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


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

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


<translate> We see the spear point here.


<translate> At last the raft came in through the waves onto the sand, and the young men fell down safe and tired on the beach.

Marrakan kadan mulngku wubulmuny jukara, warru-warru daran ngulkurr, jana baja-burray jukara jalun ngundu.


<translate> They heard the barking sound here.


<translate> Don't climb the tree — you might fall!


<translate> The food was all eaten up quickly and nothing was left for the others.

Mayi wubul jinbal-baja nuka-jin, yindu-ka mayi kari bawa-jin.


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


<translate> You and I see the domestic turkey there.


<translate> The old woman said this young man is rather experienced already, though he has hunted only two wet seasons.

Wulbumanangka balkan nyiku warru jarra-juburr baja, yambada nyulu bana-wungar jambul balbin.


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


<glossary> milka-daray ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The young man and girl did wrong in the bush

Bulu maral and warru milka-daran duduymbu


<translate> Learning has four steps and they are all walked, the old man counted for the impatient boy: watch first of all, then help, then do it with the old hands close by, then do it alone, and last of all teach it, for the knowledge is truly yours only while you are handing it to another.

Binal-mal nyulu jina jambul-jambul, wubulku jilbanmuny, mukulungku dingkarangka buban wawu-karrba-karinka milbin: nyaji-ngurr, yalada mara-daji, yalada murni mara mukul ngundu, yalada murni nyubunji, badaku milbi, binal nyulu yundumuny nganga yundu milbinya bamanka yindunka.


<translate> You all see the ghost crab there.


<translate> Nothing in the water was wasted either, said the old woman: the root, the seed, the stem, and the flower all had their use.

Bananga yamba kari bawal baja, wulbumanangka balkan: bangkan, diburr, jaba, nganka, yambayamba nyungu yala.


<glossary> nyinyi ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> That is child is crying for nothing, he's a sook


<translate> A man must marry a woman of the opposite moiety, the old man said, and the children always belong to the same moiety as their own father.

Dingkar-angka jalbu mandi yindu-mu dunyu-mani, mukul-dingkar balkan, karrkay-karrkay marri nganjan-mu mandi nyubun-ba wuna.


<translate> They climbed, kept taking fruit from the tree and eating it.

Dakan, juku-muny manil-manin mayi nukal-nukan.


<translate> Harden the spear point in the fire, sharpen it on the stone, and make the shaft straight before you go hunting!

Kalka kunjinba dandi-bunga, kuljibu nyurrba, dara yaral-bunga yundu balbi-nyjiku!


<translate> The young man cut the tree with an axe, and the sharp sound made the birds fly.

Warru-ngku juku yakan warrbi-bu, kadil junkurr kadan, buyi-buyi marra-warrin.


<translate> My mother dug a big hairy yam and cooked it in the hot ashes.

Ngayku ngamungka wukay yalbay bakan, nulu wumbul-ba wajun.


<translate> They see the grasshopper there.


<translate> You all saw the julbal tree here.


<translate> Mother wants meat without bones.


<translate> The two young men called to each other across the deep water of the gorge.

Warru jambul kunja-way bana-dukurr yalbay-mba.


<translate> The grandmother said: the pigeons come to the same waterhole every evening, so if you sit quietly in the grass before sunset, you can catch many with one throw of the net.

Babingka balkan: wabul bana nyubunbu kadan wungar-wungar, kaki yundu jikanba bundan wungar bada-nyjiku, yundu wubul karrbal nyubun makarr-bu.


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


<translate> They saw the grandfather here.


<translate> The old man kept coming and going along the same track, until his feet had worn it smooth and hard.

Mukul-dingkar kankaday dunga-l-dunga-n jina nyubun-ba, jina junkurr-ma-nyjiku.


<translate> They see the sugar glider there.


<translate> After cooking the big fish slowly right through in the hot ashes, the old woman shared it out among all the little children first, the old man said.

Wawu-waju-nya-muny kuyu yalbay narmba kubu wumbul-ba, mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay-karrkay buban wubulku-nka nyubun daji, mukul-dingkar balkan.


<translate> The young man went by a shortcut.


<translate> You two see the waterfall here.


<translate> The old men prepared the red ochre on the flat stone and mixed it with soft fat.

Mukul-dingkar-angka murbuy kulji jirakal-ba bungan, minya-jirr muru-ma-l.


<translate> The old man's face looked exactly like his dead brother's face, the old woman said quietly.

Mukul-dingkar walu yala nyungu yaba wula-nya-mu walu, mukul-jalbu-ngka janka balkan.


<translate> They two saw the spear point there.


<translate> The kingfisher shone as it flew low and fast straight down the middle of the creek.

Milman balbal, nyulu wawubaja-jina bada bila marra-warri.


<translate> Those people are sitting there.


<translate> The man sees the mountain peak.


<translate> Auntie made a small dilly bag for the little girl.


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


<translate> The men caught fat eels in the deep part of the creek, feeling for them under the banks with their hands.

Dingkar-dingkarangka kubarr yalbay karrban wawubaja badanga, mara nyunjan bubu kudamundu.


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


<translate> We, not you, are not sleepy.


<translate> They see the death adder there.


<translate> The bottlebrush tree is standing outside.


<translate> The hook and line lay on the ground.


<translate> The man asked mother about water.


<translate> The green frog sat very still on the broad leaf and caught the flies as they came near.

Karrkurr birra yalbay-ba janka bunda-l, marra-warri ngundu kada-nya karrba-l.


<translate> He sees the death adder there.


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


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


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


<translate> Put the food carefully on the plate.


<translate> You all see the bujabay tree there.


<translate> The old man is staying in the house with the baby.


<translate> That person there is generous.


<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.


<glossary> janay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> they went and went in the truck, then stopped by the creek

Jana truckmundu warrin warrin, warrin, jana yilkinga.


<translate> They saw the dawa-dawa magpie there.


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


<translate> The children became warm near the big fire.

Karrkay-karrkay wumbulmanin baya yalbay ngundu-ba.


<translate> The children buried the ashes in the sand.

Karrkay-karrkayangka nulu nandan jukara.


<translate> Do not shout at me from a distance; come here close by, and tell me the news quietly.

Kari ngayku-nka yirrka-y kala-kalbay-mundu; kada-y yala ngundu, kuku janka balka-y.


<translate> The old woman said the loneliest people are not those who have no one, but those who have never learned to need anyone, for they have walled themselves inside a strong house of self-sufficiency and called it strength, when it is really the deepest poverty there is.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bama jirrbu-jirrbu bajaku bubu wubulku kari jana bama-kari, yambada jana jana kariku binalman bama yinduka wawunku, jana nyulu-nyulu bayan junkurr dukurr nandan nyulu-nyulu wawuka, junkurr kunjan, yinya yamba mumbu bada bajaku nganga.


<translate> I see the rhinoceros beetle here.


<translate> The canoe is taking water again; pull it up on the sand and let it dry.

Marrakan bana manil baja, kulba wangkarku jukara, bawa marral-malka.


<translate> They saw the kalkamuku snake here.


<translate> There are many branches on the tree.


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

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


<translate> The young woman asked her mother: "What are you cooking in the hot coals there for the evening meal?"

Warru-jalbu-ngku nyungu ngamu babajin: Wanyu yundu waju-l ngunjil wumbul-ba, mayi wujurr-mu?


<translate> The good fisherman got fish.


<translate> The woman made rope from kuralbi bark.


<translate> We see the black bean tree here.


<translate> You all saw the ngawurr-ngawun crocodile there.


<glossary> jimal damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=fire <usage_example> The old man made a fire with a fire stick to cook food


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


<translate> You two see the milmarr cane here.


<translate> You two saw the kurmba-kurmba lizard here.


<translate> The children are not sleeping yet; they are still laughing and playing quietly by the warm fire.

Karrkay-karrkay kari warngku wuna niji; jana yajarri-l jinbal-jinbal janka baya wumbul ngundu.


<translate> The left-handed one weaves mirror-wise, and her baskets confuse right-handed thieves — every difference locks a door somewhere.

Kalumbabu balji bungal muku-jinabu, balji nyungubu bama manil-bama milka-buyun-bungal: yindu nyubun-nyubun baral-ngandal nandal wanjaba.


<translate> Mother saw the cassowary in the scrub.


<glossary> manu ; type=noun ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> You buy only sugar, no lollies

Yundu manu sugar buyim-bunga, lolly kari


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


<translate> The scrub turkey scratches the ground all day looking for food, and the old people follow its scratchings to find the yams.

Diwan bubu yirrbajin wungar wubulku mayi-nka, bama mukul nyungu jina wukurrin bunkuny milbinka.


<translate> Grandmother searched around in the bag for yams.


<translate> The old man said there are two ways to travel: the fast way and the true way, and they are seldom the same road, for the fast way skips the sacred places and the true way stops at every one to pay respect.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: jilbanka jambul yala: warri yala yukil yala baja, jana kariku nyubun baral, warri yala bubu wawu-yukil kalka bawal, yukil yala bubu wubulku kanban wawu-yukil dajinka.


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

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


<translate> They saw the kurrmaja larvae there.


<translate> We saw the smouldering log there.


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


<translate> You all see the yarrka bee there.


<translate> That pheasant cuckoo is here.


<translate> Keep the fire burning — the night is cold.

Baya wajulwaju — kunarangkal kiway-kiway!


<translate> You two see the milbarkal tree here.


<translate> You and I see the kalu garfish there.


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

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


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


<translate> You see the spoon bill bird there.


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

Ngayu kari nyajin, ngurrbalda yalbaynja kanbin


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


<glossary> kalkandiji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> You hang on to (your) work, don't pull out

yundu workmunbu kalkandijika, kari kulbajika


<translate> Did you see the tree kangaroo up there?


<translate> The old man asked mother about water.


<translate> The young man went to the mountain.


<translate> The child is afraid of crabs.


<translate> "Where does that narrow track go, the one that runs up the hill into the dark scrub?"

Yinya jina buban-buban wanjabu dunga-y, wangkar daka jamba-ka madja ngungul-ka?


<translate> If the road is good, we will go tomorrow.

Kaki baral ngulkurr, ngana wunkuny dungay.


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


<translate> That person there is humble.


<translate> They see the tree kangaroo there.


<translate> We see the marsupial native cat here.


<translate> The old woman, now toothless, ate only the soft ripe fruit.

