<translate> The old man said a spear with a good balance and a spear without it look almost identical lying on the ground, but in the throw the difference is everything, and this is true of many things a person makes: the flaw is invisible to the eye and only shows itself in the using, so a maker must learn to feel the rightness with the hands, not just see it.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kalka yukil-ji kalka yukil-kari nyubun yala bubu wangkar wunay, yilbalba yindu-yindu yamba wubulku, yinya yukil yamba wubulmuny bama bungalmuny: mumbu miyil-kari nyulu janka manil-mabinga nyubun murnil, murni-bama nyulu binalman yukil maranga jilbanka, kari nganga nyajil.


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


<translate> If the moon is full, the biggest tides come into the mangroves.

Kaki kija yalbay, yira yalbay-baja kajul-ka kaday.


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


<translate> The bower bird is the cleverest thief in the scrub, gathering blue and shining things to build its playhouse and steal from any camp left unwatched, and the children laugh to find their lost beads woven into its bower, but the old woman says leave it be, for it takes only bright small things and harms nothing, and its playhouse is a wonder worth watching.

Bajal nyulu kulun yukil majaji dukurr-bu, yamba jarrba-jarrba biru-biru bangkan nyungu janka-bayan bunganka bama-yindumuny bayan nyaji-karimuny manil, karrkay-karrkay yajarrin nyungu yamba dumbaynmu bajal-janka-nga nyajinya, wulbumanangka balkan bawa nyulu, nyulu nganga yamba buban biru-biru manil yamba nyubun kari mumbu-bungal, nyungu janka-bayan yamba yukil nyajinka.


<translate> He sees the dulmbi umbrella palm there.


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

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


<translate> Is that dog yours or granny's?


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

Yinyarrin carpenter jana bada-badada workmal


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

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


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


<translate> The old man said dawn is the country changing from the dead dark into the living day, and he loved to sit and watch it happen, the black turning pale and the pale turning gold, the cold air warming, the quiet bush waking into countless calls, so that every single morning the whole world performed again the oldest change of all, from night to day, and he said a person who watches enough dawns closely never again thinks of any darkness as permanent.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan muduwaju nyulu bubu yindu-mal wujurr wula-mabimuny wungar juranka, nyulu wawu-jirray bundanka nyajinka yindu-manya, ngumbu kambar-mal kambar makirr-mal, muyar kiway-kiway wumbul-mal, maja janga wandil kuku wubulku, wungar nyubun-nyubun bulmba-bulmba bubu wubulku murnil baja yindu ngadiku bajaku wubulmuny, wujurrmuny wungarmuny, nyulu balkan bama nyulu muduwaju wubul nyajil ngunduku nyulu kariku baja milkabu baykal wujurr nyubun yabarrka janay.


<translate> You two see the swallow here.


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


<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> You all saw the sandfly here.


<translate> As children we hunted the possum and the echidna, and our grandmother cooked them in the coals.

Ngali karrkay-nyja-ku yawa ngangkin balbin, ngali-nya mukul-jalbu-ngku wajun ngunjil-ba.


<translate> I put the boomerang in the shade.


<translate> That man swears far too much — he has a bad swearing-mouth — and the old people are angry with him.

Yinya dingkar dirra-baka bajaku, mukul-bama yinya-nka kuli-ma-l.


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


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

Karrkay-ngku jungkalu wabarr-ba yijarrin.


<translate> I had a good long rest in the shade before I went walking in the hot sun.

Ngayu wabarr-ba mara-kunbay kalbay-baja, jilba-dunga-nyjiku wungar wumbul-a.


<translate> Cook the fish and share it out to everyone before the night comes down, the old woman said, for no one eats alone in this camp.

Kuyu waju, bama wubulku-nka daji wujurr kada-nyjiku, mukul-jalbu balkan, kari bama nyubun-bu nuka bayan yaluy-mba.


<translate> What does it taste like? — Sweet first of all, then a little bitter at the end.

Nganja nyungu wanjarr? Jiba-wulay ngadiku-ngurr, yalada ngambuy buban badanga.


<translate> The women dug and gathered all the long day, the old man said, and came home at dusk with their dilly-bags heavy with yam, fruit, and sweet root.

Jalbu-jalbu baka bangka wungar kalbay wubulku, mukul-dingkar balkan, bayan-ka kaday wujurr-ma-nya ngunyin kulngkul bambayal mayi ngara jiba-wulay-jirr.


<translate> The old woman taught the children the names for the whole body, starting from the head and going down to the feet, for a person who knows the true word for every part can say exactly where the pain lies, and a healer who listens to the true word finds the trouble fast.

Wulbumanangka karrkay-karrkay milbin kuku bangkarrmuny wubulku, dukulmuny ngadiku jinaka bada, bama nyulu kuku yukil binal yamba nyubun-nyubunku nyulu balkal wanja kaka wunay, yukil-bungal-bama nyulu kuku yukil milka-janay nyulu yamba-mumbu warri manil.


<translate> Remember it my way tonight and your way tomorrow — a story with two memories lives twice.

Milka nyaji jina ngaykumunyji wujurrba, jina yundumunyji wunkuny: kuku-jangkar milka-binal-jambul-ji juran jambulku.


<translate> This day is much hotter than yesterday, and the old people say the big rain will come very soon.

Nyiku wungar jarra-wumbul-baja ngadiku-wungar-ka, bama mukul balkan kaba yalbay ngundu-baja kada.


<translate> You two see the spear point here.


<translate> Mother washed the clothing at the creek.


<translate> The old woman said the caterpillar eats and eats the leaves and grows fat, then wraps itself away and comes out changed into a moth on new wings.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: durra birra nukalkal yalbay-ma-l, yinyamun nyunba-yi wuna, yindu-mal ngalkal-ma-l buyi nangki jirakal-jirr.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the smouldering log here.


