyubun balbibamangku buyi kangan yindu bamaka, nyubun ngakijin juku kudamundu maku-janan.


<translate> We, not you, saw the jalkay salmon here.


<translate> They two see the wooden sword there.


<translate> That water is there in the bark container.


<translate> The paperbark tree gives soft bark, for the food and for the camp.

Buyku-juku nyungu birra kima dajil, mayi-ka bayan-ka.


<translate> We, not you, saw the ngawurr-ngawun crocodile there.


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


<translate> You see the war spear there.


<translate> The men are singing for the corroboree tonight.


<translate> Grandmother is staying in the house with the baby.


<translate> You and I saw the barramundi there.


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


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


<translate> He saw the karranda tree here.


<translate> The old man watched the pig from up the tree, then climbed down and followed its fresh tracks.

Mukul-dingkar bikibiki nyajin juku-mundu, bada dakan, jina wukurrin.


<translate> The children gathered the bush fruits in season — the wild plums, the figs, the quandongs — and knew each one by its leaf and its flower and its taste.

Karrkay-karrkayangka mayi madjamu bangkan wungara, mayi wubulku, jana nyubun-nyubun binal nyungu birrabu ngankabu nukalbu.


<translate> He cried out before he died.


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


<translate> That old grey kangaroo is too big and too strong; no single dog can bring it down alone.

Yinya julmbanu mukul yalbay bajaku, junkurr bajaku; kaya nyubun kari mani nyubun-bu.


<translate> You saw the jimalili lizard there.


<translate> Another young man was slow but careful, and by midday he had the most fish of all, laid out on the sand.

Warru yindu buban-buban yambada wunbu, wungar wangkar janan, nyulu kuyu wubul bajaku karrban, jukara yijarrin.


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


<translate> I see the frill necked lizard here.


<translate> Your mother is calling you now; go quickly to her humpy beside the fire.

Yunu ngamu yununy kunja-l niji; jinbal-baja dunga-y nyungu wurun-ka, baya ngundu.


<translate> People called out from down there.


<translate> The mother called the child from the house and told him the meat was cooked now.

Ngamu-ngku karrkay bayan-ba kunjan, minya wajun niji balkan.


<translate> They see the red bream there.


<translate> You and I saw the pumice stone there.


<translate> Grandfather saw the shark in the water.


<translate> My grandchild is learning to walk; when she is grown, I will teach her the plant names, and she will carry my knowledge after I am gone.

Ngayku jija jilbay binal-mal; nyulu yalbay-man, ngayu nyulu binal-bungal juku burri, nyulu ngayku binal karrbal ngayu wula-ny-muny.


<translate> You all saw the jungu-jungu white ant eggs here.


<translate> The old woman roasted the fat grubs on the coals for the hungry children.

Wulbuman jambun yalbay dindan baya-nga, karrkay mayi-kari-nka.


<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> Her face was sad and full of sorrow, and the big tears ran slowly down from her eyes.

Nyungu walu-jirrbu-jirrbu, miyil-bana yalbay bada wanarrin buban-buban.


<translate> Two young men argued over a spear, and their voices grew loud and angry by the fire.

Warru jambul kalkaka kurru-jindawan, jana kuku yalbayman, dukul-wuri bayanga.


<translate> The young man asked grandfather about water.


<translate> We see the yarrka bee there.


<translate> The woman saw sand on the ground.


<translate> I took the paperbark to camp.


<translate> The five-corner nut falls to the ground when it is ripe, and the women gather them.

Bijalabay bubu-ka daray kulbul-nya, jalbu bangkal.


<translate> The seagull flew far out over the open sea, then turned and came back to the sea-shore when the wind grew strong.

Kurranday jalun-yalbay wangkar kalbay-mba marra-warri, yalada muru-manin jalun-ba kadan muyar yaykarr-manda.


<glossary> ngiki ; type=noun ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> He got a big sickenss (pneumonia)


<translate> The mother bird covers her many eggs on the branch, sitting in the cool shade all day.

Buyi-ngka diburr wubul dakil-ba nanda-l, wabarr ngiki-nga bunda-l wungar wubulku.


<translate> You see the large round oyster here.


<glossary> kankur ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> Nyulu milka bikibiki kankuruku nyandan


<translate> The friarbird takes the honey from the flowering tree, chasing the smaller birds away so it can have the sweetness alone.

Jaka juku-nganka-nga kawar manin, buyi buban jirrku-mal, nyubun kawar karrbanka.


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


<translate> That jinjajalka tree is there.


<glossary> wanjarr ; type=interrogative ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> How much water should I get?


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


<translate> There was dugong fat for everyone, and that night the fires burned big and the singing went on very late.

Biwuy wandul bama wubulku, yinya kunarangkal baya yalbay wajun, wulngku badi dungan kunarangkal bajaku.


<translate> The light-coloured hair is there.


<translate> The whole camp was glad, and there was singing and dancing late into the warm night.

Jana wubulku bayanba wawu-mini, wulngku badin, wurin kunarangkal wumbulba wubulku.


<translate> You saw the bujabay tree there.


<glossary> dingkal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> You knead the damper


<translate> The grass-tree resin is there on the spear.

Kanunjul nganjirr-muny kalka-nga yinyay.


<translate> Whose knife is on the stone?


<translate> The two women ground seeds on a flat stone all morning; the grinding stone was smooth and worn from many grandmothers' hands; they cooked the ground food in the ashes.

Bula jalbungku diburr kulji-nga wunkun-wunkun nyurrban; nyurrba-kulji jalngka, babi-babi-mu mara-muny; bula mayi nyurrban, bajar-a wajun.


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


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


<translate> You saw the kira baby girl here.


<translate> The children caught small fish with a hook and bait in the still water of the creek all afternoon.

Karrkay kuyu buban karrban badur-bu mandurr-ji wawubaja bana-janka-nga wungar wubulku.


<translate> The possum runs the branch-roads all night and asks nobody's leave.

Yawa warril dakil-baralburr wujurr wubulku, nyulu bama nyubun kari babajil.


<translate> How did that little child climb up so very high into the top of the tall paperbark tree?

Karrkay buban yinya wanjarr-ku juku kalbay wangkar-a dakan?


<glossary> balu ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I thought he came but he didn't


<translate> We see the striped water snake there.


<glossary> dayirr ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> After washing th clothes are very clean


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


<translate> They saw the jimalili lizard there.


<translate> They saw the knight fish there.


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


<translate> My father taught me to make a straight, strong spear when I was still very young.

Ngayku nganjan-angka nganya milban kalka jinbal junkurr bunga-l, ngayu buban-nya.


<translate> The people of this place gave food to the people of that place in the cold season.

Yaluy-arra-ngka mayi dajin yinyay-arra-nda ngiki-wungar-a.


<translate> You all see the flames there.


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


<translate> I saw the kalkamuku snake there.


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

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


<translate> After hunting the goanna and the scrub-turkey all day through the deep scrub, the young men came back to the camp tired and very hungry, the old man said.