Wulbuman niji dirra-kari, nyulu mayi kima kulbul-baja nukan.


<translate> I saw the kurmba-kurmba lizard here.


<translate> I saw the dukunjulu golden whistler there.


<glossary> buban ; type=noun ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> He stayed a little while


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


<translate> The sea wind rises with the morning and lies down with the falling sun, the old man told the young men of the water: go out on the land's breath in the dark morning, come home on the sea's breath as the sun falls, and you will work half as much and live twice as long.

Muyar jalunmuny wandil muduwajuny, wunay wungar daraynya, mukulungku dingkarangka warru-warru banamuny milbin: dungay jalunka wawubu bubumuny wujurrba muduwajuny, kaday bayanka wawubu jalunmuny wungar daraynya, yundu murnil buban-baja, yundu juran kalbay-baja.


<translate> The strong straight saplings make the best light spears for the young boys to throw far.

Juku buban jinbal junkurr, kalka buban ngulkurr bajaku warru buban-mu.


<translate> In the cold season the morning dew lies white on the grass, and the old people sit close by the fire.

Bulur-iji bulur balbal jikan-ba wuna wunkuwingku, mukul-bama janka bundan baya ngundu.


<translate> We see the kalmnbagarr diver bird here.


<translate> They saw the tiger shark here.


<translate> Grandmother took the child to gather firewood.


<translate> When those brothers stand high overhead at first dark, the old man said, the cold season has truly come.

Yaba jambul wangkar jananya wujurrmanda, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, buluriji yukil kadan.


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

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


<translate> Little bee, show me your tree and I will leave you the biggest share.

Dabu buban, milbi ngaykunka juku yunu, ngayu bawal yununka daji yalbay bajaku.


<translate> The woman's shoulder is sore.


<translate> The old man said the weather was the country's mood, and just as you learn a person's moods you learn the country's, so it never surprises you.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: wungar bubumu wawu, yala yundu bamamu wawu binal, bubumu wawu binal baja, kari yununda yinilbungalnyji.


<translate> I see the dulmbi umbrella palm there.


<translate> A little whirlwind spun across the dusty ground and lifted the dry leaves up high.

Wurunurru buban bubu jukar-a warri, birra marral wangkar-a wandi-l.


<translate> She is like her own mother in every way — the same face, the same walk, and the same laugh in the evening.

Nyulu yala nyungu ngamu wubulku-ba — walu nyubun, jilba nyubun, yajarri nyubun wujurr-ma-nya.


<translate> Grandmother's stomach is sore.


<translate> They saw the baringkan small bird there.


<translate> Grandmother cut the meat with a knife.


<translate> You see the exposed place here.


<translate> The person here is beautiful.


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

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


<glossary> jarmbil ; type=noun ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> The boat is drifting


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


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


<glossary> walngal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Don't wake up the baby


<translate> Blood ran fast from the deep cut, so she pressed the soft green leaves hard on it.

Mula kaka dukurr-muny jinbal warri, nyulu birra kima jikan-jikan nandan junkurr-baja.


<translate> They sent the boys to meet grandad at the river.

Jana dabal maku-yungan, kami wawubajanga.


<translate> The mangrove trees stand in the river, and their strong roots hold together in the water.

Kajul wawubajanga janay; nyungu ngara junkurrji, bananga muru.


<translate> A large crowd of people stayed there.


<glossary> jiray ; type=adjective ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I have a craving for a smoke


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


<translate> The child climbed on the tree.


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

Jana blanket walngkan-daman buluruku wadinji


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


<translate> They saw the manta ray there.


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


<translate> Those stones are not close together.


<translate> They saw the mother's brother.


<translate> He sees the fingernail here.


<translate> And so a boy became a hunter in the old way, as his father had, and his father's father, back to the ancient hunters of the country.

Yalaku karrkay balbibamamanda yala ngadiku, yala nyungu baba, babamu baba, ngadiku bubumu balbibama wubulku.


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


<translate> We see the black palm there.


<translate> The middle child slept in the middle, and kept the peace just by lying there.

Karrkay dindarramuny wunan dindarraba, nyulu kaka-kari karrban wunanybu nganga.


<translate> The woman saw her sister-in-law.


<translate> I see the jalan sea urchin here.


<translate> They are expert hunters like Aboriginal people, but their country is different.

Jana mala-minya yala bama, yamba jananga bubu walu-yindu.


<translate> You two see the oyster here.


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


<translate> They saw the three-pronged spear here.


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


<translate> Follow the river track towards the sea, and you will come to the seaside camp before the dark night.

Wawubaja jina wukurri maku jalun-ka, yundu jalun-warra bayan-ka kadan wujurr ngungul kariku.


<translate> The old woman said no person stands alone, however much they believe they do: the strongest hunter depends on the woman who makes his gear, on the elder who taught him the country, on the child who will carry his name, and on a hundred others he never thinks of.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bama nyubun kari nganga janay, nyulu wubul manu-baja-bungalmuny nyulu nganga: balbibama junkurr bajaku jalbungu kajil nyulu nyungu yamba balkal, mukulba nyulu bubu milbin, karrkay-anda nyulu nyungu burri wundil, bama wubul yindungu nyulu kariku milkal.


<translate> That clothing there is not folded.


<translate> The two of them saw the walmbaji peacemaker here.


<translate> You all saw the mountain here.


<translate> You two saw the binju snake there.


<translate> The old woman said even stone changes, though so slowly that a person cannot see it, for the old people pointed to the great grinding-stones worn into deep hollows by countless generations of women grinding seed, and said each single grinding changed the stone a hair, invisible in one lifetime but a deep bowl across many, so that even the hardest thing in the country was being slowly changed by the softest — by hands, by seeds, by patience, by time.

Wulbumanangka balkan kulji baja yindu-mal, buban-buban bajaku bama nyulu kari nyajilmuny, bama mukulungku milbin kulji-yalbay, jalbu wubulbu diburr yurrinmuny dimbirr dukurr-man, balkan nyubun-nyubun yurril nyulu kulji yindu-bungal buban bajaku, nyaji-kari wawu nyubunba yambada dimbirr dukurr wawu wubulba, yindu dandi bajaku bubungu nyulu buban-buban yindu-manil kima bajakubu, marabu, diburrbu, wawu-karrbabu, wungarbu.


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


<translate> By morning the storm had passed, and the world was washed clean and green and shining under a soft new sun.

Wunkuwingku jarramali dungan, bubu wubulku julurrijin, ngulkurr, wungar jirakal wumbulbu balbajinya.


<translate> Tie the fishing-net well to the mangrove root, the old woman said, lest the strong tide pull it loose and carry it away out to sea.

Makarr ngulkurr kaja kajul ngara-ka, mukul-jalbu balkan, yira junkurr nyulu kulba jalun-ka jarra-kulba-nyji.


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


<translate> The old man made a long strong rope by twisting together thin strips of inner bark.

Mukul-dingkar-angka karra kalbay junkurr bungan, warrur buban-buban kaja-l-kajan.


<translate> We hear the grunt sound here.


<translate> Carry some cooked meat with you on the long walk over the range, the old man said, in case you cannot make any catch at all before the dark comes down.

Minya waju-n kanbal wundi jilba wumbul manjal-burr, mukul-dingkar balkan, kunka yundu minya kari mani-nya wujurr kada-nyjiku.


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

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


<translate> The child's face went hot with shame, and then he told the old man the whole truth.

Karrkay-mu walu wumbul-ma-n murru-kaday-bu, nyulu mukul-dingkar-nka manubaja narmba balkan.


<translate> I see the kalburiji bee there.


<translate> Father saw the rope on the ground.


<translate> You see the stony crossing here.


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


<translate> The bark of the paperbark tree is soft, and we use it to wrap the cooked meat.

Buyku warrur kima, ngana minya baya-ba nuka-nya kaja-nka mani-l.


<translate> The children ran back to the camp laughing, and the game was the best thing of the whole day.

Karrkay-karrkay warrin baja bayanba yajarrinya, kinkay ngulkurr bajaku yinya wungarmuny.


<translate> We see the mukukanka tree here.


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

Jalbu-jalbungku balji wukurril wabarrba.


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


<glossary> dalbarril ; type=noun ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> the man scolded (him), (then left)


<translate> The karraway snail is there.


<translate> You saw the jalkay salmon here.


<translate> The children slept well that night, clean and tired and full, with the sound of the river in their ears.

Karrkay-karrkay warngku wunan ngulkurr yinya kunarangkal, janjinmuny, baja-burray, mayiji, wawubajamu kuku milkanga.


<translate> The child asked: what tree is that? The old man said: that is a bloodwood.

Karrkay balkan: wanya juku yinya? Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: yinya babajaka.


<translate> We saw the wallaby on the open ground.


<translate> For many days the young man could only sit in the shade, but the old people brought him food and told him stories.

Wungar wubulku warru wabarrba nganga bundanday, yambada kamba-kambangka nyungu mayi wundin, kuku balkanya.


<translate> The mother's father is here.


<glossary> wukal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> He scared me, fooled me (told me there was a snake)


<translate> The old net is torn; take the new one.


<translate> Grandad's eyes are weak, but his ears are good.

Kamimu miyil nganjay, yambada milka ngulkurr.


<translate> The eel slipped out of my hands!


<translate> We see the mackerel sky there.


<translate> Grandmother saw the snake in the scrub.


<translate> He knows the country like his own hand: this ridge one finger, that creek another, and the swamp the soft middle.

Nyulu bubu binal yala mara nyungu-nyungu: wangkar yanya birri nyubun, wawubaja yinya birri yindu, daburri dindarra kima.


<glossary> wunay ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=kinship <usage_example> The young man married the girl


<translate> Wash the hands before the food, and after the fish too, the old woman ordered the children, wash the sore, then tie it, and wash the little ones in the warm shallow water while the sun stands high, for water is the quiet healer, it asks for nothing.

Julurrika mara mayi ngadiku, kuyumuny yalada baja, julurrika baji, yalada kaja, julurrika karrkay-buban bana wumbul bubanba wungar wangkar jananya, bana nyulu yukil-bungal-bama wunbu, nyulu yamba-kari babajil.


<translate> The firestick is there in the fire.


<translate> You see the fresh water snake here.


<translate> You two saw the kurrujuwa sentry bird there.


<translate> The meat in the ground oven was not burnt.