<translate> We see the little wallaby here.


<translate> They saw the ngarkay waterhen there.


<translate> The children came to see that mastering the inner country was harder than mastering the outer, for the animals of the heart leave no tracks and the weather of the mind gives no warning before it turns.

Karrkay-karrkayangka nyajin wawu bubu kujinka dandi-baja bubu badabada kujilmuny, wawumu minya kari jina bawal, milkamu wungar kari milbil murninyjiku.


<translate> The lawyer-cane top lay on the ground.


<translate> You saw the jingajalka tree there.


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


<translate> They two saw the freshwater eel there.


<translate> The little girl's first dilly bag was small — granny loved it.

Maralamu balji nyubun buban — babi wawu jirray.


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

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


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


<translate> You saw the kalngkan small mullet there.


<translate> You two see the spear point there.


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

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


<translate> We see the grey March fly there.


<translate> Grandmother dropped the stick on the old woman's back.

Babi-ngka juku daray-manin mukul-jalbu-ndu muku-ngu.


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

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


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


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


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

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


<translate> The kingfisher of the mangroves is bigger than the creek kingfisher, the old man said, and it eats the little crabs and mudskippers on the tidal flats.

Dabuy kajul-mu yalbay dabuy bana-jandu-mu-muny, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu kiju buban minya jukar-mu-jirr ngajal-ba nuka.


<translate> The men on the hill saw smoke rising far away in the north and knew visitors were coming.

Dingkar-dingkarangka manjalba kubu nyajin wangkar kalakalbay kungkarrba, binal jawunkarra kadanya.


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


<translate> The black kangaroo is there.


<translate> You and I saw the durra caterpillar there.


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


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


<translate> You see the stony crossing there.


<translate> The friend asked father about the mango.


<translate> If the snake comes near, stand still lest it bite you, and call out so the men come with spears!

Kaki jarba ngundu kada, jana dandi, nyulu bayka-nyji; yirrka, dingkar kalka-ji kadanka!


<translate> The old woman said if two people carry a heavy log and one lets go early, the other is not merely left with half but crushed with the sudden whole, so if you must set down your end of a shared burden, say so first, and set it down slowly, and never simply let go.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki bama jambul juku dandi jarrakulbal nyubun ngadiku bawal, yindu kari nganga buban bawan yambada wubul buban-buban-karibu kaka-manda, kaki yundu yabarrka nyungu dandi buban bada yijarrinka, balka ngadiku, buban-buban bada yijarri, kari nganga bawa.


<translate> That clothing there is narrow.


<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.


<translate> Tomorrow we'll go up the mountain.


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


<translate> You see the waddy club there.


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


<translate> The little tadpoles swim about in the warm shallow water of the rock pool by the creek.

Kubu-kubu buban bana wumbul buban-ba janji-l-janji-l, kulji-bana wawubaja karangkal.


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


<translate> You saw the munungkul ground pigeon there.


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


<translate> The old man rubbed the sweet warm fat on his son's sore back leg by the fire.

Mukul-dingkar-angka minya wumbul warru jina kaka-nga julngkan, baya ngundu.


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


<translate> You all see the dijarr freshwater perch there.


<translate> The old woman said: the dilly bag holds the whole camp's food; without it we could carry nothing; learn to weave, girls, or the family will go hungry.

Mukulungku balkan: ngunyin-ju bayan-mu mayi wubul karrbal; ngunyin-mundu ngana maru-maru wundil; jalbu-karrkay, wukurril binal-ma, kari bama dakwuy.


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


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


<translate> He sees the running water here.


<translate> The food in the ground oven was well cooked.


<translate> The two of them saw the walmbi-walmbiji left-handed person here.


<translate> You and I see the fish there.


<translate> They saw the yawa possum here.


<translate> The old woman chased the dog from camp.


<translate> The old man's shoulder is sore.


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


<translate> The man tied the rope to the bag.

Dingkar-angka karra balji-nga kuna-bungan.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the yirku-yirku frog here.


<translate> The little girl was hot with fever and cried all night, and her mother sat beside her holding her hand.

Maral buban wumbul, badin kunarangkal wubulku, ngamungka nyungu ngundu bundandan, mara karrbanya.


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


<translate> They saw the barramundi there.


<translate> The cold wind cut through to the body, and the children moved closer to the fire.

Muyar ngiki bangkarr-ba kadan, karrkay baya ngundu warrin.


<translate> The old woman said the best way to learn a thing is to teach it, for when you must explain a thing to another you discover the holes in your own understanding, and so the teacher and the learner teach each other whether they mean to or not.

Wulbumanangka balkan: yamba binalka yala ngulkurr bajaku milbinka, yundu yamba bama yindunka balkanya yundu nyajil nyungu binalmu yamba-kari, yinyabu milbibama binalbama jana milbi-way jana wawunya kariku baja.


<translate> You two see the dabway bird here.


<translate> Father got a spear, saw a pig, and then went.

Nganjan-angka kalka manin, bikibiki nyajin, dungan-da.


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

Kaya-ngka jarba nyajin badabada juku-ngu.


<translate> They came in from the hunt at sunset, they washed the fish, they cooked, and then they ate — the old man said the little story again and again, for that one sentence carries the shape of a whole good day: work first, then fire, then food, and the word then is a quiet law that holds the string.

Jana kadan balbilmuny wungar-daraynya, jana kuyu julurrin, wajun, nukanda, mukulungku dingkarangka kuku-jangkar buban balkan baja baja, kuku nyubun yinyabu wundil jina wubulku wungar yukilmuny: murni ngadiku, yalada baya, yalada mayi, kuku 'yalada' nyulu kuku wunbu, nyulu karra karrbal.