Wawu-balbi-nya-muny jadi diwan-jirr wungar narmba madja dajali-burr, warru-warru bayan-ka kaday baja-burray dakuy bajaku, mukul-dingkar balkan.


<translate> They saw the willie wagtail there.


<translate> The children love the sweet honey, but they are afraid of the angry stinging bees.

Karrkay-karrkay wawu wunba jiba, yamba jana yinil dabu kuli-ji-nka.


<translate> You see the wurmbariji scrub tree there.


<translate> The children learned the hardest lesson of all: that sometimes the other person will not make peace, will strike the open hand away, and that then you must have the strength to stop without striking back, and to leave the door open, and to wait.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman milbil dandi bajaku wubulmuny: kanbalka bama yindu kari wunbu-bungal, mara yaral kunil bawal, yalada yundu junkurr karrbanka kari kuni baja, jina yukil bawanka, maku-jananka.


<translate> The tree kangaroo lives high in the rainforest canopy and moves slowly through the branches at night, and it is very hard to find and harder to take, so a hunter who brings one home is greatly praised, but the old people say never take too many, for they are few and slow to breed and a country can be emptied of them in one careless generation.

Jarrabina majaji-juku wangkar bada wunay buban-buban juku-mara wukurril wujurr, nyulu nyajinka dandi bajaku maninka junkurr baja, balbi-bama nyulu nyubun bayan-mundu jarrakulban yulmbarril yalbay, bama mukul balkan kariku wubul mani, jana buban jana buban-manda kari jiwarril bubu jana-muny yamba-kari-manda nyubun wungar binal-karibu.


<translate> Father saw grandmother's mouth.


<translate> You and I saw the scorpion there.


<translate> The women had found yams and honey while the men hunted.

Jalbu-jalbungku wukay wunba nyajin, dingkar-dingkar minyaka dunganya.


<translate> Good weather for the island tomorrow.


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


<translate> Perhaps the fish are lying deep down in the cold of the big pool now, the old man said, for they hide from the sun in the heat of the day.

Nguba kuyu bana dajali janka-ba ngiki-ba wuna niji, mukul-dingkar balkan, jana wungar-muny wawan wungar wangkar-wangkar-a.


<translate> The young men danced until dawn.

Warru-warru wurin. Muduwajuny jana wunanda.


<glossary> balnji ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> cook the meat properly


<translate> When they made a new camp the old man lit the first fire himself, in the center where all could reach it, and he spoke a few quiet words to the country as the smoke rose, thanking the place for having them, for a fire is the first word a people says to a new piece of ground.

Jana bayan jirakal murninya mukulungku dingkarangka baya ngadiku nyulu-nyulu wandiman, dukurr-bu wanja bama wubulku manil, nyulu balkan kuku buban janka bubungu kubu wandinya, bubunka wawu-mini bama karrbanmuny, baya kuku ngadiku bama nyubun bubu jirakalnka balkalmu.


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


<translate> You two saw the mawal bee here.


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


<translate> The old woman said the young are afraid to ask questions because they fear looking foolish, and this fear robs them of half of what they could learn, so she made her camp a place where no honest question was ever mocked, where the elder answering would often say that is exactly what I wondered at your age, so that the children learned that asking is not weakness but the very engine of all growing wise.

Wulbumanangka balkan warru yinil-ji babajinka jana yinil ngangkal yala nyajilmuny, yinya yinil jananka jarrba manin jana binalman-mabimuny, nyulu bungan nyungu bayan bubu wanja kuku-yukil nyubun kariku bikirr-bungal, wanja mukul kuku-yukil-manil nganga balkan yinya ngayu baja milkanga karrbanmuny yundu wungara, karrkay-karrkay binalman babaji nyulu kari junkurr-kari yambada nyulu yamba-murni wawu-yukil bungalmuny wubulku.


<glossary> kumurr ; type=noun ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> It's flower time now


<translate> The black crow is a clever bird, the old man said, and it will steal the meat right off the drying-rack if the people turn their backs.

Kalbu buyi binal-binal, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu minya juku-ba wandi-nya-muny mani, kaki bama muku yindu-mal.


<translate> They saw the kurranday seagull here.


<translate> The grandfathers remembered the names of all those who had died long, long ago.

Kami-karra burri binal bama wula-nya-mu, bama narmba kalbay-muny wula-nya.


<translate> Mother gave a bone to the child.


<translate> That wallaby is running fast across the plain; the dogs cannot catch it in the long grass.

Yinya kadar warri bajaku bubu-burr; kaya kari mani jikan kalbay-mba.


<translate> Angry words are true the way floodwater is wet — real, and no good for drinking.

Kuku dukul-wuri-ji manubaja yala jalungkarr yaru: manubaja, yambada mumbu nukanka.


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


<translate> We two (not you) saw the bamboo spear stick here.


<translate> You all see the kookaburra here.


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


<translate> Yesterday the child became sick.


<translate> Mother asked grandmother about meat.


<translate> He saw the julaji freshwater catfish there.


<translate> His family was afraid, but the old woman who knows the bush remedies came and sat with him.

Nyungu jawunkarra yini-yini, yambada wulbuman kalbalka binal kadan, nyungu ngundu bundandan.


<translate> They saw the jila beeswax there.


<translate> They heard the rustling noise here.


<translate> The old woman said the word for child changes with its stage of life, a newborn one word, a small child another, a child who has just learned to talk another still, kukujida, and she loved that last word most, for it caught exactly that bright moment when a little one first turns the noise of the camp into real words, and every family waited for it and celebrated it as a true beginning.

Wulbumanangka balkan kuku karrkaymuny yindu-manda nyungu wungar-jina-mundu, ngawa nyubun kuku, karrkay buban yindu, karrkay nyulu ngadiku balka binalman yindu baja, kukujida, nyulu yinya kuku bada bajaku wawu-jirray, nyulu manin yinya wungar yilbay karrkay buban ngadiku bayan nyungu jarrakay kuku yukil-manilnya, jawun-karra wubulku maku-janan yajarrin nyulu kuku-yukil ngadiku-manin.


<translate> We saw the mirrki kidney bird here.


<translate> We see the small lizard here.


<translate> You all see the waral stomach there.


<translate> You all see the morning star here.


<glossary> walu-nukal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I'm annoyed, too much noise


<glossary> nyangarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Pour the tea into the pannikin


<translate> You and I see the dikirr waterlily there.


<translate> You two see the sea turtle here.


<translate> The women wade in the shallow creek and feel for the mussels in the mud with their feet.

Jalbu wawubaja bana-buban-ba jilban, mukirr kambal-kambal-ba jina-bu milbil.


<translate> The green frog is cool and wet to the touch even in the hottest sun, the old man said, and the old people knew it as a sign of clean water close underground.

Karrkurr ngiki duna wungar-iji junkurr-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, mukul-bama binalman yala bana ngulkurr bubu bada ngundu.


<translate> That marsupial native cat is there.


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


<translate> We two, not you, saw the kurkunbay butcherbird there.


<translate> Father put water on mother's back.