<translate> The young man built a new shelter and the young woman's mother taught her the ways of a new camp.

Warrungku bayan jirakal ngaran, maralmu ngamungka nyungu milbin bayan jirakalmu yala.


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


<translate> The old man chopped the hard wood with a heavy stone axe to make the shaft of his new spear.

Mukul-dingkar-angka juku junkurr yakan warrbi-bu, kalka jirakal-mu juku bungal.


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


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


<translate> You see the knight fish there.


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


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


<translate> They see the domestic turkey here.


<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> I see the young cassowary here.


<translate> You two saw the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> You and I see the kambar white clay there.


<translate> The girl took the billycan with her, in case she found water on the long path.

Maralangka junkalu wundin, kunka bana warrmba-bunga-nya-mun-ku jina kalbay-ba.


<translate> I heard you chewing the food noisily in the dark of the night.

Ngayu yununy nyajin, mayi maja-l-maja-nya wujurr-ba.


<translate> The old man dreamed about his country.


<translate> Surprise made the hunter young again: he laughed like a boy when the turtle surfaced under his hand.

Ngangkaybu balbi-bama warru-bungan baja: nyulu yajarr-man yala buban, ngawiya wandinya mara badabada nyungu.


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


<translate> "How do you cook the freshwater eel and the big fish in the hot coals of the fire?"

Yurra wanjarr-ku minya kubarr kuyu yalbay waju-l ngunjil wumbul-ba?


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


<translate> Those stones there are not close together.


<translate> The wallaby was feeding in the open place.


<translate> If a dog bites a child, tell me.

Kaki kaya-ngka karrkay baykal, nganya balka.


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


<translate> Grandfather left the axe in the shade.


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


<translate> They two see the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> With the knife, I kept chopping wrongly in the water meanwhile.

Ngayu naybu-bu-ku bana-nga-kuda wadu-kuda nyandan.


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


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


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


<translate> The old woman said even sorrow can slowly change into something else if it is allowed to, for the sharpest grief, which at first can only wound, changes over years into a tender ache, and the tender ache changes into a warm remembering, and the warm remembering becomes at last a kind of quiet company, so that the very same love that became agony at the loss becomes, if given time and not fought, a gentle abiding presence, the dead one changed from a wound into a companion.

Wulbumanangka balkan wawu-mumbu baja buban-buban yindu-mal yamba yindumuny kaki nyulu yindu-manilmuny, wawu-mumbu junkurr bajaku, ngadiku nyulu nganga buyun-manil, yindu-mal wungar wubulku kaka kimaku, kaka kima yindu-mal wawu-milka wumbulku, wawu-milka wumbul yindu-mal bada bajaku jawun wunbu nyubunku, kuru nyubun nyulu kaka-manin bada-ngamuny nyulu yindu-mal, kaki wungar dayan kuniway-kari, jawun kima janay, wula-bama yindu-manin bajimuny jawunku.


<translate> The people made a smoky fire to drive the biting mosquitoes away in the evening.

Bama-ngka baya kubu-jirr wajun, kamu bayka-l dunga-mani-nka.


<translate> The old people soak the zamia nuts in the running water for many days to take out the poison.

Mukul-bama-ngka marra bana-nga wunan wungar wubulku, bambay mani-nka.


<translate> He sees the small sticks there.


<translate> The old man said: a boy becomes a man not by growing tall, but by learning to give — the one who shares becomes rich in kin, and the one who hoards becomes poor and alone.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: buban dingkar-mal kari yalbay-muny, binal daya-l-muny; daji-way-bama mula-ji-mal, ngaki-bama mula-kari nyubun-man.


<translate> That kumin fig tree is here.


<translate> He sees the nyumbil coolibah tree there.


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> The two of them see the grass wallaby here.


<translate> You all see the wubali yam there.


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


<translate> They saw the Leichhardt tree here.


<translate> What sort of food do you want?


<translate> The old man laughed at father.


<translate> They see the mackerel sky there.


<translate> Two girls who had quarrelled were made to sit together and share one dilly bag, until they had learned to like each other again.

Maral jambul jana kuni-wanmuny, jana nyubun bundanka ngunyin nyubun daji-way manin, jana wawu-way baja binalmanyjiku.


<translate> The two of them see the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> If the fire goes out in the night, the old man said, the cold comes into your bones, so keep a little wood always by your side.

Kaki buri wujurr-ba wula, mukul-dingkar balkan, ngiki nyungu bajibay-ka kaday, juku buban nyubun-bu nyundu-ngka karrba.


<translate> After bathing, the children sleep.


<translate> The old man said even the animals and the country were brought into the kin-web through the moiety system and the totems, for a person's totem tied them to a particular animal or place as a kind of kin, to be protected and not eaten, spoken of with respect, so that the web of relatedness did not stop at the human family but reached out to hold the whole living country in one great net of belonging.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan minya bubu baja jawun-karraba manin bama-jambul-bu minya-daji-bu, bama nyungu minya-daji kajan nyulu minya nyubun bubu nyubunmuny karra-mabi, karrbanka kari nukanka, yulmbarrilbu balkanka, jawun-karra nyulu kari kajal bama-jawun-ba yambada jilban karrbanka bubu wula-mabi wubulku nyubun jawun-karra yalbay-mba.


<translate> From the high bank you can see the whole wide river winding down to the sea.

Jalkar wangkar-a-muny yundu wawubaja kalbay wubulku nyaji-l, jalun-ka bada dunga-nya.


<translate> I light a fire so that you get warm.


<translate> My grandmother knows every yam in this country by its leaf and its vine.

Ngayku babingka bambayal wubul binal yanyu bubu-mu, nyungu birra-bu maya-bu.


<translate> A prawn walks backwards and still gets where it is going — stop teasing your brother about his way of doing things.

Wakal jilbal muku-jinabu, nyulu kadal yabarrka wanja nyulu dungay: kari yaba yundumuny yajarr-bunga murni-jina nyungumuny.


<translate> The old woman sat inside the bark shelter out of the heavy rain, weaving her strong dilly bag.

Mukul-jalbu kana bayan-ba bundan kaba kulngkul-muny, ngunyin junkurr bungal kaku-muny.


<translate> The woman wove the bark strips.


<translate> You see the jingajalka tree there.


<translate> That karraway snail is here.


<translate> The elder brother teaches the younger ones the old ways of the country.

Yaba-ngka yabaju-karra binal-bungal bubu-mu kuku ngadiku.


<translate> One of them raised his hand to strike, but the old man stood up close to the two and spoke in a hard voice.

Nyubun warrungku mara wangkar manin damanka yala, yambada mukul dingkar janan jana jambul ngundu, balkan kuku junkurrji.


<translate> The child saw father's shin.


<glossary> baru ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> she is holding the child in her lap


<translate> Tie the strong dilly bag tightly, lest the dog steal the sweet ripe fruit from inside it.

Ngunyin junkurr kaja, kaya-ngka mayi kulbul jiba-wulay dukurr-muny ngaki-nyji.


<translate> My father's father is very old; he sits in the shade all day and tells the children the old stories of the country.

Ngayku kami mukul bajaku; nyulu wabarrba bundan wungar-wungar, karrkay-karrkayka kuku ngadiku bubu-mu balkal.


<glossary> ngingal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> Don't taste that dog (he'll) bite (you)


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


<translate> They saw the Leichhardt tree here.


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


<translate> The old woman left the boomerang outside.


<translate> The women wove the strong dilly bags from the lawyer cane by the fire in the cool evening.

Jalbu-jalbu-ngku ngunyin junkurr bungal kaku-muny baya ngundu wujurr-ma-nya ngiki-ba.


<translate> The woman saw the stingray in the water.


<translate> You and I saw the mountain there.


<translate> I have waited a long time for the rain, but the sky stays dry and the hot sun burns on and on.

Ngayu kaba-ka bundan marri, yamba jiri marral wuna, wungar wumbul wajun-baja.


<translate> She had covered the fire with sand before she lay down to sleep.

Nyulu baya jukar-bu nandan, warngku-wuna-nyjiku.


<translate> The old woman said the way you address a person tells at once how you are related, for you almost never use a person's own name to their face but the kin term, calling an older man yaba or kami or nganjan according to how he stands to you, so that a child learns very early to place every person they meet somewhere in the kin-web, and to speak to each one in the way that relation demands.

Wulbumanangka balkan yala yundu bama nyubun kunjal nyulu ngadiku balkal wanjarr yundu karra, yundu nganga kari bama nyungu kuku miyil-jinanga yambada kuku-karra, dingkar-yalbay kunjal yaba kami nganjan yala nyulu yundunka janan, karrkay nyulu ngadiku bajaku milbil bama wubulku nyaji-way jani-manilka jawun-karraba, balkanka nyubun-nyubunji yala karra yinya wawu-manilmuny.


<translate> The children fell asleep close together.


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


<translate> That country was burned off last season to bring on the new grass for the animals.

Yinya bubu waju-jin wungar-muny, jikan buban wandi-nka minya-ka.


<translate> I take a spear; perhaps I will happen to see pigs.

Ngayu kalka wundil, nguba ngaykundu bikibiki nyaji-ji.


<translate> The old man said: do not let anger grow between kin; if a quarrel starts, the old people talk to both sides until they see each other as brothers again.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: kuli kari yalbay-mal mula-mula-nya; kaki kuku kuli-man, mukul-mukul jambulka balkal, jana yaba-yaba nyaji-way baja.


<translate> They saw the casuarina pine there.


<translate> Grandmother put the bone on the ground.


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


<translate> In the morning the girls went to the river. They washed the clothes. Then they came back and put them in the sun.

Wunkuwingku maral-maral wawubajanga dungan. Jana kambi julurrin. Jana kadan baja, kambi wungara yijarrinda.


<translate> When the figs ripened on the big tree by the river, the birds came in great flocks and the children came too.

Binanji kulbulmanda juku yalbaymba wawubaja ngundu, buyi wubul bajaku kadan, karrkay-karrkay kadan baja.


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


<translate> The old woman said a hand with skill and an empty hand are only a season apart, for every skilled maker was once a fumbling child, so she never shamed the clumsy, only kept them working, knowing that the skill-less hands of today become the skilled hands of tomorrow if only they are not driven away in shame before they learn.