<translate> The woman saw the fish at the sea.


<glossary> balkal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> I already told you


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


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

Jarrangkal birra bubungu daran, jurrbu jirakal janan baja.


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


<translate> The husband and wife built their camp near the water; the wife wove the baskets, and the husband made the spears and the fish nets.

Dunyu biwar bayan bana ngundu ngaran, biwarangka balji wukurrin, dunyungku kalka makarr bungan.


<translate> They saw the deep water there.


<translate> The children swam in the deep still water of the wide green lagoon all afternoon.

Karrkay-karrkay bana dajali janka wawubaja yalbay-ba janji-l wungar wubulku.


<translate> The old woman showed the girls exactly how long to pound and when the nut paste was ready.

Wulbumanangka maral-maral milbin: wanjawanja dudal junkurrku, wanjawanja barka ngulkurrmanda.


<glossary> kala-balal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> Try out the log (to see if it will hold you)


<translate> The honey from that tree makes a person sick, so leave it alone.

Wunba yinya-muny juku-muny bama bambay-bungal, bawa yundu.


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

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


<translate> They saw the kawa ants there.


<translate> The children came running when they smelled the honey, and everyone ate from their hands and laughed.

Karrkay-karrkay warrin kadan wunba nyajinya, jana wubulku mara nukan, yajarrin.


<glossary> kayal ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> They eat raw meat


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


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

Bula dingkarangka kadar jarra-kulban bayanba.


<translate> The two young men both loved the one beautiful girl, and so their hearts were not good together.

Warru jambul wawu jirray maral ngulkurr nyubun-ka, yamba bula wubul kari ngulkurr baja.


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

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


<translate> 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> I asked mother about the new house.

Ngayu ngamu-ndu babajin bayan-ka jirakal-ka.


<translate> We see the baldy gum tree here.


<translate> The old man taught the young that some questions are traps and must be answered with a question: if a man asks you angrily whether you called him a liar, do not say yes or no but ask him what he actually heard and from whom, for the trap-question wants a fight and the counter-question wants the truth, and the one who keeps his head and asks back will win where the one who answers straight will lose.

Mukulungku dingkarangka warru milbin kuku nyubun-nyubun jina-yijarril kuku-mundu kuku-yukil-manilka: dingkar nyulu yundu dukul-wuri-bu babajinnya yundu nyulu kuku-mumbu-bama balkanmuny, kari balka yuwu yambada kari, babaji nyulu wanyu nyulu ngaranmuny wanyamuny, jina-babaji nyulu kuni-way wawu-manil kuku-babaji nyulu kuku-yukil wawu-manil, bama nyulu nyungu milka karrbal babajil nyulu wular yala bama nyulu kuku-mundu balkal wular baja.


<translate> The flying foxes fill the fig trees at dusk and screech all through the night.

Kambi wubul dukal-juku-ngu kada-l wungar bada dunga-nya, yirrkay wujurr wubulku.


<translate> They ate food and then lay down. The next day they went again.

Jana mayi nukan, wunan-da. Wunkuny jana dungan-baja.


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

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


<translate> Father saw the fish net on the open ground.


<translate> The dog came to me, the child ran to me, and the old woman called out to me — I am never alone in this camp.

Kaya ngaykundu kadan, karrkay ngaykundu warrin, mukulungku nganya yirrkan — ngayu kariku nyubun nyiku bayanba.


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


<translate> You see the kawarr bloodwood tree there.


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


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


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


<translate> Grandmother saw the Leichhardt tree.


<translate> Everyone was happy — there was plenty of meat.


<translate> I saw the spear on the road.


<translate> You saw the nakawarra bee here.


<translate> The old man showed the boy which strong wood makes a spear that flies straight and true.

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru milban, wanjinya juku kalka jinbal bunga-l.


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


<translate> He saw the shooting star here.


<translate> The old woman watched the two sisters and said to them both: what you two build, you two must also mend.

Wulbumanangka babarr-jinkurr nyajin, balkan bulanka: wanyu yubal bungal, yubal murnil baja.


<translate> He sees the nyumbil coolibah tree there.


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


<translate> We two, not you, saw the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish there.


<translate> We two will climb on the tree.


<translate> By evening there was flour enough for many days, stored in bark in the cool part of the shelter.

Yilay-yilay bulawu wubul wungar wubulku, buykungu kujin bayan kiwaymba.


<translate> The old man taught the children the moon and its changing face — how it grows fat and thin, and dies, and is born again.

Mukulungku dingkarangka karrkay-karrkay kija milbin, nyungu walu murninya, yala kija dandimal, bubanmal, wulay, wandin baja.


<translate> That proud young man walks about like a boss, the old man said, but his hands are soft and he has hunted nothing.

Yinya warru yalbay-baka jilba yala maja, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba nyungu mara ngulban, nyulu minya yamba-kari balbin.


<translate> We see the karrandal tree here.


<translate> Grandmother called the girl: "Eat!"


<translate> You and I saw the balarri queenfish here.


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

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


<translate> You all see the smoke there.


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


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

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


<translate> You saw the jabil lizard here.


<translate> Ask the old dilly-bag expert about the dilly bags, for she knows best of all how to weave them.

Babaji mala-ngunyin-da ngunyin-ka, nyulu binal ngunyin bunga-nka ngulkurr bajaku.


<translate> How many children does your elder sister have? She has children: three boys and two girls. And who looks after them when she goes hunting? Their grandmother minds them all.