Nganjan-angka bana yijarrin ngamu-ndu muku-ngu.


<translate> The old man said this is why you must know your ancestors: not to worship them, but to understand yourself, for you are a letter they wrote and sent forward into a future they would never see, and you are still being read.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: yinyamu yundu jawun-karra ngadiku binal: kari jana wawu-yukilka, yambada yundu nyulu-nyulu binalka, yundu kuku jana kunjanmuny yungalmuny wunkunka jana kari nyajilnya, yundu kariku milbil.


<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 flat-tailed ray is there.


<translate> Uncle speared it straight and true.


<translate> They gave clothes to the girl.


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


<translate> The old hunter thanked the kangaroo's spirit, for a hunter takes life only to feed the camp.

Balbibama mukulungku mayarrijimu dubu balkan ngulkurr, balbibama minya yarkin-bungal nganga bayan nukamaninka.


<glossary> kayil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> The man charmed the girl


<glossary> balu ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> let the tea get cool


<translate> Did you hear it yourself, or did the wind bring it? — The wind. — Then tie it loosely.

Yundu milka-janan nyubunji, yambada muyarbu wundin? Muyarbu. Yalada kaja kimabu.


<glossary> badamal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> You bend your head down


<translate> The two of them saw the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> You all saw the kawarr bloodwood tree there.


<translate> Some places far away are just the same as this country, the old man said — the same trees, the same birds, the same red earth.

Bubu kanbal kala-kalbay yala-rrku yinya bubu-ngu, mukul-dingkar balkan — juku nyubun, buyi nyubun, bubu kulbul nyubun.


<translate> The young man went to the shade with a friend.


<translate> They named the baby for the grandmother, so now two people answer when one name is called out.

Jana ngawanka burri dayan babimuny, yalada nyiku bama jambul balkal baja burri nyubun yirrkanya.


<translate> You saw the diwalngku bird here.


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


<translate> The snake crawled through the grass.


<glossary> ngakil ; type=noun ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> I hid the spear in the grass


<translate> You and I saw the bajarr fern leaves there.


<translate> They called one man face-hard because not one word could turn him, the old woman remembers, and at first the young men thought that was strength, but the flood took his camp close by the creek after all the people had warned him, and now the people say: a hard face is a soft shelter.

Bamangka dingkar nyubun kunjan walu-dandi, kuku nyubunbu kariku nyulu murnin, wulbumanangka milka-binalku, ngadiku warru-warru milkabu baykan yinya junkurr, yambada bana-yalbaybu bayan nyungu manin ngundu wawubajanga, bama wubulku milbin ngadiku, yalada bamangka balkal: walu dandi nyulu bayan kima.


<translate> I saw the balarri queenfish there.


<translate> The elder brother walks ahead on the path and the younger brother follows after, the old man said, and the elder must always look after the younger.

Yaba jina-ba wunan-ba jilba, yabaju wundi, mukul-dingkar balkan, yaba-ngku marri yabaju nyaji-nyaji.


<translate> How many days will you be away, and where will you sleep? Three days; I will sleep at my uncle's camp on the first night, then in the open scrub the other nights.

Wanjarrinya wungar yundu kari yinyabu, wanjabu yundu wuna? Wungar kulur; ngayu ngadiku wujurr ngayku kalnga-mu bayan-ba wuna, baja wujurr madja-nga wuna.


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

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


<glossary> wawurr-wawurrmal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I decided to go now


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


<translate> The old woman said a good friend is like deep still water — quiet on top, but holding much life underneath.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: jawun ngulkurr yala bana dajali janka — wangkar janka, yamba julbi minya wubul bada-bada.


<translate> They saw the jirimandi coconut tree there.


<translate> The evening walks the morning's road backwards, the old man showed the boys: the tools come home first of all, then the food to the fire, then the small ones to the blankets, then the stories, and the coals are covered then-and-only-then, when every other thing already sleeps, for the day is folded from its end to its top, not from its beginning.

Wujurr jilbal baral muduwajumuny muku-jinabu, mukulungku dingkarangka buban-buban milbin: yamba-murni-ngurr kaday bayanka, yalada mayi bayaka, yalada karrkay-buban kararrka, yalada kuku-jangkar, ngunjil nandanda yamba yindu wubulku wunanya, wungar nyulu murninmuny badamuny wangkarku, kari ngadikumuny.


<translate> The old woman said that the way a person answers the question how are you tells you almost everything: the one who says fine and looks away, the one who tells you their whole trouble, the one who turns it back and asks after you first, and she taught the children that this small daily question, asked with real attention and answered with real honesty, is one of the quiet threads that holds a whole people together.

Wulbumanangka balkan yala bama nyubun kuku-yukil-manil kuku yundu wanjarr nyulu yundunka yamba wubulku balkal: nyulu balkan yukil miyil bawal, nyulu balkan yundunka nyungu mumbu wubulku, nyulu kuku-mundu nyunbal babajil yundunka ngadiku, nyulu karrkay-karrkay milbin kuku buban wungar-mabi, babajin milka-yukilbu kuku-yukil-manin kuku-yukil-bu, nyulu nyubun karra dandi bama wubulku nyubunku karrbalmuny.


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

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


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


<translate> You see the kaya-kaya dogs here.


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


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

Kayangka minya kulban bayamuny — karrba jinbalku!


<translate> Mother gave green ant to the child.


<translate> This is the best fishing place of all, for the water is deep and the fish are many and big.

Nyiku kuyu-balbi bubu ngulkurr-baja-ku wubul-ku, bana dukurr, kuyu wubul yalbay baja.


<translate> He thought about his dead mother all night long and could not sleep at all.

Nyulu milka-bu baykan nyungu ngamu wula-nya-mu wujurr wubulku, kari warngku wuna-l.


<translate> We turned back from the water.


<translate> The old man said the earth oven teaches patience, for once it is sealed you cannot hurry it or check it without spoiling everything: you must simply trust the heat and the time and wait, and this is why the young find it hard, but the food that comes out at evening is worth every hour of the waiting.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kurrma milbil maku-janal, nyulu kajanya yundu murruji warri-manil nyaji nyamba wubulku mumbu-bunga: yundu nganga wumbulbu wungarbu wawu-karrba maku-jana, yinyabu warru dandi manil, mayi nyulu kunarangkalba wandinya nyulu yukil wungar wubulku maku-janalmuny.


<translate> The child saw the fish spear at the camp.


<translate> They saw the walkarr goanna here.


<translate> Deep inside the dark rainforest it is cool and quiet even at the hottest midday.

Madja dukurr-ba wujurr-baja ngiki janka, wungar wumbul dindarra-nga baja.


<translate> The two of them saw the julbal tree here.


<translate> He came from that house with the tree.

Nyulu kadan bayan-muny yinya-muny juku-jirr-muny.


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


<translate> I would have learned the old songs, a grown man admitted at the sad fire, I always meant to sit close by the old man next wet season, and the old woman did not soften it: the songs are not standing waiting somewhere, they lay as a fire in one body, so sit with your old people this wet season now, for the word later is the place where songs go to die.