Wulbumanangka balkan mara janka-yukil-ji mara nganga-kari nyubun wungar nganga karra, janka-yukil-bama wubulku ngadiku karrkay mara-kudal ngadiku, nyulu kariku bikirr-manin mara-kudal, nganga karrban kirrajilba, binal janka-yukil-kari mara nyikumuny janka-yukil-ji mara wungar-kadalmuny-manda kaki jana kari warri-mandan bikirr-bu jana binalman ngadiku.


<translate> You see the juku-juku bronzewing dove here.


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


<translate> The spear, this one, lay there.


<translate> The dugong and the sea turtle both eat the sea grass, so the old people find them in the same shallow bays.

Biwuy ngawiya jambul bilanji jalun-mu nukal, bama mukul jana bana-buban nyubun-ba milbil.


<translate> The old man said the brolga stands on one leg in the shallow water for a long time, so still, watching for the small fish and the water insects.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: kulbal jina nyubun-bu bana buban-ba bunda marri, janka bajaku, kuyu buban minya bana-mu-jirr nyaji-nyaji.


<translate> The woomera makes the light spear fly much faster and further than the bare arm.

Balur-angka kalka buban jinbal-baja kalbay-baja mumal, mara nyubun-muny yindu.


<translate> We see the mawar vine there.


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


<translate> The golden whistler is there.


<translate> The old woman took the children out to gather, showed them which plants were ripe and which to leave, let each child fill their own small bag, checked what they had picked and named everything, praised the careful ones, and then led them all home singing along the track.

Wulbumanangka karrkay-karrkay bangkanka wangan, jananka milbin mayi wanyu kulbul wanyu bawanka, karrkay wubulku nyungu balji buban buwan, jana maninmu nyajin yamba wubulku burri balkan, jana binal-yukil ngulkurr-bunga, yalada bayan-mundu jilbaman wubulku balka-balka baralba.


<translate> The blood ran down his leg and he cried out in pain, and his brother carried him quickly back to the camp where the old woman was.

Mula jinanga bada dungan, nyulu badin kakamuny, nyungu yaba nyulu wundin junkurr bayanka wanja wulbuman janay.


<translate> At low tide the women and children go out onto the reef to gather oysters and clams and the small sweet shellfish among the coral.

Ngajal-ba jalbu-jalbu karrkay-karrkay-jirr dulngku-ka dunga, julul darkay-jirr bangka, kuyngkarr buban jiba-wulay karrirrangkal-ba.


<translate> In the morning the children were still sleeping by the ashes.

Wunkuwingku karrkay-karrkay warngku wunanay nulungu.


<translate> They saw the morning star here.


<translate> The mosquitoes are bad by the swamp in the wet season, and they bite all night.

Kamu wubul daburri karangkal bana-wungar-a, baykal wujurr wubulku.


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


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


<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 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> That running water is there.


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

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


<translate> They saw the rhinoceros beetle here.


<translate> I saw the biru-biru rainbow bird here.


<translate> The children danced here all day, and now they have gone home to camp.

Karrkay-karrkay yaluy warrma wungar wubulku, niji jana bayan-ka dungan.


<glossary> kuku yaral ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> You go straighten him out / tell him straight


<translate> They saw the fingernail here.


<translate> We see the bronze wing pigeon here.


<translate> You see the marril ti tree there.


<translate> Grandfather saw mother's clothes.


<translate> The dog saw the little bird in the grass and chased it up into the tall, dark tree.

Kaya-ngka buyi buban nyajin jikan-ba, kangan juku kalbay ngungul wangkar.


<translate> A rather wild dog came out of the thick scrub and bit my good hunting dog on the leg.

Kaya-ngka jarra-kuli-ji-ngka madja junkurr-muny ngayku kaya jina-nga baykan.


<translate> They see the jungka wild cherry tree here.


<translate> The little boy does not know how to swim yet, the old woman warned, so keep him in the shallow water where he can stand on the sand.

Karrkay buban binal-kari maraji-nka niji, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu bana buban-ba karrba, wanja nyulu jukar-a janjanay.


<translate> The black cockatoos fly over calling in the day, and the old man says the rain is not far behind them.

Kadanji wangkar marra-warri yirrkan wungar-a, mukul-dingkar balkan kaba jana wukurrin ngundu.


<translate> Hunger talks first in the stomach, the old woman told the girls, a small quiet talk, and if you give it food then, a little food is enough, but if you walk on, the talk becomes big, and then the whole body becomes the stomach's servant and the eye sees only food.

Dakwuy balkal ngadiku jibara, wulbumanangka jalbu-buban milbin, kuku buban wunbu, kaki yundu mayi yalada dayal, mayi buban nganga yukil, yambada kaki yundu jilbal, kuku yalbay-mal, yalada bangkarr wubulku jibaraka murni-bama-mal, miyilbu nyajil mayi nganga.


<translate> Since that time I have grown up.


<glossary> nganya kayi ; type=interjection ; domain=interjection <usage_example> Ouch! My hand


<translate> I hurt my own foot by mistake on the sharp stone hidden in the long grass.

Ngayu kanban kulji jalngkun-bu jina buyun-dama-jin, jikan kalbay-ba ngaki-nya.


<translate> Before the wet season came the family began to move to the higher ground: they took down the old shelters, packed the tools and the stored food, put out the fire and carried a coal, walked two days up into the ranges, chose a dry place above the flood line, and then built the wet-season camp that would hold them for months.

Bana-wungar ngadiku jawun-karra murni-mandanka wangkar bubu-mundu wandin: bayan mukul bada-manin, kalka mayi-karrban baja buwan, baya wulan ngunjil jarrakulban, jambul wungar yumal-mundu wangkar jilban, bubu kiway-kiway bana-yalbay wangkara nyubun manin, yalada bana-wungar bayan bungan nyulu jana karrbal wungar wubulku.


<translate> They two see the freshwater eel there.


<translate> The Torres Strait pigeon is standing at camp.


<translate> Those love handles are here.


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


<translate> The child saw the cloud outside.

Karrkay-ngku ngurrban ngalkal-ba nyajin.


<translate> You all see the kakaji mangrove tree here.


<translate> Grandfather saw the deep water there.


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


<translate> The children called out at the sea.


<translate> The child dropped the stone.


<translate> You and I see the humpy there.


<translate> I see the bloodwood tree here.


<translate> The old man said: fire can make a spear hard or burn a whole camp; the same hand that heals can also harm — so teach the young to know the difference.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: baya kalka dandi-bungal, baya bayan wubul wajul; mara kakawarri-bungal, mara buyun-bungal; karrkay-karrkay binal-bunga jana yindu binal-mal.


<translate> The girl asked how many songs the grandmother knew, and the grandmother said many.

Jalbu babi-nda babajin, wulngku wanjarrinya yundu binal, babi-ngka balkan, wubul.


<translate> The jinjajalka tree is here.


<translate> The child put the stone in grandmother's hand.

Karrkay-ngku kulji yijarrin babi-nda mara-nga.


<translate> You saw the walmbaji peacemaker here.


<glossary> babi ; type=noun ; domain=kinship <usage_example> Grand mother is looking after her grandchild


<translate> In the dry season the men wade out onto the reef at low tide and spear the big kingfish in the clear still pools.

Marral-wungar dingkar-dingkar dulngku-ka janji ngajal-ba, danbal yalbay kalka-bu dama bana janka balbal-ba.


<translate> The father went out to hunt the wallaby before the first light, the old man said, and the mother stayed close by the camp with the small children.

Nganjan balbi-nka dunga kadar-nka wunkuwingku kariku, mukul-dingkar balkan, ngamu bayan ngundu-ba bundanday karrkay-karrkay buban-jirr.


<translate> He sees the grasshopper there.


<translate> They saw the dakwul-dakwul scrub bird there.


<translate> One child was not left hungry.


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

Ngayu yinya ngura-nyajin jalbu kambiji jirakalji


<translate> I saw the bajalji python here.


<translate> Granny roasted the lily roots in the coals, the children ate them all, and they were better than damper.

Babingka ngara wajun nulungu, karrkay-karrkay nukan wubulku, damba-mun ngulkurr.


<translate> They saw the seashell there.


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> The brothers shared everything they ever caught, the old man said — the younger brothers never once went hungry while the eldest still had any food.

Yaba-karra minya wubulku mani-nya muru daji, mukul-dingkar balkan — yabaju-karra kari nyubun-bu dakuy wuna yaba yalbay mayi-jirr-nya.


<glossary> kala-jalamal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> He jumped over (the mud) on the rocks


<translate> You two see the jellyfish here.


<translate> The old man said a group with an agreed leader and a group without one face a crisis in opposite ways, for the led group acts as one body in the sudden danger while the leaderless group scatters into argument and delay, and though the old people had no kings, they always agreed beforehand who would speak for all in the moment when there was no time to decide.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bama-wubul kuku-bama-ji bama-wubul kuku-bama-kari dandi yindu-yindu yala murni, kuku-bama-ji bama nyubun janka yala murni jarrba yinilba yambada kuku-bama-kari jana karra baji-way dandi baja, bama mukul kuku-yalbay-kari yala, jana yabarrka ngadiku karra wanya balkal wubulmuny wungar bada bajaku binalka.


<translate> He saw the warkal bailer shell there.


<translate> We see the fresh water snake here.


<translate> You see the rhinoceros beetle here.


<translate> The wood here is not coarse.


<translate> The echidna rolls itself into a tight ball of spines when it is frightened and buries itself down into the hard ground faster than a person can dig, and the old woman told the children it is the wisest of the small creatures, for it never fights and never flees in panic, it simply becomes a thing that cannot be taken, and lives a long slow life because of it.

Ngangkin nyulu-nyulu junkurr-manil buban-buban jalngkun-yalbay nyulu yinilnya bubu junkurr-mundu bakan warri bamamuny, wulbumanangka karrkay-karrkay balkan nyulu binal yukil minya buban-bubanmuny, nyulu kariku kunin kari warri yinil-bu, nyulu nganga yamba manil-kari-manda, wawu kalbay bada kirrajin yinyamu.


<translate> The old man said if you follow the tracks of the wallaby you will find where it feeds, if you find where it feeds you will find where it drinks, if you find where it drinks you will know its whole country, and then you will never go hungry, so patience with the small signs is the beginning of all skill.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki yundu darrba jina wukurri yundu nyaji wanja nyulu nukal, kaki yundu nyaji wanja nyulu nukal yundu nyaji wanja nyulu jangal, kaki yundu nyaji wanja nyulu jangal yundu binal nyungu bubu wubulku, yalada yundu kariku dakwuy dungay, yinyabu wawu-janka wari buban-mandaku balbimu wandinmu.