Wanjarrinya kangkal yunu babarr karrbal? Nyulu kangkal karrbal: karrkay dingkar kulur, jalbu jambul. Wanyangka jana karrbal babarr balbi-nga dungay? Jananga babingka jana wubul karrbal.


<translate> The woman saw the stone on the ground.


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


<translate> You all saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo here.


<translate> Dad caught a big eel in the river.

Nganjanangka kubarr yalbay karrban wawubajanga.


<translate> You all see the karraway snail there.


<translate> The old man divided all the creatures for the boy into those you take for food, those you never touch, and those you only watch and learn from: the wallaby and the fish and the turtle feed the camp, certain birds and the small quiet ones are left alone, and the dingo and the eagle and the python are teachers, hunters to study, never rivals to kill.

Mukulungku dingkarangka minya wubulku buban buban-manin jananka nukal-minyanka, jananka kariku karrbal, jananka nyaji binalman nganga: darrba kuyu ngawuya baja bayan dayal, buyi nyubun-nyubun minya buban dandi baja bawal, murramu yalngkurr bajalji baja milbi-bama, balbi-bama binalka, kariku kunin.


<translate> The bloodwood tree is standing there.


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

Kuyungku kari bajaku baykan, ngayu badu bawanda


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


<translate> They two see the freshwater turtle there.


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


<translate> The old man said a good gathering-place is a gift from the old people, who planted and dropped the seeds here for those not yet born.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: mayi-bubu ngulkurr mukul-bama-mu dajin, jana diburr yinya-ba wandin bama kada-nya-nka kariku.


<translate> The old man made a big warm fire with a dry firestick in the cold, dark early morning.

Mukul-dingkar-angka baya yalbay wumbul bungal jidi marral-bu, ngiki ngungul wunkuwingku.


<glossary> ngujungu ; type=noun ; domain=manner <usage_example> I pretend/play I'm a horse


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


<translate> You two see the dikirr waterlily here.


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

Wulbuman baya karangkal bundan, karrkay nyungu ngundu bundan.


<translate> The woman asked father about meat.


<translate> You see the yawarr palm there.


<translate> Then the lightning came, splitting the dark sky, and the thunder rolled down from the hills like a hundred falling stones.

Yalada balbay kadan, jiri wujurr yika-daman, jabulbina bada dungan manjalmuny yala kulji wubul daranya.


<translate> Don't swim in the river — a crocodile might bite you!

Kari wawubajanga marajika, bilngkumungku yununy baykanyji!


<translate> He saw the fire stick there.


<translate> My foot happened to get burned by the hot coals of the sleeping fire in the night.

Ngayku jina baya wumbul-bu waju-jin, baya wuna-nya wujurr-ba.


<translate> They saw the rope at the camp.


<glossary> duray ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Sea turtles dig holes and cover them again without eggs; they trick people

Ngawiyangka bubu bakal, diburr kariku nandal baja; jana duraymal bamanka


<translate> That little suitcase is small, but it is very heavy to carry all the long way home.

Yinya budmandu buban, yamba kulngkul-baja wundi-nka bayan-ka kalbay-baja.


<translate> You saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo here.


<translate> He saw the murma wasp there.


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


<translate> The person there is experienced.


<translate> The child took the grass from the ground.


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


<translate> If a brown snake bites you on the leg, the old woman said, tie the leg tight above the bite at once and sit very still and do not run.

Kaki jinkalmu yundu jina baykal, mukul-jalbu balkan, jina junkurr kaja baykal-nya wangkar-a nyiku-nyiku, janka bajaku bunda, baluda wanarri.


<translate> Why are the little children crying so loudly down there beside the running water?

Wanyurringku karrkay-karrkay yalbay-bu banbadi-l, bana karangkal?


<translate> Let it be now; do not do what you are about to do, or it will only bring more trouble.

Baluda niji! Kari buban-mani-l, yamba junkurr-baja kada-y.


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


<translate> The storm broke the old tree down in the night.

Jarramalingka juku mukul dakandin kunarangkal.


<translate> The man sees the road there.


<translate> When they brought the dugong back to the beach, the whole camp came down to help pull it from the water.

Jana biwuy wundinya baja jalun ngundu, bayan wubulku bada kadan mara-dajinka, biwuy banamuny kulbanka.


<translate> The hunter whistled softly to his good dog, and it came running quickly back through the long grass.

Balbi-bama kuwimbur yirrkan janka kaya ngulkurr-ka, kaya wanarrin buyun-buyun jikan kalbay-burr.


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


<translate> Grandmother put food in the bag.


<translate> I saw the nakawarra bee here.


<translate> The old woman said the old ones are people with memory and the young are people without it yet, and this is the whole reason the two must stay close, for the young have the strong legs and the sharp eyes the old have lost, and the old have the long memory the young have not yet made, and only together are they a whole and complete people.

Wulbumanangka balkan mukul jana bama milka-ji warru jana bama milka-kari ngadiku, yinya kuku wubulku jambul junkurr janjilka, warru jina junkurr miyil jalngkun mukul bawanmuny, mukul milka kalbay warru kari ngadiku bunganmuny, nyubunji nganga jana bama nyubun wubulku dumban.


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


<translate> Do not chase the frightened bird about, the old woman told the children, let it be and sit quiet, and soon it will settle and come down close.

Buyi yararri baluda kanga, mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay-karrkay-nka balkan, balu bunda, janka bunda, nyiku-nyiku nyulu bunda-baja ngundu kaday.


<translate> They should have turned back when the sky went green in the west, the old man said, but they were close to good hunting and greed made them foolish, and the storm caught them in the open, and two did not come home, and that is why we teach: read the sky before the belly.