Ngayu wulngku mukul binal-manyaku, bama-yalbay balkan wungar wawu-mumbuba, ngayu wawu-manin bundanka ngundu dingkaranda bana-wungar yinduba, wulbumanangka kari kuku kima-bungan: wulngku kariku janay wanjaba, jana wunan baya bangkarrba nyubunba, yalada bunda bama mukulanji bana-wungar nyiku, kuku 'yalada' nyulu bubu wanja wulngku dungay wulanka.


<translate> You and I will go to the water together; we two will catch fish; the old people will wait for us; and we will bring the food back.

Yundu ngayu, ngaliny wawubajanga muru dungay; ngaliny kuyu karrbanka; mukul-mukul ngalinyan bundal; ngaliny mayi wundil baja.


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

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


<translate> The mother-in-law pierced his nose.


<translate> You all saw the banamu snake there.


<translate> When the old man died, his family called him only by the kin name.

Mukul-dingkar wula-nya, jawun-karra-ngka nyunguny kunjan kuku-jawun-bu-baja.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the dijarr freshwater perch there.


<translate> The two of them saw the kujuway pigeon there.


<translate> If you see a snake on the road, leave the road.

Kaki yundu jarba nyajil baral-ba, baral bawa.


<translate> You and I see the frill necked lizard here.


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


<translate> The fish tail lay on the ground.


<translate> The dogs found an echidna under the log.

Kaya-kayangka ngangkin nyajin, juku bada-bada.


<translate> You two see the coral there.


<translate> Is he your younger brother? No, he is my uncle's son — my cross-cousin — so we joke and hunt together, but I must respect his father.

Nyulu nyungu yabaju? Kari, nyulu ngayku kalnga-mu kangkal — ngayku kambanmu — ngali yajarr-way balbi-way, yambada ngayu nyungu nganjan dandi karrbal.


<translate> You all see the jumper ant 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> I take firewood just in case cold comes.

Ngayu baya wundil, nganganjirrka kiway kada-nya-mun-ku.


<glossary> kukujida ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> news mouth


<translate> The old woman said a marriage in the old way was not simply two people choosing each other but two whole families being joined, and it had to be a right marriage, the partners from opposite moieties, for a child belongs to the father's moiety, and if the moieties were wrong the marriage was wrong, and though these rules have loosened now, the old people still say that a marriage that ignores them will carry a hidden trouble.

Wulbumanangka balkan dunyu-manil ngadiku-kuku nyulu kari jambul bama nyubun-nyubun maninka yambada jawun-karra jambul nyubun-maninka, nyulu junkurr dunyu-manil yukil, ngaybirr bama-jambul jambul yindu-yindumuny, karrkay nyulu nganjan nyungu bama-jambul karra, bama-jambul mumbu-manda dunyu-manil mumbu, kuku yinya bada-manda nganga, bama mukul nganga balkan dunyu-manil kuku yinya bawal nyulu mumbu buyan karrbal.


<translate> I heard a song from up there.

Ngayu wulngku wangkarwangkar-mundu nyajin.


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


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


<translate> The old man asked the hunter: "Did you kill the big kangaroo today?" and the young man said: "Yes, I killed it."

Mukul-dingkar-angka balbi-bama babajin: Yundu mayarriji yalbay kunin niji? Warru balkan: Yuwu, ngayu kunin.


<translate> If the child hits the dog with a stick, it will bite him.

Kaki karrkay-ngka kaya juku-bu kunil, nyunguny baykal.


<translate> The seaside people came inland to trade fish for the scrub people's spears.

Jalun-ji-warra bubu-ka kadan, kuyu kalka-ka daji-way madja-warra-nji.


<translate> He saw the kalkamuku snake here.


<translate> The old man walks with a friend to the far country, lest he grow lonely on the long, empty road.

Mukul-dingkar jawun-jirr dunga-y bubu kala-kalbay-ka, nyulu milkabujar-ma-nyji jina kalbay-burr.


<translate> The old woman washed the child's long hair in the cold water of the creek.

Wulbumanangka karrkay-mu mungka kalbay julurrin bana ngiki-nga wawubaja-nga.


<translate> The dog ate the bone in the shade.


<translate> He went hunting with a very old dog that could no longer run fast but still knew every track.

Nyulu balbin kaya mukul-baja-ji-ku, kari-baja jinbal warri, yambada jina wubulku binal.


<translate> The people of this place gave food to the people of that place in the cold season.

Yaluy-arra-ngka mayi dajin yinyay-arra-nda ngiki-wungar-a.


<translate> They heard the barking sound there.


<translate> The children were cold and shivering from swimming far too long in the deep water, the old woman said, so the mother built the fire up big and warm.

Karrkay-karrkay ngiki yararri, maraji-maraji-nya wumbul bajaku bana dajali-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan, ngamu-ngku buri yalbay wumbul bunga.


<glossary> jaway ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> The old man is very generous


<translate> I see the spotted eagle ray here.


<translate> While the women were digging for mussels, the sand crabs ran sideways into their holes.

Jalbu mukirr baka-nya, ngalngal wurril bubungu dungan.


<translate> He saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo there.


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


<translate> The bush curlew cries in the dark night, and the children are afraid and lie close to the fire.

Kuyir wujurr-ba yirrkan, karrkay yinilman, baya ngundu wunan.


<translate> The big shark swims beyond the reef where the water is very deep.

Yaburr yalbay janji dulngku kudamundu, wanja bana dukurr-baja.


<translate> I take a fishing line; perhaps the fish will bite.

Ngayu badur wundil, nguba kuyu-ngku baykal.


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


<glossary> milka-wulay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I forgot about the dog


<translate> A big branch broke off the old tree and fell down hard in the big storm wind.

Dakil yalbay juku mukul-muny bada dara-n, jarramali yalbay-ba jinbal-baja.


<translate> The infant is very small, so its mother carries it everywhere in a soft bark cradle.

Ngawa buban-baja-ku, nyungu ngamu-ngka nyulu juku-kambi kima-nga wubulku wundil.


<translate> I go to the old man sitting there.

Ngayu wulman-anda dungay, yinyay bundanda-nya.


<translate> He sees the small sticks there.


<translate> You two see the kalburiji bee here.


<translate> The old man said: I am old now, my time is short; when I am gone, do not weep for me — carry my name in you, and I will not truly die.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: ngayu mukul, ngayku wungar buban; ngayu wula-ny-muny, yurra kari ngaykunku badi — ngayku burri yunundu karrba, ngayu kariku wulay.


<translate> The child saw the Torres Strait pigeon.


<translate> The man lit the fire with a firestick.


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


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


<translate> Mother sees the loya cane here.


<translate> You all saw the kurrmaja larvae there.


<translate> I take medicinal root in case the child gets sick.

Ngayu bangkan wundil, kunka karrkay bambay-ma-nya-mun-ku.


<translate> Auntie knows the remedy for that sickness.


<translate> Hold the dog tightly lest it chase the wallaby and run away!