<translate> The eggs are in the dilly bag.


<translate> The woman peeped around in the house but did not enter.

Jalbu bayan-ba nuri-nuri-ji, kari walan.


<translate> He sees the whip snake there.


<glossary> junkali ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Nyulu junkali


<translate> They saw the umbrella palm there.


<translate> I saw the jalkay salmon here.


<translate> You saw the deep water there.


<translate> The child saw a star at night.


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

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


<translate> The old man said the old people could recite a line of descent back through many generations, naming each father and each mother in turn like a chain of beads, and this was not idle memory but the very deed to a country, for it was by tracing an unbroken line of the right ancestors that a person proved their belonging to a place and their right to its resources, so the genealogy was at once a family's history and its title to the land.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bama mukul balkan karra-jina wungar-kadal wubulku ngadiku, kunjal nganjan nyubun-nyubun ngamu nyubun-nyubun yala karra-diburr-mabi, yinya kari milka-nganga yambada bubunka kuku-yukil, nyulu karra-jina yijarr-kari ngadiku-bama yukil wukurrilbu bama nyulu dandi-bungan nyungu bayan-karra bubu nyubunku nyungu kuku-yukil nyungu bubu-nka, karra-jina nyulu nyubunku jawun-karra nyungu kuku bubu nyungu karrbal-kuku baja.


<translate> You all saw the kurruba freshwater fish there.


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

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


<translate> Ours is the fire, yours is the water, theirs is the wind — said the three camps; and the country said: mine is all of you.

Nganamuny baya, yurramuny bana, janamuny muyar, bayan kulurbu balkan, bububu balkan: ngaykumuny yurra wubulku.


<translate> Take the spear lest a pig come.


<translate> They saw the bamboo stick here.


<translate> The striped water snake is there.


<translate> The two of them see the sugar glider here.


<translate> You all saw the barka snake there.


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


<translate> As a young man my father used to go hunting the kangaroo every day, and he always came home with meat.

Ngayku nganjan warru-nyja-ku mayarriji-ka balbi dunga-l-dunga-n wungar wubulku, minya-jirr kankadan.


<translate> The coals were hot, but the ash was cool.


<translate> Take a bag; perhaps food is there.


<translate> The old woman said the rainbow was a great snake that lived in the deep waterholes and rose into the sky after rain.

Wulbumanangka balkan: yiril jarba yalbay, bana badanga bundanay, jiri wangkar wandin kabamuny.


<translate> The woman saw the baby's ankle.


<translate> The big water kept coming in one after another onto the sandy beach all day long.

Bana yalbay jururr kadan jukar-a, bada wangkar baja wungar wubulku.


<translate> The big dog opened its wide mouth and showed all its sharp white teeth.

Kaya yalbay ngandal kalbay, dirra jinbal balbal wubul milban.


<translate> We saw the kalburiji bee there.


<translate> The children painted themselves with white and red for the dance.

Karrkay-karrkay julngka-ji ngala-ngala-bu warrma-ka.


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


<translate> The old people will mind the camp.


<translate> They two see the bamboo stick there.


<translate> You see the bloodwood tree there.


<translate> You and I saw the running water there.


<translate> You two cook the fish — I'll light the fire.


<translate> The boy earned his first real spear that season: he made the practice throws until his arm was true, he learned to move without sound through the grass, he watched the old men and copied how they read the animals, he made his first small kill of a bandicoot alone, he brought it back and shared it properly, the old man judged him ready and gave him a man's spear, and then the whole camp acknowledged him with quiet respect at the fire that night.

Buban nyungu kalka ngadiku yukil manin yinya wungarnga: nyulu yilbal-yilbal bungan dukul nyungu mara yukil, nyulu binalman kuku-kari jilbanka jikan dukurr-bu, nyulu mukul-dingkar nyajin murni-manin yala jana minya nyajil, nyulu nyungu minya ngadiku kulngu nyulu-nyulu kunin, jarrakulban daji-way yukil, mukulungku dingkarangka nyulu yukil nyajin dingkar-kalka dayan, yalada bayan wubulku nyulu yulmbarril janka-wawu-yukilbu baya ngunduku yinya wujurr.


<translate> You all see the jumper ant there.


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


<translate> We see the knight fish here.


<translate> I saw the kalkamal locust there.


<translate> And so the wet season began, and the camp was warm and full of food, safe until the sun came back.

Yalaku buluriji kadan, bayan wumbul mayiji, jana yajarrin, ngulkurr wungar kadanyjiku baja.


<translate> Settled then, we will stay at the camp.


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


<translate> The brolga and the native companion look alike, but their dance and their call are not the same.

Kulbal kurrbal nyubun yala nyajil, yambada nyungu wuri kuku kari nyubun yala.


<translate> The strong young men carried the two big kangaroos back to the camp, one behind the other.

Warru junkurr-ji jambul mayarriji yalbay jambul wundin bayan-ka, nyubun nyubun kudamundu.


<translate> You and I saw the torch there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the jadalangka animal leg here.


<translate> The old man said no one is too old to learn and no one too young to teach, for a child sees the world with fresh eyes and often sees what the old have stopped seeing, and the wise old person learns from the child as gladly as they teach.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bama nyubun kari mukul bajaku binalka, bama nyubun kari buban bajaku milbinka, karrkay bubu miyil jirakalbu nyajil, yabarrka nyajil yamba mukul nyajil bawanmuny, mukul binal karrkaymuny binalku wawu-mini yala nyulu milbilmu.


<translate> Do not leave the meat on the ground, lest the hungry dingo come in the night and steal it away.

Balu, minya bubu-ngu kari nandal, murramu dakwuy wujurr-ba kada-ba-nyji, nyulu ngakin.


<glossary> kalbarr ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> They're going together (because they're intereted in each other)


<translate> The open bush country has tall grass and scattered trees where the kangaroos feed.

Duduy bubu kalbay jikan kalbay juku yindu-yindu, mayarriji nuka-nya.


<translate> The black diver bird is there.


<translate> Did you show the young men the way? No, I should have shown them, but I forgot.

Yundu warru-warru baral milbin? Kari, ngayu milbi-nyaku, yambada ngayu kari binalman.


<translate> You two see the dalkari bladder here.


<translate> They came, caught fish, cooked them and then ate.


<translate> We see the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> The young men stayed in the camp.


<translate> You and I see the waterfall there.


<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.


<translate> My country and your country are not the same; a big river runs right between the two.

Ngayku bubu yunu bubu kari yala; wawubaja yalbay jambul dindarra-nga warri.


<translate> Father laughed at the young man.


<translate> The old man said never spear a small fish, for it will grow big and feed the family many times over.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan kuyu buban kari damanka, nyulu yalbay-mal, jawun-karra dajinka wungar wubulku.


<translate> When did the old people first come to live in this country long ago, the child asked, and the grandmother began a long slow story.

Bama mukul wanja-wanja nyubun-nya yinya bubu-ba kaday wuna-nka? karrkay nyajin, babi-ngku kuku marri yudal.


<translate> I see the turtle spear point.


<translate> The old woman sat down by the fire to warm her cold hands.

Wulbuman baya karangkal bundan, nyungu mara ngiki wumbul-bunga-nka.


<translate> This cold water is sweet and good for the long walk in the heat.

Yanyu bana ngiki jiba-wula-wula ngulkurr jilba kalbay-ka wungar wumbul-a.


<translate> At the end the old woman walked the children once more through all the words of the body: head, eye, ear, mouth, neck, shoulder, arm, hand, chest, back, stomach, thigh, leg, ankle, foot, and she said: now you all carry the words, so listen to this last one, the body is the one camp you never leave, so keep it like a good camp, feed its fire, mend its shelter well, and it will carry you to the last river.

Badanga wulbumanangka karrkay-karrkay jilba-bungan kukuburr bangkarrmuny wubulku nyubunbu baja: dukul, miyil, milka, ngandal, jakay, binda, wakuy, mara, damu, muku, jibar, waba, jandal, wulu, jina, nyulu balkan: nyiku yurra kuku wubulku karrbal, milka-janay kuku bada yala: bangkarr nyulu bayan nyubun yurra kariku bawalmuny, yalada karrba nyulu yala bayan yukil, baya nyungu daya mayibu, bayan nyungu murni yukil, nyulu yurra karrbal wawubajaka badaka.


<translate> The woman came without food.


<translate> Why are you hiding yourself in the grass? A big goanna frightened me, and I am waiting for it to go away.

Wanyurrinku yundu jikanba ngaki-ji? Bajuy yalbay-ngka nganya yinil-kangan, ngayu bundal nyulu dunga-nyjiku.


<translate> If we have coughs, we break green ants and eat them.

Kaki ngana ngiki-ji, ngana yangka dumbarril, nukal.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> They saw the wuymbariji scrub tree there.


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


<translate> The eel was cooking on the fire and the children could hardly wait for it to be ready.

Kubarr wumbul bayanga, karrkay-karrkay murruji maku-janay, mayi ngulkurrmanyjiku.


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


<translate> The proud young man kept standing tall at the meeting and speaking too long, and the old people kept looking at the ground and saying nothing.

Warru yalbay-baka janjanay muru-ba, balka kalbay bajaku, mukul-bama nyaji-nyaji bubu bada-bada, yamba-kari balka.


<translate> The moon was thin and small last night, but now it grows big and round again.

Kija buban-baja wujurr yilay-muny, niji yalbay warral-warral-ma-l baja.


<translate> The old man painted the bright ochre marks on the boy's chest with his own fingers.

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru makirr julngkan, nyungu mara-bu jinbal-jinbal.


<translate> You two see the three-pronged spear there.


<translate> Granny knows the good yam country.


<translate> The old man did not shout; he simply said, a lie is a heavy thing to carry, heavier than any true word.

Mukul dingkar kari yirrkan; nyulu nganga balkan: jurril dandi wundinka, yukil kukumuny dandi bajaku.


<translate> We saw the murrabal barramundi here.


<translate> The friend laughed at grandmother.


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

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


<translate> The old woman said a good yam ground feeds the family for many seasons.