Jana nyunbanyaku jiri kuwa jirakal-mandanya, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, yambada jana ngundu minya ngulkurrbu jana ngujanbu binal-kari-manda, jarramali jana bubu yaralba manin, jambul kari dukul kadan, yinyabu ngana milbil: jiri nyaji ngadiku dandu ngadikumuny.


<translate> Do not step on the reef with a bare foot, the old woman warned, lest the black spine of the sea-urchin break off deep in your heel.

Balbal-kari jina dulngku-ka wandi kari, mukul-jalbu balkan, jalan-mu jarran ngumbu yundu jina-ba dumbarri-nyji.


<translate> She went out angry-with and came back quiet — the long walk did its old work.

Nyulu dungan kuli-ji, kadan baja wunbu, jilba kalbaybu murni mukul nyungu murnin.


<translate> The young man came to the road.


<translate> We see the native cat there.


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


<translate> I cook fish; perhaps the child is hungry.


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


<translate> The woman came from the scrub with a stick.


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


<translate> The young man asked mother about water.


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


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

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


<translate> I saw the bajal bower bird there.


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


<translate> You two see the red bream here.


<translate> The freshwater prawn is there.


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


<translate> This young dog is faster than the old one, but the old one is much better at finding the pig.

Nyiku kaya warru jarra-jinbal kaya mukul-ka, yambada mukul jarra-juburr-baja minya milbinka.


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


<translate> The parrots came down to the water in the day to drink, watching the sky for the hawk all the while.

Yinjul bana-nka bada kadan wungar-a, bana nukanka, jiri nyajil kalin-kalin-ka wubulku.


<translate> You two see the ground there.


<translate> The father asked the young hunter: "How did you come back so quickly from the far hills today?"

Nganjan-angka warru balbi-bama babajin: Yundu wanjarr kada-ny-baja buyun-buyun jamba kala-kalbay-muny?


<translate> I hear the whistle sound here.


<translate> The tide went out and we gathered shellfish on the sand.

Jalun dungan, ngana bulkiji bangkan jukara.


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


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


<translate> The child sees the spear-thrower.


<translate> The child left the axe in the bag.


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


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


<translate> Today we move camp — pack everything!


<translate> The woman saw the dog's tail.


<translate> I see the little wallaby here.


<translate> I saw the kungkun snake there.


<translate> When the yam's leaf dies back in the dry season, the women know the yam below is ripe.

Bambayal-mu birra wula-nya dukurr-wungar-a, jalbu binal bambayal bada kulbul.


<translate> The old man taught the boy to walk at night by starlight, keeping the bright star behind his right shoulder, moving from tree-shadow to tree-shadow, freezing when a night-bird called, for the country at night belongs to other travellers and a wise one moves through it like water, seen by no one.

Mukulungku dingkarangka bubanwu milbin wujurr jilbanka dawarbu, dawar milka nyungu jibi yukilba dumbay karrbal, juku-ngamba jukungamba dungal, jajil jujubala wujurrumu kunjanya, bubu wujurrba bama yindu jilba-bamamu, binal nyulu bana yala dungay, bama nyubun kari nyajil.


<translate> The two of them see the frill necked lizard there.


<translate> They saw the woomera butt there.


<translate> The old man said this is the secret the newcomers never learned: that ten weak people who help each other are stronger than one strong person alone, for a load shared is a load halved, and a joy shared is a joy doubled.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: yinya kuku bama yindu-yindu kari binalman: bama wubul junkurr-kari jana mara-daji-way junkurr-baja bama nyubun junkurr ngangamuny, dandi daji-wanmuny buban-manil, wawu-mini daji-wanmuny jambul-manil.


<translate> The little boy hurt his forehead badly when he fell down hard on the sharp grey rock.

Warru buban munju kaka-mani-n, nyulu bada dara-n kulji jinbal-ba junkurr-baja.


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


<translate> You all saw the murraja stonefish there.


<translate> They saw the grey kangaroo on the ground.


<translate> You saw the bujabay tree here.


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


<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> The two men saw each other across the wide river and called out together.

Dingkar jambul nyaji-way wawubaja yalbay-mba, kunja-way.


<translate> You all see the mayfly there.


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

Nyulu karrkay mambarrin schoolbu dunganka


<translate> When will the women come back?


<translate> A warm camp on a cold night is a small thing but a real one, said the old woman, and it holds a family together.

Bayan wumbul kunarangkal kiwaymba yamba buban, yambada yamba yukil, wulbumanangka balkan, jawunkarra nyubun kujil.


<translate> Mum boiled the water for tea.


<translate> I saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo here.


<translate> You two see the high bank there.


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


<translate> The spear lay on the ground.


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

Nyulu ngankuku dungan ngayu letter kariku kunbay-manin


<lexeme> Rattlesnake point - Fritz Creek


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


<translate> The old woman is looking around for yams on the sandy ground.

Mukul-jalbu wukay-mba nubi-nubi-ji bubu jukar-a.


<translate> He sees the jalan sea urchin there.


<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


<glossary> kana ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> we are sitting inside the house


<translate> They saw the dalmbal flathead here.


<translate> The children shared the roasted echidna that night, and even the smallest child got a piece of the good fat.

Karrkay-karrkayangka ngangkin dindan dajiwan yinya kunarangkal, karrkay buban bajaku wandul ngulkurr manin.


<translate> The black scrub goanna is in the scrub.


<translate> The two of them see the king parrot here.


<translate> Mother saw the fish in the water.


<translate> The old man said if you cannot say a hard thing to a person's face, you have no right to say it behind their back, and if you can say it to their face, you usually find you no longer need to say it behind their back, so let the face be the test of every word, and half your cruelty will die unspoken.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki yundu murruji yamba dandi bamamu miyilba balka, yundu kari kuku nyungu dumbay-mba balkanka, kaki yundu miyilba balka, yundu yabarrka nyaji yundu kari wawu nyungu dumbay-mba balkanka, miyil yala kuku wubulku nyaji-manil, nyungu mumbu buban nganga balka-kari wulal.