Kaya karrba dandi, kadar kanga-nyji, warri-nyji!


<translate> I see the bujabay tree here.


<translate> They see the smouldering log here.


<translate> I am going to my grandmother's house now to eat the sweet ripe fruit.

Ngayu dunga-y niji bayan-ba babi-ndamun-bu, mayi jiba-wulay kulbul nuka-nka.


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


<translate> We sat down in the cool green shade under the wide branches of the great fig tree.

Ngana bundan wabarr ngiki jikan-jikan-ba, baril-baril yalbay dakil-dakil kalbay bada.


<translate> You all see the fingernail here.


<translate> We went to the reef to gather oysters and mussels at low tide.

Ngana kulji-ka dungan, julul mukirr bangka-nka yira buban-ba.


<translate> The old man also cried for his dead wife, just like the others.

Mukul-dingkar yala-rrku nyungu manyarr wula-mu badil, bama yindu yala.


<translate> Soak the zamia nuts in the water first.


<translate> The dog bit the old woman's foot.


<lexeme> {'english': "He's well now after being sick", 'translation': 'Nyulu bambaymun ngulkurrda'}


<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> They heard the hiccups there.


<translate> The boy asked: what is this stick for? The old man said: that is a fire-drill; you twist it fast on soft wood, the smoke glows, and the fire is alive.

Jawun-karrkayngku babajin: nyiku jaba wanyu-nka? Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: yinya baya-jaba; yundu juku kima-nga warri murnil, kubu dakal, baya juran.


<translate> The two of them saw the darrba grass wallaby there.


<translate> Father saw the hook and line on the ground.


<translate> Father heard the thunderstorm there.


<translate> The children learned the dance today.

Nyiku karrkay-karrkay binalman warrmaka.


<translate> Is your mother well again now, after her long sickness?

Yunu ngamu ngulkurr-baja, bambay kalbay-muny?


<translate> Father saw the charcoal in the shade.


<translate> Mother saw the rainbow there.


<translate> My brother and I went hunting; we two speared a wallaby; the meat is ours; we two will share it between us.

Ngayku yaba ngali balbi dungan; ngali kadar daman; minya ngalinga; ngali muru daji-way.


<translate> The road here is not crooked.


<translate> We saw the dukul-barangkal flathead fish here.


<translate> Grandmother left the paperbark in the shade.


<translate> That mujarr fig tree is there.


<translate> The children waited on the beach all morning, and when they saw the canoes coming they ran into the water shouting with joy.

Karrkay-karrkay jukara bundandan wunkuwingku, marrakan kadanya nyajin, bananga warrin yirrkanya wawu-mini.


<translate> The frightened children whispered together in the dark, afraid of the strange noise outside the camp.

Karrkay-karrkay yini-yini yayngkar muru ngungul-ba, jana yinil nyurra yindu bayan-muny.


<translate> You two see the wulku fig here.


<translate> The two of them saw the murma wasp there.


<translate> The man took off the clothes.


<translate> I saw the Moreton Bay fig tree.


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


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

Balji kaja wangkar — kaya-kayangka manil!


<translate> They two see the fish there.


<translate> The young man went to the road with father.


<translate> Granny smiled at the sleeping children.

Babingka karrkay-karrkay nyajin, warngku wunanya.


<glossary> jarrabina ; type=noun ; domain=fauna-mammal <usage_example> Nyungkul Yalanaji


<translate> The child asked grandmother about the mango.


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

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


<translate> The old people rested there.


<translate> You saw the julbal tree there.


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


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


<translate> The old man said courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it, and the person who says they have never been afraid is either a liar or a fool, and probably both.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: wawu-junkurr kari yinil-kari, yambada yinil kujil, bama nyulu balkal nyulu kari yinil yabarrka janan, nyulu warmbijibama binal-kari, jambulku baja nguba.


<translate> As the sun went down, the girls sang while the boys built up the fire for the evening meal.

Wungar bada dunganya, maral-maral wulngku badin, dabalangka baya wajun mayika.


<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> You see the murral tree kangaroo here.


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


<translate> The man put the spear on the ground.


<glossary> jikal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> They straighten the spear out in the fire


<translate> That person there is stingy.


<translate> You all saw the julbal tree there.


<translate> The child put the spear in the shade.


<translate> The two women took over the ground oven completely.


<translate> The left hand learns from the right by stealing its work — let it.

Jakujibu binal-mal jurrubijimuny murni manilnya: bawa nyulu.


<translate> They heard the grunt sound here.


<translate> You two see the flat rock here.


<glossary> balnji ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> they are camping out


<translate> Big sister is looking after the little ones today.


<translate> Mother saw the Moreton Bay ash tree in the scrub.


<translate> I see the king parrot there.


<translate> I thought you meant to roast the meat, but you are boiling it in water.

Balu yundu minya dinda-nka, kari yundu bana-nga wajul.


<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> He saw the kalkamuku snake there.


<translate> Follow the river up to the mountain.


<translate> They saw the daughter's child here.


<translate> Mother hears the thunder here.


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

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


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


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


<glossary> yalaymbu ; type=temporal ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> He missed the fish. By this time we should have been eating (it)

Byulu minya nyundan. Ngana yalaymbu mukanyakuda


<translate> The child asked mother: "Do you want food?" Mother said: "Yes."

Karrkay ngamu-ndu babajin: "Yundu mayi-ka wawu?" Ngamu-ngku balkan: "Yuwu."


<translate> Her country was quiet and good.


<translate> The cooked meat with fat was good.


<translate> They see the dilly bag here.


<translate> Some places in the country are just the same as this one, good for camping.

Bubu kanbal yala-rrku yanyu, ngulkurr bayan-ka.


<translate> The children swam in the creek and their mother washed the clothes on the flat rocks.

Karrkay-karrkay wawubaja-nga janji-l, ngamu-ngka kambi kulji-ba julurrin.


<glossary> bakal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Sister gave me a shot (pricked with a needle)


<translate> A good yam ground feeds a family for the whole wet season, said the old woman, so we never take all and always leave some to grow.

Kawu bubu ngulkurr jawunkarra nukamanil buluriji wubulku, wulbumanangka balkan, yala ngana kari wubulku manil, kanbal bawal wandinka.


<translate> The old woman cooked the turtle slowly in the ground oven all through the night.

Wulbumangka yalnga waju kiray-baja bubu-ngu wujurr wubulku.


<translate> As the tide came back in, many fish swam into the net and could not get out again.

Jalun kadanya baja, kuyu wubul makarrba walan, murruji dungay baja.


<translate> You all saw the spring there.


<translate> You two saw the bakay snake there.


<translate> The old woman kept stirring the paste in the bark dish, mixing in water little by little, until it was smooth and ready to cook.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku mayi murni-murni dumbul-ba, bana kaja buban-buban, nyulu ngulkurr waju-nka kariku.


<translate> The marsupial native cat is there.


<translate> You all saw the running water there.


<translate> They saw the flat-tailed ray here.