Wulbumanangka balkan bambayal-bubu ngulkurr jawun-karra daji-l wungar wubulku.


<glossary> balkal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> he made a spear


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


<translate> That baringkan small bird is there.


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


<translate> You and I see the sand there.


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


<translate> Which one is stronger, the sun or the wind? the children argued, and the old woman settled it in the old way: the wind pulled at the traveller's blanket and he held it tighter, the sun stood quietly high and he took the blanket off his own body, so she said: big noise moves nothing, warm patience moves everything.

Wanjaku junkurr-baja, wungar yambada muyar? karrkay-karrkay balka-wan, wulbumanangka yinya murnin yalabu mukulbu: muyarbu kararr kulban jilba-bamamuny, nyulu karrban murrba-baja, wungar janan wunbu wangkara, nyulu-nyulu kararr manin bangkarrmuny, yalada nyulu balkan: kuku yalbay kariku yamba murnil, wawu-karrba wumbul yamba wubulku murnil.


<glossary> babi ; type=noun ; domain=kinship <usage_example> Grand mother is looking after her grandchild


<translate> You see the mungari kaori pine there.


<glossary> janbar ; type=noun ; domain=texture <usage_example> I'm very sticky, want to take a bath


<translate> You all see the karranda tree there.


<translate> The old man said the difference between a green branch and a dead one is the whole difference between a thing that will bend and a thing that will break, and he used this to teach the young: the green wood of youth bends under a blow and springs back, but the dry wood of age, though harder and stronger-seeming, snaps, so treat the very old as you would carry dry wood, gently and with both hands.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan juku jirakal juku wula-mabi yindu-yindu yamba nyulu badaman yamba nyulu kakan yindu-yindu, nyulu yinya kirrajin warru milbil: juku jirakal warru-mu nyulu bundabu badaman nyunbal, yambada juku kiway-kiway mukul-mu, junkurr dandi-mabi yala, nyulu kakan, mukul bajaku murni yundu juku kiway-kiway jarrakulbal yala, kima mara jambulbu.


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


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


<translate> The old woman made a bag from grass.


<translate> The child went into the scrub.


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


<glossary> kurru-jindaway ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> They're arguing about it


<translate> You all see the sandfly here.


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


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


<translate> You see the mingur tree there.


<translate> Clouds are the tracks of the sky, the old man taught the boys on the high stone: the high thin ones say the wind is changing, the black ones standing over the sea say run to the stone shelter, and the small round morning ones say nothing at all, they are only the sky laughing.

Ngurrban nyulu jina jirimuny, mukulungku dingkarangka buban-buban milbin kuljinga wangkarba: ngurrban wangkar bala balkal muyar yindu-mal, ngurrban ngumbu jalunba janay balkal warrinka kulji-bayanka, ngurrban buban murru muduwajumuny balkal yamba-kari, jana nganga jiri yajarr-manya.


<translate> The child saw the saltwater crocodile.


<translate> Did you eat the fish? Yes, I ate it all. Do you have any food left? No, my dilly bag is empty; that is why I am hungry now.

Yundu kuyu nukan? Yuwu, ngayu wubul nukan. Yundu mayi baja karrbal? Kari, ngayku balji maru-maru; yinya-nka ngayu dakwuy.


<translate> The black snake lies still in the long grass by the water, the old man warned, so always beat the ground with a stick before you walk through.

Bindimu jarba janka wuna jikan kalbay-mba bana ngundu-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, bubu marri juku-bu balka nyubun-bu jilba-nyjiku.


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


<translate> You see the flat rock there.


<translate> You two saw the jungarr marsupial native cat here.


<glossary> nganganjirrka ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Bring (your) gun, in case a pig comes

Marrkin wundi, nganganjirrka bikibiki kadanyamunku


<translate> Before dawn, granny was already at the fire.

Babi bayanga bundandan, wungar wandinyjiku.


<translate> While the moon was hiding, the old man took the boys night-fishing with firesticks, and the fish came to the light like children to a story, and he said as they walked home heavy: the moon keeps the fish wary, when she is away they believe every small fire, so the dark nights belong to the firestick and the moon nights to the net.

Kija ngakijinya mukulungku dingkarangka buban-buban wundin kuyuka wujurrba baya-juku-ji, kuyu kadan bayaka yala karrkay kuku-jangkarka, nyulu balkan, jana jilbanya bayanka dandi: kijabu kuyu miyil-ji karrbal, kaki nyulu dungay, kuyubu kuku-junkurr-manil baya buban nyubun-nyubun, yalada wujurr ngumbu nyulu baya-jukumuny, wujurr kija-ji nyulu makarrmuny.


<translate> The seeds were ground into flour and made into little cakes cooked in the ashes, sweet and filling.

Diburr kuljibu nyurrban bulawu, mayi buban ngaran, nulungu wajun, jiba-wulay, jibar mumbanka.


<translate> You see the kuray-kuray tree there.


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


<translate> Grandmother saw the baby's navel.


<translate> The duck is standing in the scrub.


<translate> Did you hear the thunder last night?


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


<translate> Grandmother made a new dillybag.


<translate> The young man asked grandfather about water.


<translate> The children ate fish and turtle eggs until they slept.

Karrkay-karrkayangka kuyu diburr nukan, warngku wunanda.


<lexeme> see and know someone before he sees and knows you


<translate> The two crows fought over the dead fish lying on the sand beside the sea.

Waja jambul kuyu wula-nya jukar-a kuni-wa-l, jalun karangkal.


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


<translate> The stars came out and the children watched them.

Dawar wandin, karrkay-karrkayangka nyajin.


<translate> The frightened kangaroo ran fast into the long grass and lay still, away from the two hunters.

Mayarriji yini-yini wanarrin jikan kalbay-ka, janka wunan balbi-bama jambul-muny.


<translate> They saw the son or daughter here.


<translate> The stars are bright tonight — no clouds.


<translate> You two see the yarrka bee there.


<translate> You see the spiderlily there.


<translate> The old man said quiet words are good, but shouting words make trouble.

Mukul-dingkar balkan, kuku janka ngulkurr, yamba kuku yirrka-yirrka buyun.


<translate> The old man said the true test of tree-knowledge is not naming the trees in the daylight but finding the right one in the dark by bark and leaf-shape and smell alone, for a person often needs wood or medicine at night in an emergency, so he made the boys learn each tree with their hands and their nose, not only their eyes, until they could walk the night scrub and know every tree they touched.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan juku-binal yukil nyaji kari juku balkal wungara yambada nyubun yukil maninka wujurr-bu warrur birra-murru nganja nganga, bama nyubun-nyubun juku kalbal wawu-manil wujurr dandi-ngunduku, nyulu warru-warru milbin juku nyubun maranji nganja-mundu baja, kari nganga miyilbu, dukul jana majaji-wujurr jilbal juku wubulku jana karrbanmuny binalka.


<translate> They saw the posterior here.


<translate> Mother left the dog's food outside.

Ngamu-ngku mayi kaya-nga ngalkal-ba bawan.


<translate> Many black and red seeds are there.


<translate> We, not you, saw the julaji freshwater catfish there.


<translate> That mountain is far higher than the hills around it, and the cloud sits on its top even in the dry.

Yinya jarra-jarra-baja bubu-yalbay yindu-ka, ngurrban nyungu dukul-bu wunay dukurr-wungar-a baja.


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


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


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


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


<translate> The children asked what to do when a brother is unkind, and the old man said: A brother is not always kind, but he is always your brother; correct him when you must, forgive him when you can, but never, ever cut the cord.

Karrkay-karrkayangka babajin wanya ngaranka yaba mumbunya, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Yaba kari yabarrka ngulkurr, yambada yabarrka yundu yaba; murni nyungu yundu wawunya, milka-wula nyungu yundu binalnya, yambada kari, kari yabarrka, kaji kudamundu bawa.


<translate> The honey was good, and the honey bread was good.


<translate> The old woman scolded the cheeky children for making too much noise near the sleeping baby.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay-karrkay murru-kangan, jana nyurra yalbay bunga-nya karrkay warngku wuna-nya ngundu.


<translate> The old woman cooked the goanna whole in the hot ashes, the old man said, turning it once, and its white flesh is sweeter than any bird or fish.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku jadi narmba kubu wumbul-ba waju, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyubun-bu jurrki, nyungu minya balbal jiba-wulay buyi kuyu wubulku-muny.


<translate> They see the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> They saw the mura tree here.


<translate> We saw the spear point here.


<translate> You and I saw the jiwal-jiwal kingfisher there.


<translate> You see the kubu-kubu tadpole here.


<translate> A long snake lay across the path in the sun, and the children stood very still and quiet.

Jarba kalbay jinanga dungay wungara, karrkay-karrkay janan wunbu bajaku, kari jalamal.


<translate> You all saw the jinkalmu snake here.


<glossary> milka-dalkay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The dead person remembered about his wife


<translate> Those people speak a different language, but we are all good kin together.

Yinya-rriny kuku yindu balkal, yambada ngana wubul jawun ngulkurr.


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


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

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


<glossary> dumbarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He broke the cassette because he was angry


<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> The two old women kept telling stories.


<translate> You two saw the jalil-jalil mudskipper here.


<translate> He looked towards the north, to the far country where his old people once lived long ago.

Nyulu kungkarr-ka nyajin, bubu kala-kalbay maku, nyungu mukul-bama yinya wuna-nya kalbay-muny.


<translate> The old man said: a child belongs to many people — the mother feeds it, the uncle teaches it, the grandmother keeps its stories — so no child is ever without family.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: kangkal bama wubul-amu — ngamungku mayi dayal, kalnga-ngka binal-bungal, babingka kuku kujil — kangkal kari mula-kari.


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


<translate> The man is bigger than the child.


<translate> Mother sees the wild grape here.


<glossary> marra-warril ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The kids went down river (when a floor was running)


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


<translate> Turn your back to the wind when you open the coals — directions are tools; use the right one.

Muku muyarka murni ngunjil ngalkal-bunganya: kuku-jina jana yamba-murni: mana yinya yukil.


<glossary> janay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> they went and went in the truck, then stopped by the creek

Jana truckmundu warrin warrin, warrin, jana yilkinga.


<translate> The young man got fish at the sea.


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


<translate> The mother called the sleeping children and told them to come quickly to the morning fire.