<translate> He keeps scratching himself all over because of the mosquito bites in the night.

Nyulu yirrba-n-yirrba-ji, kamu-ngka baykan-muny wujurr-ba.


<translate> The two of them see the marsupial native cat there.


<translate> The young man brought meat to his wife's kin, sat outside their camp, and left the meat at the edge without a word, as the custom requires.

Warru minya nyungu biwar-amu mula-mula-nka wundin, bayan-ba bundan, minya bayan-ba bawan kuku-kari, ngali yala.


<glossary> walku ; type=adverb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> I went right past the house


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


<translate> He saw the nyumbil coolibah tree here.


<translate> The old man laughed at the girl.


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


<translate> Granny scraped the ashes aside and dug out the damper.


<translate> The children love their old grandmother, who tells them the best long stories.

Karrkay-karrkay-angka nyungu babi mukul wawu, nyulu kuku ngulkurr kalbay balka-l.


<translate> You saw the marril ti tree here.


<translate> The woman washed her hands in the water before she kneaded the damper.

Jalbu-ngka mara julurrin bana-nga, mayi damba dingka-nyjiku.


<translate> I am trying to see that person, but he is too far away.

Ngayu nyaji-nka yinya bama, kari kalakalbay-bajaku.


<translate> The ground here is soft and sandy, but up on the ridge it is hard and stony.

Bubu yaluy kima jukar-ji, yamba wangkar-a jarra-jarra junkurr kulji-ji.


<translate> The old man said the vine that gives good drinking water in the dry country has saved more lives than any spear, for a certain thick vine cut and held up drips clean cool water enough to keep a person going, and he made every boy learn to tell the water-vine from the many that look like it, for a mistake there in a dry place is a mistake a person makes only once.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kalal bana yukil dayal bubu-kiway nyulu bama wula-manin ngulkurr-baja kalka wubulmuny, kalal junkurr nyubun kakan wangkar karrbanya bana yukil kaka badanya bama nyubun jarrakulbalku, nyulu warru wubulku milbin bana-kalal balkanka kalal wubulmuny nyulu yala nyajilmuny, mumbu yinya bubu-kiwaymba nyulu mumbu bama nyubun bungal nganga.


<translate> We see the hickory tree there.


<translate> They saw the mountain there.


<translate> The old woman said cooking is the everyday magic of changing one thing into another, for the raw becomes the cooked, the hard root becomes the soft meal, the bitter seed becomes the sweet paste, the tough meat becomes the tender feast, and she said a woman who truly understands these changes — what heat and water and time and roasting each do to a food — can feed her family well from plants that would poison or defeat a person who did not know how to change them.

Wulbumanangka balkan waju nyulu wungar nyubun-nyubun yindu-bungal yamba nyubun yindunka, jani-kari jani-mal, bangkan dandi mayi kima-mal, diburr ngambuy jiba-wulay-mal, minya junkurr kima-mal, nyulu balkan jalbu nyulu yindu-manin yinya bajaku binal wanyu wumbul bana wungar dindal nyubun-nyubun mayinka murninmuny nyulu jawun-karra yukil dayal mayi-muny nyulu bama kunil bawal binal-kari yala jana yindu-bungalmuny.


<translate> This is my country, and there beyond the mountain is my mother's people's country.

Yanyu ngayku bubu, yinyay manjal-kudamundu ngayku ngamu-mu bama-mu bubu.


<translate> The water flashed with fish.


<translate> Grandmother sat on the road.


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


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


<translate> They saw the sand whiting here.


<translate> You and I see the scorpion here.


<translate> They see the bamboo spear stick here.


<translate> You and I see the miral water scum there.


<translate> We see the corkwood tree there.


<translate> The stranger came at dusk and was fed before he was questioned, and years later he sent back a net full of gifts — and the old woman only said: we did not feed him for the return, we fed him because the fire was burning.

Ngarrbal kadan miyil-wujurr-wujurrba, mayi-dayan babajil ngadiku, wungar wubulkumuny nyulu yungan baja makarr daji-jirray-ji jakal, wulbuman balkan wunbu: ngana nyulu mayi-dayan kari kadanka bajaku, ngana mayi-dayan baya wajunya.


<translate> We see the spear barb there.


<translate> You and I saw the nakawarra bee there.


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


<translate> They saw the yalnga turtle there.


<translate> The ghost is not coming; it is going.


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


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


<translate> We see the grey March fly here.


<translate> The good water hole is not far; it is just down there below the big flat rock.

Bana janku ngulkurr kari kalbay; nyulu bada-bada yinyay jalngarr yalbay bada-ba.


<translate> The parrots came down to the water in the day to drink, watching the sky for the hawk all the while.

Yinjul bana-nka bada kadan wungar-a, bana nukanka, jiri nyajil kalin-kalin-ka wubulku.


<translate> We saw the kubu-kubu tadpole here.


<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.


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


<translate> They ate food and then slept.


<translate> You see the fresh water snake here.


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


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


<translate> The two of them saw the dijarr freshwater perch there.


<translate> I see the tree kangaroo there.


<translate> I left the paperbark in the shade.


<translate> The children learned that the family is not a thing you are given once and have forever, but a fire you must tend every day, that dies the moment everyone assumes someone else is feeding it.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman jawun-karra kari yamba yundu nyubun dajinmuny yabarrka karrbal, yambada baya yundu wungar wubulku nyaji, nyulu wula bama wubulku milka bama yindu nyulu nukamanilnya.