<glossary> ngukal-badi ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> Don't steal (it), just ask (for it)

Yundu kari wurrmay-bakamaka, ngukal-badiku


<translate> The boy learned to keep water always near the fire, in case a spark should jump and the grass catch, so that he could put it out before it spread far.

Karrkayangka binalman bana yabarrka baya ngundu kujinka, baya wanda-nyji, jikan kamba-nyji, nyulu wula-manka ngadiku kalakalbay dunganyjiku.


<translate> The children fell asleep before the dancing finished.

Karrkay-karrkay warngku wunan, wurinyjiku.


<translate> Put the black beans in water, then grind them, and grind before the sun stands high, the old woman taught the girls the old word-road, then wash the meal in the running water for many days, for the tree that feeds you in the hungry time asks first for patience in the full time.

Baway bananga yijarrika, yalada yurri, yurri wungar wangkar jananyjiku, wulbumanangka jalbu-buban kuku-baral mukul milbin, yalada mayi julurrika bana warrinya wungar wubulku, bawaybu yununy mayi-dayal wungar dakwuyba, nyulu babajil ngadiku wawu-karrbaka wungar jakalba.


<translate> The marubu species of oyster is there.


<glossary> nguwimal ; type=adverb ; domain=perception <usage_example> I saw him appear, a long ways off

Ngayu nyungun nguwimal nyajin, kala-kalbayku


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

Janay! Bawa bama mukul nukanka ngadiku-ngurr.


<translate> The young man went down to the river to spear fish for his family.

Warru dungan wawubaja-ka, kuyu dama-nka jawun-karra-ka.


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


<translate> You two see the jingajalka tree here.


<translate> The old man said the questions a people stops asking mark the edges of what it has given up on, for a people that no longer asks where the missing ones went, or why the young are leaving, or how the old ways could be kept, has already half-surrendered, so he made it a duty to keep asking the hard uncomfortable questions aloud, even when no answer came, for the asking itself keeps a door open that silence would close.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku bama wubul bawan babajinka jarra bubu-ngu wanya nyulu bawanmuny, bama nyulu kari babajil wanja jana bawanmuny dunganmuny, yambada wanyurrinku warru dungay, yambada wanjarr kuku ngadiku karrbal, nyulu ngadiku dukurr-baja bawan, nyulu bungan kuku ngadiku junkurr dandi babajinka kuku-mundu, kuku-yukil kari kadanya baja, babajil nyulu-nyulu bubu karra-kari karrbal dandi nyulu kajalmuny.


<translate> They see the nyumbil coolibah tree here.


<glossary> yalkaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> He's limping with sore on his feet

Nyulu yalkan-yalkan-yalkaji, jina bajiji


<translate> The old man said the kin-terms were used far beyond blood, so that a man would call his close friend brother, an old woman would call any young person of the right age child or grandchild, and a respected elder became everyone's uncle or aunt, and this stretching of the kin-words was not loose or careless but the very way the language folded new people into the family and made the whole community feel and act as one great kindred.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku-karra manin mula-daji ngulkurr-baja, dingkar nyulu kunjal nyungu jawun yaba, mukul nyulu kunjal warru nyubun wungar-yukil karrkay jija baja, mukul yulmbarril-yamba bama wubulku nyungu kalnga mukul janan, yinya kuku-karra jilban nyulu kari ngangkal yambada nyulu bajaku yala kuku bama jirakal jawun-karra kajan jawun-karra wubulku nyubun-mabi milka-nyubun murnin.


<glossary> milka-burray ; type=adjective ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The kids are maing too much noise; I'm tired of it

Kaykay-kaykay nurra baka; ngayu milka-burray


<translate> We see the shell back snail here.


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


<translate> Come here, my child, and sit by the fire with me.

Kada yaluy, ngayku karrkay, baya karangkal bunda nganya-nji.


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


<translate> The boys practiced all afternoon until each of them could make fire on his own.

Dabalangka baya ngaran yilay-yilay wubulku, jana wubulku baya ngaranyjiku nyulurrku.


<translate> That wood there is not coarse.


<translate> You all see the salmon here.


<translate> The next day the younger brother caught more fish but the older brother caught a bigger fish, and the old man said each was best at his own thing.

Yindu wungara yaba bubanangka kuyu wubul-baja manin, yaba yalbaymu kuyu yalbay-baja manin, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan jambulku ngulkurr bajaku nyungu yambanga.


<translate> I saw the nyumbil coolibah tree here.


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

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


<translate> The old man knows how to make a strong, well-made spear from the black palm, the old woman said, and he can throw it further than any young man.

Mukul-dingkar binal kalka junkurr ngulkurr bunga-nka duwar-mu, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu dama kala-kalbay-ka warru wubulku-muny.


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


<translate> The two of them see the karraway snail there.


<translate> The old woman's hands had grown hard from a life of scraping seed and digging roots and twisting string, and a girl held them softly and said they were like river stones, and the old woman laughed: yes, like river stones, the water that shaped them has gone past, but put a seed under this hand and it still knows the whole work.

Wulbuman mara nyungu dandi-man wawumuny diburr yurrinmuny bangkan bakanmuny karra murninmuny, jalbu-bubanangka jana karrban kimabu balkan jana yala kulji wawubajamuny, wulbuman yajarr-man: yuwu, yala kulji wawubajamuny, bana jana murninmuny dungan, yambada bunga diburr badabada maranga, nyulu murni wubulku binal yabarrka.


<translate> You saw the freshwater eel there.


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


<translate> If the sun is hot, the children stay in the house.

Kaki wungar wumbul, karrkay-karrkay bayan-ba bundanday.


<translate> You and I saw the hook here.


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

Nyulu bada wawu-juljalandamunbu wharfmunbu


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


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


<translate> Say the soft things while the ears can still hear them, the old woman told the proud young man, go to your father before the long sleep takes him, for a visit made in its right day is short and light, but the visit not made walks close beside you for the whole rest of your life.

Balka kuku kima milka milka-jananya baja, wulbumanangka warru walu-dandinka milbin, dungay nganjananka nyulu warngku kalbaybu maninyjiku, jilba murninmuny wungara nyulu buban kima, yambada jilba kari murninmuny nyulu jilbal yundu ngundu wawu wubulku.


<glossary> jirrkalinku ; type=adverb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> I went through the gate


<translate> The tree stump lay on the ground.


<translate> The woman asked father about the mango.


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


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


<translate> In the deep water beyond the reef the men hunted dugong, the biggest and best meat of the sea.

Bana badanga dulngku ngubarmuny, dingkar-dingkarangka biwuy balbin, minya yalbay ngulkurr bajaku jalunmu.


<translate> The echidna was hard to catch because it dug itself straight down into the hard ground and rolled itself into a ball against the digging hands.

Ngangkin murruji manil, nyulu bubu junkurrbu bada nyulu-nyulu bakan, nyulu-nyulu nyubun-bungan marabu bakanya.


<translate> The mother stood the child up on its feet, washed its face, sang a song, and it stopped crying.