Ngamu-ngku karrkay-karrkay warngku wuna-nya yirrkan, balkan jana kada-y buyun-buyun baya-ka.


<translate> You two see the windbreak there.


<translate> Let the tired child sleep by the fire, the old woman said, do not wake him for the food, he can eat when he wakes in the morning.

Balu karrkay baja-burray buri-ngka wuna, mukul-jalbu balkan, baluda mayi-nka kulbul-mani, nyulu nuka wunkuwingku-ba wandi-nya-muny.


<translate> The old woman said the strongest man is not the one who fights, but the one who keeps the peace.

Wulbumanangka balkan dingkar jarra-yaykarr wubul-ku kari nyulu kuli-mal, yambada nyulu bubu janka karrbal.


<translate> The old man said the little birds all fall silent at once when the goshawk comes, and that sudden silence is how you know the hawk is near.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: buyi buban wubulku nyubun-bu yirrka kunbayn jinabiju kada-nya-ba, yinya balka-kari yundu binal jinabiju ngundu-nya.


<translate> That country was once the old people's, before the strangers came and took it away.

Bubu yinya mukul-bama-mu-muny, bama yindu kada-nyjiku manin.


<translate> You two see the sandfly here.


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


<translate> You and I see the barramundi there.


<translate> The old woman knew every creeping and crawling thing in the country and its right name too.

Mukul-jalbu-ngka minya wubul mara-warri-nya bubu-ngu binal, nyungu kuku ngulkurr baja.


<translate> He wanted to give the clothes to the girl with no money.

Nyulu wawu kambi daji-nka jalbu-buban-anda mani-kari-nda.


<translate> He sees the miyilabu mangrove tree there.


<translate> He sees the jungka wild cherry tree here.


<translate> The shark follows the school of mullet close to the shore, and the birds reveal where the fish are.

Yaburr kalngkan wubul wukurrin yalmba karangkal, buyi nyulu milbin wanja kuyu wunay.


<translate> The child put the rope in the bag.


<translate> The children slept well that night, clean and tired and full, with the sound of the river in their ears.

Karrkay-karrkay warngku wunan ngulkurr yinya kunarangkal, janjinmuny, baja-burray, mayiji, wawubajamu kuku milkanga.


<translate> Grandmother saw mother's face.


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


<translate> The old man said you ought to listen well to the old stories, or you will lose the law.

Mukul-dingkar-angka balkan, yundu kuku kalbay ngulkurr milka-jana-nyaku, yamba yundu kuku-jangkar wula-mani-l.


<translate> Who will carry the water back to the camp for the old people?

Wanyangka bana bayan-ka wundil, mukul-bama-nka?


<translate> You and I belong to this country; our two names are known here.

Ngaliny yanyu bubu-mu; ngalinyanga burri jambul yaluy binal.


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


<translate> We two, not you, see the mirrki kidney bird here.


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

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


<translate> He saw the kujuway pigeon here.


<translate> The boy wants to learn to hunt, the old man said, so every morning he takes him into the scrub to look for the wallaby.

Karrkay wawu balbi-nka binal-ma-nka, mukul-dingkar balkan, wunkuwingku nyubun-nyubun nyulu karrkay madja-ka wundi kadar nyaji-nka.


<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> You see the butcherbird there.


<translate> Where does the good clean water lie hidden in this dry stony country, the young man asked, and the old woman rose and showed him the way.

Bana ngulkurr wanjabu wuna bubu marral kulji-jirr-ba? warru-ngku nyajin, mukul-jalbu wandi nyungu jina binal-bungal.


<translate> The man watched the child reading the tracks.

Dingkar-angka karrkay nyaji-l-nyaji-n, jina nyaji-l-nyaji-nya.


<translate> The rainbow stands after the rain has fallen, one foot at the falls and one foot in the swamp, the old woman showed the children, and the old people say: do not point at it with the finger, greet it with the whole quiet hand, for the rainbow belongs to the big story, and a child's good manners reach all the way into it.

Yiril janay kaba badanmuny, jina nyubun bana-badanga jina nyubun walngkanga, wulbumanangka karrkay-karrkay milbin, bama mukulungku balkal: kari nyulu milbi birribu, yulmbarrika nyulu marabu wubulkubu wunbubu, yiril nyulu kuku-jangkar yalbaymuny, karrkay murni yukil nyulu kaday dukurrku yinyaka.


<translate> The person here is beautiful.


<translate> Grandmother washed the sore with water.


<translate> You spoke to me harshly; I was ashamed before you; but you are my elder brother, so I did not answer you, and I went away quietly.

Yundu ngaykunku buyun balkan; ngayu yunundu murru-kaday-man; yambada yundu ngayku yaba, ngayu yununy kari balkan, ngayu nganga dungan.


<translate> We see the buyukal tree there.


<translate> The two of them saw the yalnga turtle here.


<translate> In the cold season an old man became sick and could not get up from his bed for many days.

Buluriji mukul dingkar bambayman, murruji wandil dubalmuny wungar wubulku.


<translate> They see the kawarr bloodwood tree here.


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


<translate> He sees the grasshopper here.


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


<translate> Grandfather got the club outside.


<translate> You see the dulmbi umbrella palm here.


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


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


<translate> A young boy came with the hunters for the first time, carrying a small spear his father had made him.

Karrkay warru balbibamaji kadanyarr, kalka buban jarra-kulban, babangka nyungu ngaranmuny.


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

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


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


<translate> We see the death adder here.


<translate> You two saw the ngumbul snake here.


<translate> Give it to those two; they asked first.

Daya bulanka, bula babajin ngadiku-ngurr.


<translate> The old people named every creek and mountain, and the children repeated the names by the fire.

Mukul-bama-ngku bana-jandu manjal wubulku burri balkan, karrkay-karrkay burri balka-balkan baya-nga.


<glossary> kuda ; type=interrogative ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> What about your older brother?


<translate> You two saw the binainyji fig-like fruit here.


<glossary> jarra ; type=noun ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I am bigger than he is


<translate> Always take a good spear when you walk the long grass, the old man said, just in case a snake is lying hidden across the track.

Kalka ngulkurr mani jikan kalbay-mba jilba-nya, mukul-dingkar balkan, jarba jina-ba wawan wuna nganganjirrka.


<translate> I see the frill necked lizard here.


<translate> You see the bronze wing pigeon here.


<translate> Granny gave them water and told them a good story to make the waiting shorter.

Babingka bana dajin jananda wubulku, kuku ngulkurr balkan maku-janay bubanmanka.


<translate> The young men raced to be first up the tall nut tree: one reached the lowest branch first, climbed steadily to the top, knocked down the ripe cones to the ones waiting below, they gathered them into bags, carried them to the grinding stones, roasted and pounded them into meal, and then made a great feast that fed the whole camp that night.

Warru-warru yilba-wan juku-mayi kalbay wangkar-mundu ngadiku: nyubun juku-mara badanga ngadiku kadan, wangkar-mundu murni dakan, mayi-kulbul bada yilban bama jana bada bundanmu, jana balji-bu bangkan, kulji-nyurrba-mundu jarrakulban, dindan nyurrban mayi-manda, yalada nukal-yalbay bungan bayan wubulku dayan yinya wujurr.


<translate> Grandmother cooked the food carefully.


<glossary> dikarr ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> Someone made mcdea sick with magic. The doctor took it out.

Bamangka nganya bambay-bungun, dikarrda. Doctorangka dikarr manin


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


<translate> The sea was rough and the canoe went this way and that way.

Jalun mulngkuji, marrakan dungan yarra, yarra.


<glossary> ngamba ; type=adjective ; domain=perception <usage_example> They went into his house in his absence

Jana nyunguwunbu bayanba walan nyungungunbu ngambanga


<translate> Where did that big mob of flying foxes come from at dusk?

Kambi wubul-baja wanjamuny kadan wungar bada dunga-nya?


<translate> I saw the yalnga turtle here.


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

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


<translate> You all saw the fighting spear here.


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


<translate> The hook is small but the fish is big — hold on!

Badur buban yambada kuyu yalbay, karrba dandi!


<translate> The woman wove the dillybag from loya cane.


<translate> The possum sat high in the fork of the tree, and the hunter climbed slowly and quietly so as not to frighten it into the dark.

Yawa wangkar bundan juku ngandalba, balbibamangka buban-buban wunbu jilban, yawa kari yinyil-kanganyji wujurrka.


<translate> We see the little wallaby here.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the kundurr-kundurr crescent perch here.


<translate> I'm hungry — is the food good?


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


<translate> As a child I used to eat kangaroo, wallaby, possum, and echidna, all cooked in the hot coals.

Ngayu karrkay-nyja-ku minya mayarriji, kadar, yawa, ngangkin nuka-l-nuka-n, narmba ngunjil-ba wajun.


<translate> The carpet snake is big but quiet, and it eats the rats around the camp.

Kungkun yalbay yambada janka, kukur nukal bayan kudamundu.


<translate> The baby sleeps without a blanket.


<translate> He sees the tree kangaroo here.


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


<translate> You two see the stick there.


<glossary> kuyu ; type=noun ; domain=fauna-fish <usage_example> I'm going fishing


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

Jana warruwarru milka-daran milka-daran mayi ngakinka shopmunmun


<translate> The children kept crying for food, so the old woman kept cooking the fish over the hot coals.

Karrkay-karrkay banbadi mayi-ka, mukul-jalbu kuyu waju-l-waju-l ngunjil wumbul-ba.


<translate> In the morning there were many clouds.


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


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


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


<translate> I see the sand whiting here.


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

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


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


<translate> Grandfather put the stone on the old woman's foot.

Kami-ngka kulji yijarrin mukul-jalbu-ndu jina-nga.


<translate> The two of them saw the kalmbangarr black diver bird there.


<translate> In the evening the old woman banked the coals with ash so the fire would stay warm at first light.

Yilay-yilay wulbumanangka ngunjil nulubu nandan, baya wumbul janay muduwajunyjiku.


<translate> I see the running water there.


<translate> The old woman said: When you are gone, you will not be remembered for your possessions or your victories, but for how you made people feel, and above all for whether the children were glad, or afraid, when you walked into the camp.

Wulbumanangka balkan: Yundu dunganya, jana kari yundu binalku yundu yambamu junkurr-manilmu, yambada yala yundu bama wawu-manilmu, wangkar bajaku karrkay wawu-mini, yinil baja, yundu bayanba wandinya.