<translate> They dug the ground oven open again, and a good smell came.

Jana kurrma bakan baja, nganja ngulkurr kadan.


<translate> The black crow is standing at camp.


<translate> Grandmother saw the candlenut tree in the scrub.


<translate> All afternoon the air grew heavy and still, and the old man watched the black clouds pile up over the western hills.

Yilay-yilay wubulku muyar dandimanda janay, mukulungku dingkarangka ngurrban wujurr nyajin wangkar manjalba kuwanga.


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


<translate> Everywhere the child looked, someone was working — that is how a camp teaches without one lesson.

Yiringkurr karrkay nyajin, bama murnin: yalabu bayanbu milbil kuku-kari.


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


<translate> The little swallows built their small homes of mud below the rock ledge and came back to them every wet season.

Mabal buban bayan buban bungan kambal-kambal-bu kulji bada-bada, yinya-nga baja kadan bana-wungar wubulku.


<translate> You all see the kangaroo rat here.


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


<translate> Two birds sat in the tree, watching the camp.

Buyi jambul bundandan jukungu, bayan nyajilnyajinya.


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


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


<translate> You two see the deep water there.


<translate> You see the freshwater crocodile here.


<translate> Come inside — the storm is close!


<translate> That dog is fast, but the wild one from the ranges is faster still, and no man in the camp can catch it at all.

Yinya kaya bila, yamba kaya kuli-baka jamba-muny bila bajaku, dingkar nyubun bayan-ba kari mani-l bajaku.


<translate> The women pounded the nuts and cooked the food in the hot ashes.

Jalbu-jalbu-ngka darka nyurrban, mayi nulu wumbul-ba wajun.


<translate> Come water-with tomorrow; the walk is long and the shade is small.

Kaday bana-ji wunkuny, jilba kalbay, wabarr buban.


<translate> We see the spoon bill bird here.


<translate> Grandmother saw the axe outside.


<translate> The children laughed at the dog.


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


<translate> Did your father come back from the hunt? Yes, he and my elder brother brought two wallabies, and my mother is cooking them.

Nyungu nganjan balbi-muny kada baja? Yuwu, nyulu yaba-ji kadar jambul wundin, ngayku ngamu yinya wajul.


<translate> The woman watched the baby eating food.

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


<translate> The girls found honey near the big rock.

Maral-maralangka wunba nyajin kuljinga ngundu.


<translate> The salt-water crocodiles lay very still on the muddy bank, watching the fish in the river.

Bilngkumu-bilngkumu daburri jalkar-a janka wunay, kuyu wawubaja-nga nyaji-l.


<translate> The axe is on the open ground.


<translate> The old people sang, talked, and then rested.

Mukul-bama wulngku badin, kuku balkan, wunanan-da.


<translate> We all, not you, see the black-tip shark here.


<translate> The children are at the spring.


<translate> The scorpion hides under the flat rock and stings hard with its long curved tail.

Biringal kulji jirakal bada-ba ngaki-ji, nyulu junkurr-bu bayka-l.


<translate> A pair of women came to camp.


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


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

Ngayu yinya ngura-nyajin jalbu kambiji jirakalji


<translate> The old woman said the frogs are the true voice of the water: when they call loud from the swamp the wet is here and the country is full, when they go silent and bury themselves the dry is coming and you must husband the waterholes, and when they call from a dry gully at night there is hidden water there that will save you, so learn the frog and you will never die of thirst.

Wulbumanangka balkan diburr-kaya bana kuku ngadiku: jana balkan junkurr bubu-yaralmuny bana-wungar yinya bubu buwan, jana dandi-manda yinil-ji bana-kiway kadanya yundu bana-janga karrbal, jana balkan bubu-jandu kiway-kiway wujurr bana buyan yinya ngundu nyulu yundu wula-manilmu, diburr-kaya binalma yundu kariku wula bana-dakwuybu.


<translate> You two see the kangaroo rat here.


<translate> You all see the milbarkal tree here.


<translate> I saw the crocodile in the river.


<translate> That long wild yam is there.


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


<translate> You all see the windbreak there.


<translate> You and I saw the yawa possum there.


<translate> He saw the jinkalmu snake there.


<translate> Father washed mother's upper leg.


<translate> What are you all afraid of in the night? We are afraid of the spirit that walks by the water; it calls with a man's voice, but no man is there.

Wanyurringku yurra wujurr-ba kuli-mal? Ngana birru-nka kuli-mal, nyulu bana ngundu jilbay; nyulu dingkar-mu kuku-bu yirrkay, yambada dingkar nyubun kari yinyabu.


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


<translate> The bloodwood's red sap is a remedy for a sore, the old woman said.

Babajaka-mu ngala-ngala kalbal baji-ka, wulbumanangka balkan.


<translate> Going down, she came to the river.


<translate> A ring near the moon means rain is coming, he said, and the people would look for it and mend their shelters.

Kija ngundu yala nyajinya, kaba kadanya, nyulu balkan, bama nyajin, wurun ngulkurr-bungan.


<translate> The wives said to the men: go now and get us some good fish from the deep river.

Manyarr-karra-ngka dingkar balkan, 'Dunga-y niji kuyu ngulkurr mani ngana-nka wawubaja dajali-muny.'


<translate> Grandfather saw the wallaby.


<translate> Father sees the wild plum there.


<translate> They see the marril ti tree here.


<translate> Don't play with the sharp spear near the children, lest you hurt someone.

Kari kalka jalngkun-ji karrba karrkay karangkal, bama buyun-dama-nyji.


<glossary> baja ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> I don't know what to tell


<translate> The tall blue mountain stands far away to the north, above the winding river.