Ngamungku karrkay jina-nga jana-y-manin, mil julurrin, burri balkan, nyulu badil bawan.


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


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


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


<translate> Who taught you to make a spear like this? My grandfather taught me. And who taught him? His own father taught him, long ago in the old country.

Wanyangka yundu kalka nyiku bunga-nka binal-bungan? Ngayku kamingka nganya binal-bungan. Wanyangka nyulu binal-bungan? Nyungu nganjangka nyunguny binal-bungan, ngadiku mukul-bubu-ngu.


<glossary> yirri-damal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> My tank is leaking


<translate> The boy learned to throw the boomerang so that it flew out far and came spinning back to his hand.

Karrkay warru wangal daman binalman, wangal marra-warri kala-kalbay, jurrki-l nyunban mara-ka.


<translate> You two saw the jimalili lizard here.


<translate> I see the corkwood pine here.


<translate> You see the small sticks there.


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


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


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

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


<translate> The hickory tree gives hard heavy wood that is very good for making strong woomeras.

Dilbal juku junkurr kulngkul, balur junkurr ngulkurr bunga-nka.


<translate> We see the mulawajarr star here.


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


<translate> Granny got up at dawn and lit the fire. The billycan boiled. She drank her tea alone.

Muduwajuny babi wandin, baya wajunda. Jungkalu wumbulman. Nyulu diyi nukan nyulurrku.


<translate> They see the juku-juku bronzewing dove there.


<translate> The old man climbed the tree.


<translate> They see the black-tip shark here.


<translate> Granny sent honey to her sister's camp.

Babingka wunba yungan babarrandamunba bayanba.


<translate> The old woman left the shield outside.

Wulbuman-angka kunjuri ngalkal-ba bawan.


<translate> No, do not go, in case the rain comes.

Kari, yundu kari dungay, kaba kada-nya-mun-ku.


<translate> You see the fire stick there.


<translate> Look behind you on the way out, and the camp will look familiar on the way home.

Nyaji kudamundu dunganya, bayan nyulu binal-nyajil kadanya baja.


<translate> He saw the barinkan scrub bird here.


<glossary> kankur ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> Nyulu milka bikibiki kankuruku nyandan


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


<translate> The old man said a small gift given with love is bigger than a big gift thrown down without care, and the child understood.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: mayi buban kuru-jirr dajin yalbay bajaku, mayi yalbay kuru-kari darin-muny, karrkay binalman.


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


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


<translate> Worry is grinding with no seeds, the old man laughed: plenty of motion, no flour, and your arms are tired at dark.

Wawu-buyun nyulu nyurrbal diburr-kari, mukulungku dingkarangka yajarr-man: murni wubul, mayi-kari, wakuy baja-burray wujurrba.


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


<translate> You two see the dukul-dukul bush here.


<translate> You all saw the murral tree kangaroo there.


<translate> The people traded shells and ochre with the inland groups; they gave bailer shells and red ochre, and got stone for axes and hard wood for spears.

Bamangka milbar, murbuy kuwa-bama-ji dajiway; jana warkal, murbuy dayan, jana kulji warrbi-nka, juku dandi kalka-nka manin.


<translate> You two see the spear point here.


<translate> Did they give you the meat? No, they gave it to him, not to me; but he shared it with me, so we ate together.

Jana yununku minya dayan? Kari, jana nyungunku dayan, kari ngaykunku; yambada nyulu ngaykunji daji-way, ngali muru nukan.


<translate> This fruit on the tree is good.


<translate> Every hunter misses at the start, he said; the spear learns your hand, and your hand learns the spear.

Nyulu balkan: balbibama wubulku ngadiku kari damal, kalka yunu mara binalmanka, yala yunu mara kalka binalmanka.


<glossary> kunbayn ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> Today is break-up day; school's finished now

Nyiku break-up day, kunbayn yundu school


<glossary> balibali ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> The house is leaky, the water is coming in


<translate> He saw the murramu dingo here.


<translate> The men carried the long spears in one hand and the heavy shields in the other, ready for the fight.

Dingkar-angka kalka kalbay mara nyubun-ba karrban, kunjuri kulngkul mara yindu-ngu.


<translate> That billycan is grandmother's.


<translate> They saw the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish 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> We two, not you, see the black-tip shark here.


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


<translate> You and I see the flames there.


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


<translate> This water is no good — it comes out of the ground with a smell.

Bana yanya mumbu, nyulu wandil bubumuny jila-ji.


<translate> They see the outrigger canoe here.


<translate> You saw the marri-marri old people here.


<translate> They saw the reflection here.


<translate> The hunter had come back to camp before the thunderstorm arrived.

Balbi-bama bayan-ka kadan, jarramali kada-nyjiku.


<translate> I see the striped water snake.


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


<translate> The head carries the eyes and the ears and the mouth for food and for words, so the old man said the head is a camp, the eye and the ear live in it, and everything a person learns comes along those roads into the head.

Dukul nyulu miyil karrbal milka baja ngandal baja, mayika kukuku, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan dukul nyulu bayan, miyil milka wunay yinyanga, yamba wubulku bama nyulu binal-mal nyulu yinya baralburr dukulku kaday.


<translate> The woman asked father about food.


<translate> The old man did not see the big snake, for it lay hidden in the long dry grass.

Mukul-dingkar-angka jarba yalbay kari nyajin, nyulu jikan kalbay-ba ngaki-nya wunan.


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


<translate> You see the kurrun tree there.


<translate> He saw the baringkan small bird here.


<translate> They should have kept one old canoe in the shed as a pattern, the old woman said, so the young could see how it was truly made, but the last one rotted while everyone was busy, and now the young make them from memory and picture, and each one is a little wrong, and the wrongness grows with every copy.

Jana marrakan mukul nyubun bayanba karrba-nyaku wari yala, wulbumanangka balkan, warru nyaji yala nyulu yukil bunganmu, yambada marrakan bada bajaku wula bama wubulku janayka, nyiku warru bungal milkamuny nyajilmuny, nyubun wubulku buban mumbu, mumbu ngaral wungar wubulku nyulu murni-manilba.


<translate> As a small child I used to eat kangaroo and echidna that my old grandfather hunted for us.

Ngayu karrkay-nyja-ku minya mayarriji ngangkin nuka-l-nuka-n, ngayku kami-ngku balbi-nya.


<translate> You and I saw the kuran case-moth larva there.


<translate> They saw the kandal maggot here.


<translate> She wove the dilly bag so tightly the small seeds and the sweet honey would not fall out through it.

Nyulu ngunyin junkurr bungal, mayi buban wunba jiba-wulay kari bada dara-nyaku dukurr-muny.


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


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


<translate> The generous man's fire is easy to find in the dark — many tracks point at it.

Baya bama jawaymuny ngalkal maninka wujurrba: jina wubulkubu milbil yinyaka.


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


<translate> The straw-necked ibis walks through the wet grass probing the mud with its long beak, the old woman said, eating the grasshoppers and small creatures.

Birmba jikan duna-ba jilba kambal-kambal ngandal marri-bu baka, mukul-jalbu balkan, jimu minya buban-jirr nuka.