<translate> The little boy would not stop asking why, and though the others grew tired of it the old man never did, for when the boy asked why the sun is hot, why the water flows down, why the old people died, why the baby cries, the old man saw not a nuisance but a mind waking up, and he said a people is only ever as wise as its children are free to ask.

Karrkay buban kariku bawan babajinka wanyurrinku, bama yindu baja-burray-manin yambada mukulungku dingkarangka kariku, karrkay babajinnya wanyurrinku kala-kalbay wumbul, wanyurrinku bana bada dungay, wanyurrinku bama mukul wulan, wanyurrinku ngawa badil, mukulungku dingkarangka nyajin kari mumbu yambada milka wandin, nyulu balkan bama nyulu nganga binal yala karrkay nyungu yamba-kari babajinka.


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


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


<translate> The woman left the dog there.


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

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


<translate> This woman taught me about the zamia nut and how to soak it in the water.

Yalu-ngku jalbu-ngku nganya binal-bungan marra-ka, bana-nga wuna-nka.


<translate> I see the miyilabu mangrove tree there.


<translate> My father made a strong fish spear with many prongs from the hard wood.

Ngayku nganjanangka yinba junkurr bungan yirrmba-baja juku dandi-muny.


<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.


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


<translate> He sees the karraway snail there.


<translate> The old woman said a woman with the plant knowledge and a woman without it live in two different worlds, for the one who knows the plants walks through the scrub seeing food and medicine and craft everywhere she looks, while the one without that knowledge sees only green sameness, so she spent whole years passing the plant lore to the girls, name by name and use by use.

Wulbumanangka balkan jalbu mayi-binal-ji jalbu mayi-binal-kari jambul bubu yindu-yindungu wunay, mayi binal-ji nyulu majaji jilbal mayi kalbal janka-yukil baja nyajil wanja nyulu nyajilnya, yambada binal-kari nyulu jinbal nyubun-baja nyajil, nyulu wungar wubulku buwan mayi-kuku jalbu-buban-mundu, kuku nyubun kuku nyubun yukil nyubun yukil nyubun.


<translate> They see the dulmbi umbrella palm there.


<translate> The old man said every place has a name and told the children not to forget the names.

Mukul-dingkar balkan, bubu wubulku burri-jirr, karrkay-karrkay-nka balkan, baluda burri milka-wula.


<translate> Come here and sit down beside the warm fire, and I will tell you a good long story.

Kada-y ngundu, baya wumbul karangkal bunda, ngayu yununy kuku ngulkurr kalbay balka-l.


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


<translate> The scrub people killed many cassowaries in the deep rainforest.

Maja-ji-warra-ngka kurranji wubul kunin madja dukurr-ba.


<translate> They played on it all afternoon.


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

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


<translate> Tall trees grew thick along the winding river, and the many green leaves shone in the sun.

Juku-juku kalbay wawubaja karangkal junkurr janay, birra jikan-jikan wubul balbal wungar-a.


<translate> He saw the grasshopper there.


<translate> The old woman left the boomerang in the shade.


<glossary> wawu-daki ; type=adverb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> He wants to live alone


<translate> The old woman knew the cassowary was near when she found its huge three-toed track and the piles of dark seed it leaves behind on the forest floor.

Mukul-jalbu binalman kurranji ngundu-nya, nyulu jina yalbay kulur-jina-jirr nyajin madja bada-ba, diburr ngumbu nyulu wuna-nya-ba.


<translate> The baby looked up at her mother's face with two bright dark eyes, and reached out her hand.

Ngawa nyungu ngamu walu wangkar-a nyajin, miyil jambul balbal ngungul-bu, mara wandin.


<translate> The two women burnt the ghost with grass trees.

Bula jalbu-bulal-angka dubu wajun nganjirr-da.


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


<translate> The old people made two kinds of dilly bag: a small one for seeds and a big one for fish; the small bag hangs on the shoulder, the big one on the back.

Mukul-mukulungku ngunyin jambul bungan: buban diburr-nka, yalbay kuyu-nka; ngunyin buban binda-nga wunan, yalbay ngunyin mudu-ngu.


<translate> The scorpion hides under the flat stone, and its sting hurts a person badly.

Biringal kulji bada-bada ngakiji, nyulu bama bambay-baja-bungal.


<translate> He saw the kinga caterpillar here.


<glossary> mambarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> He forced the child to go to school

Nyulu karrkay mambarrin schoolbu dunganka


<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> I take water; perhaps there is no water along the road.

Ngayu bana wundil, nguba bana kari baral-darr.


<translate> The grandmother carried her small grandchild everywhere on her back, the old woman said, singing softly all the while to keep the little one quiet and content.

Babi-ngku jija buban wanja-warra muku-ba jarra-kulba, mukul-jalbu balkan, wulngku janka yirrka-yirrka-nya karrkay janka-nka bundanday-nka.


<translate> Mother was the first to get the egg.


<translate> At each camp they told the stories that belong to that place.

Bayanba jana kuku balkan, kuku yinya bubungu.


<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.


<translate> We saw the jungka wild cherry tree here.


<translate> The old man laughed at mother.


<translate> You all saw the durra caterpillar there.


<translate> The old woman said the mother's brother, the uncle called kalnga, has special duties toward his sister's children that the father does not, for in the old way the uncle helped make a boy into a man, gave him some of his first weapons, spoke for him at his initiation, and had a say in his marriage, so that a boy grew up owing a particular respect and a particular closeness to his mother's brother.

Wulbumanangka balkan ngamu nyungu yaba, kalnga kunjal, nyungu yamba-yukil junkurr nyungu babarr nyungu karrkaynka nganjan nyulu kari karrbalmuny, ngadiku-kuku kalngangka buban dingkar-manil, nyungu kalka ngadiku dayal, nyungu-nka balkal bujur-warrilba, nyungu dunyu-manin kuku-manil, buban nyulu mukul-manda karrbal yulmbarril junkurr karra junkurr baja kalnga-nka.


<translate> The white wattle tree stands there.


<translate> The child watched the old man while he cut up the big kangaroo by the fire.

Karrkay-angka mukul-dingkar nyajin, mayarriji yalbay yaka-l-yaka-nya baya karangkal.


<translate> You and I see the house there.


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


<translate> They saw the barka snake here.


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


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


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


<translate> You two saw the jabil lizard here.


<translate> You two saw the junbirr lizard there.


<translate> You saw the wooden sword here.


<translate> You and I see the dulmbi umbrella palm there.


<translate> You see the small ant bed here.


<translate> That child went down. That one dived.


<translate> The people of that place are coming here.


<translate> You all see the small bat here.


<glossary> manu ; type=noun ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> You buy only sugar, no lollies

Yundu manu sugar buyim-bunga, lolly kari


<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> The husband looks after the baby while the wife gathers the yams.

Dunyu-ngku ngawa kuji-l-kuji-l, manyarr-dal-angka bambayal bangkal.


<translate> The old woman said that when a marriage was arranged the two families weighed the match carefully, asking whether the moieties were right, whether the two lines were already too closely tied, whether the young people would be well matched in temper, whether each family could meet its obligations, so that a marriage was a considered joining of two kin-groups and not, as the young sometimes wished, a simple following of the heart alone.

Wulbumanangka balkan dunyu-manil kuku-manin jambul jawun-karra nyaji-way yukil, babajil bama-jambul junkurr, karra-jina jambul ngadiku karra baja, warru jambul milka-nyubun-manda, jawun-karra nyubun-nyubun nyungu yamba-yukil dayalmuny, dunyu-manil nyulu kuku-manin yukil jawun-karra jambul jani-mabimuny kari, warru wungar nyubun wawu-manin, wawu-milka nganga wukurril baja.


<glossary> kalkandiji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> You hang on to (your) work, don't pull out

yundu workmunbu kalkandijika, kari kulbajika


<translate> I saw the jinabiju goshawk there.


<translate> When they finally saw the smoke of their own camp rising in the distance, the children began to run ahead, calling out, and the dogs heard them and came racing down the track to meet them, and everyone's tiredness fell away.

Jana dukul nyajinya nyungu bayanmu kubu kala-kalbay-mba wandina, karrkay-karrkay wangkar warrin, kunja, kaya jana ngaran baralba warri kadan maku-warrilka, bama wubulkumu wawu-wula-y badaka dungan.


<translate> You and I saw the julbal tree here.


<translate> You and I see the mulawajarr star there.


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


<glossary> janbangaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> he'll keep the ball


<translate> You two saw the karkunbay stockwhip bird here.


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


<translate> I see the small ant bed here.


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


<translate> He saw the dalmbal flathead there.


<translate> The old man laughed and said: the wet season is exactly when we make tools, so they are ready when the hunting season comes.

Mukulungku dingkarangka yajarrin, balkan: buluriji nyiku ngana yamba ngaral, ngulkurrmanka wangariji kadanyjiku.


<translate> Grandfather put the axe on the ground.


<translate> Carry us two along with you-all, to where the river turns.

Wundi ngalininy yurranji, wanja wawubaja murnil yinyaka.


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

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


<translate> You and I saw the kurranday seagull here.


<translate> They camped in the open place near the river.

Jana bundandan ngunnganga, wawubajanga ngundu.


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


<translate> We see the reflection there.


<translate> The bird flew across the river.


<translate> The old man cooked the whole barramundi in paperbark on the coals, and its soft flesh came off the bones.

Mukul-dingkarangka judi wubul wayjun buyku-ngu baya-nga, nyungu minya kima dumbarrin.


<glossary> mungkil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> They speared lots of different kinds of fish

Bula minya wali-yindu walu-yindu kalkabu mungkin


<translate> The big crocodile watched the canoe.

Bilngkumungku yalbayngku marrakan nyajin.


<translate> The little swallows fly low over the water just before the heavy rain comes down.

Mabal buban bana wangkar-a bada dunga-y, kaba yalbay kada-nyjiku.


<translate> The wild storm came down on the camp like a great angry man throwing many spears.

Jarramali kuli bayan-ka bada kadan, yala dingkar kuli yalbay kalka wubul daman.


<translate> You see the grey March fly here.


<translate> You two saw the ngumbul snake here.


<translate> The old woman told the children the water runs down from the high country to the wide sea.

Mukul-jalbu karrkay-nka balkan, bana bada wanarri bubu wangkar-muny jalun kalbay-ka.