<glossary> badur ; type=noun ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> I'm fishing (sitting with hook and line)


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> The man speared a big fish, but it was strong, so he held the line firmly, waited, and at last brought it onto the sand.

Dingkarangka kuyu yalbay daman, yambada nyulu junkurrji, dingkar dandi karrban, bundan, jukara wundinda.


<translate> You see the scrub wallaby here.


<glossary> bawal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> I left Bloomfield and went to Mossman


<translate> Give the hungry old man some of that good meat you cooked this morning.

Mukul-dingkar dakwuy-ka minya ngulkurr daji, yundu wunkuwingku wajun-muny!


<translate> Is there water in the billycan?


<translate> The child jumped from the boat.


<translate> This red king parrot is here.


<translate> The boys found honey in a tree. They got it down and ate it all.

Dabalangka wunba nyajin jukungu. Jana manin, nukanyarrku.


<translate> The echidna and the bandicoot both dig, but their tracks are quite different.

Ngangkin kulngu jambul bakan, yambada nyungu jina yindu-yindu-baja.


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

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


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

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


<translate> That young man is very strong.


<translate> The young man pulled out the bamboo.


<translate> They saw the kurrun tree there.


<translate> They saw the son's child here.


<translate> I slept the whole night at my elder brother's camp far up the winding river.

Ngayu wujurr wubulku wunan yaba-ndamun-bu bayan-ba, wawubaja wangkar-a kalbay-ka.


<translate> Grandad's father made this boomerang long ago.

Ngadiku kamindamundu nganjanangka yanyu wangal balkan.


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


<translate> You all see the kakarr grass there.


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

Nyulu bada wawu-juljalandamunbu wharfmunbu


<translate> The men roasted the big yams in the hot coals until they were soft.

Dingkar bambayal yalbay dindan baya wumbul-ba, kima-mal ngadiku.


<translate> Every animal's foot writes a different mark, and the old man made a game of it with the boys, drawing each track in the sand and asking whose it was: the wallaby's two long marks and the drag of the tail, the goanna's clawed hand and sweeping tail, the bird's little forked star, the dingo's neat round pad, until they could read the whole camp of animals from the ground alone.

Minya wubulku nyungu jina yindu-yindu jarral, mukulungku dingkarangka yajarr-yajarr bungan warru-warrunji, jina wubulku jukara jarran babajin wanyumuny: darrba nyungu jina kalbay jambul junkan-jarral, jadi nyungu mara-jalan jina-nga, buyi nyungu jina buban jiri-mabi, murramu jina murru yukil, dukul jana ngaral minya-bayan wubulku bubu nganga.


<translate> Watch the little children closely by the fire, lest the hot red coals burn one of them.

Karrkay-karrkay nyaji-l-nyaji-l junkurr baya ngundu, ngunjil kulbul wumbul-angka nyubun waju-nyji.


<translate> The bark of this tree is rough.


<translate> The child slept beside mother.


<translate> You two saw the bamboo stick here.


<translate> He woke the boys: get up, we're going before the rain!

Nyulu dabal warndimanin: wandi, ngana dungay kaba kadanyjiku!


<translate> He tied the sharp stone blade to the wooden handle with tight, strong cord of twisted bark.

Nyulu kulji naybu juku-ka kajan karra junkurr-bu, karra dakil-mu murninmuny.


<translate> The old men chatted together by the fire all through the cold night.

Mukul-dingkar wubul balka-way baya karangkal, wujurr ngiki wubulku.


<translate> The old man built his small humpy so its mouth would catch the warm morning sun.

Mukul-dingkar-angka wurun buban bungan, wungar wunkuwingku wumbul karrba-nka.


<translate> Father found tracks on the road.

Nganjan-angka baral-ba jina warrmba-bungan.


<glossary> wurril ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> Don't sit on the edge of the boat, sit right

Yundu wurril kari bunday boatbu. Junkayku bunday.


<translate> The camp slept, the fire glowed low, and the old country held them all in the dark, as it always had and always would.

Bayan warngku, baya buban wajun, bububu jana wubulku kujin wujurrbu, yala yabarrka ngadiku, yala yabarrka kadanyjiku.


<translate> The fire stick lay in the shade.


<translate> You saw the karrkurr frog here.


<translate> You and I see the torch here.


<translate> You hear the sharp sound here.


<translate> You saw the ngadil hickory tree there.


<translate> Those white ant eggs are here.


<translate> First a little smoke came, then a small flame, and the boys watched with wide eyes.

Kubu buban kadanyarr, baya buban kadanda, dabalangka nyajin miyil yalbaymba.


<translate> The young man asked mother about news.


<translate> The old woman held out her arm close beside her granddaughter's and laughed: look, two arms like one, mine has walked further, the hair turns clay-white, the shin grows skinny, the lower legs grow weak, but listen to this: the ear stays hard and the word stays strong, for the body gives its strength to the ear before it goes.

Wulbumanangka wakuy nyungu dayan ngundu kaminjarranda, yajarr-man: nyaji, wakuy jambul nyubun yala, wakuy ngayku jilban kala-kalbay-baja, mungka kambar-mal, bibar bala-mal, ngarri kala-burra-mal, yambada milka-janay yinya: milka janay dandi, kuku janay junkurr, bangkarrbu junkurr nyungu milkanga dayal dungay ngadiku.


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

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


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


<translate> I see that marngkil ti tree.


<translate> The old man's spear point was made from the hard leg bone of a big kangaroo.

Mukul-dingkar-mu kalka biyul mayarriji yalbay jina junkurr-muny bungan.


<translate> The blue spotted fantail ray is there.


<translate> The young hunter threw his spear with the spear-thrower and struck the big kangaroo out on the plain.

Warru balbi-bama kalka daman balur-ubu, mayarriji yalbay kunin bubu ngalkal-ba.


<translate> They saw the mulumu dove here.


<translate> You and I see the swamp there.


<translate> We see the king parrot here.


<translate> The waterhen walks in the grass at the swamp edge, stepping quietly, hunting for little creatures in the mud.

Ngarkay jikan daburri-nga jilban, janka jina bungan, minya-buban kambal-kambal-ba balbin.


<translate> The old man woke the boys before dawn and pointed to the morning star low in the east.

Mukulungku dingkarangka dabal wandimanin muduwajunyjiku, kurrubijal milbin bada nakanga.


<translate> You and I saw the sandfly there.


<translate> You all saw the durra caterpillar there.


<translate> Come home first, argue later — the old woman's rule for weather and for anger both: when the sky darkens or the blood rises, get to safety first, and settle the rest when the storm has passed.

Bayanka kada-ngarr, kuku yindu, wulbumanmu kuku jarramalika dukul-wurika baja: jiri ngungul-manya, wawu wandinya, yukilka kada-ngarr, yamba yindu murni jarramali dunganyjiku.


<translate> You see the jalnji tree here.


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<glossary> badamal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> You bend your head down


<translate> The grey kangaroo is on the open ground.