Manjal kalbay jarra-jarra kungkarr-a janay, wawubaja wangkar-a kala-kalbay.


<translate> The sun crosses toward kuwa every evening — even the sky has a favourite road home.

Wungar dungay kuwaku wujurr nyubun-nyubunba: jiribu baja baral bayanka nyungu-nyungu karrbal.


<translate> The children asked the old woman why the crow is black, and she told an old story of a fire long ago.

Karrkayangka wulbuman nganan wanyurringku waja ngumbu, nyulu balkan kuku-ngadiku baya ngadiku-muny.


<translate> We are what we witnessed, half of what we were told, and a little of what we hope — speak carefully, you are building people.

Ngana yinya wanyu ngana nyajin, daji wanyu ngananka milbinmuny, buban wanyu ngana wawu-manil: balka miyil-ji, yundu bama bungal.


<translate> They saw the mingur tree there.


<translate> We see the milbarkal tree here.


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

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


<translate> The possum, the bandicoot, and the kangaroo rat all feed in the dark and lie hidden in the day.

Yawa kulngu jayju wubul nukal wujurr-ba, janka wunay wungar-a.


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


<translate> You two see the scorpion here.


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


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


<translate> You all see the king parrot here.


<translate> The shark and the stingray divided the reef in the old story: the flat one took the sand, the other took the deep, and the fish agreed to fear them both — some treaties are older than people.

Yaburr yawu jalun-bubu wambajin kuku-jangkar mukulba: dubar-jibu jukar manin, yinya yindubu dukurr manin, kuyubu yinil dayan jambulka: kuku-dandi nyubun-nyubun mukul-baja bamamuny.


<translate> That karraway snail is there.


<translate> They left a small opening on the side away from the wind, so the smoke could go out but the rain could not come in.

Jana muyar kudamundu buban bawan, kubu badil, yambada kaba kari walanyji.


<translate> The light-coloured hair is here.


<translate> The child saw the snake being killed.

Karrkay-angka nyajin, jarba kuni-ji-nya.


<translate> We saw the murrabal barramundi here.


<translate> They see the dakaldakal trochus shell here.


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


<translate> The black cockatoos screamed in the tall trees, and the old people knew the storm was coming near.

Kadanji juku kalbaymba yirrkan, mukul-mukul binalman jarramali ngundu kada-nya.


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


<translate> You all see the waterfall there.


<translate> The boy learned to make cord the whole rainy afternoon: he stripped the long fibres from the inner bark, chewed the ends soft, split them into even threads, rolled two threads together against his thigh into a tight cord, joined new fibre in as each length ran out, wound the finished cord into a ball, and then proudly showed the old man three whole arm-lengths of good strong string.

Buban karra bunganka binalman bana wungar dukurr-bu: nyulu karra kalbay kambi-dukurrmuny bakan, dumbay jinbal nunkan, kakan karra nyubun-nyubun yala, karra jambul nyungu jadinga murni-manin junkurr-bu, karra jirakal karra nyubun dumbay dunganya, karra dumban buban-bunga murnin, yalada wawu-minibu mukul milbin mara-jina kulur karra junkurr yukil.


<translate> That road there is not crooked.


<translate> The child ate food first and then drank water.

Karrkay mayi-ngarr nukan, bana nukan-da.


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


<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> Strength lives in the arm but it rises in the work, the old man taught the boys as they cut wood for the fire: no arm grows strong lying down for days, the axe teaches the shoulder, the big log teaches the back, the mountain teaches the legs, so do not ask for a body with strength, ask for work with strength, and the body will follow.

Junkurr wunay wakuymba yambada nyulu wandil murninga, mukulungku dingkarangka buban-buban milbin, jana juku bayaka yakanya: wakuy kariku junkurr-mal wunanya wungar wubulku, warrbibu milbil binda, juku yalbaynja milbil muku, manjaldu milbil jandal, yalada kari babaji bangkarr junkurr-jirrka, babaji murni junkurr-jirrka, bangkarr nyulu wukurril.


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


<translate> The children learned to read the flight of the bees to find the honey, watching which way they flew heavy and slow toward their home at the end of the day.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman dabumu yala nyajinka wunba nyajinka, jana nyajin dabu wanjaka jalaman dandi buban-buban nyungu bayanka yilay-yilay.


<translate> The snake shed its skin on the warm rock and left it lying there in the sun.

Jarba nyungu munyun bawal kulji wumbul-a, yinya-nga wunay wungar-a.


<translate> The children asked the old woman why the crow is black, and she told an old story of a fire long ago.


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


<glossary> jamba ; type=noun ; domain=land-geography <usage_example> We went along the hillsides


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

Dingkar-angka wangal balji-nga yijarrin.


<translate> That night the old man looked at the stars over the hills and said: this is our country, and it knows us.

Yinya kunarangkal mukulungku dingkarangka dawar nyajin manjalba, balkan: yanyu nganamu bubu, bubu ngananka binal.


<translate> You all saw the yalnga turtle there.


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


<translate> The mother-in-law sent food across to her daughter's husband only through the little children, the old man said, for the two of them could never speak a word to each other.

Biwul-angka mayi nyungu jalbu-kangkal-mu dunyu-nka karrkay-karrkay-bu nyubun yunga, mukul-dingkar balkan, jambulu kari nyubun-bu balka.


<translate> In the dry time the women gathered grass seeds in the open country and carried them home in big dilly bags.

Marralba jalbu-jalbungku jumul-jumul bangkan ngunnganga, balji yalbaymba wundin bayanba.


<translate> You all see the tree kangaroo there.


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

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


<translate> The man saw seeds in the bag.


<translate> All the feelings are old, the old woman closed the night: nobody angers a new anger or grieves a new grief — you walk on made roads, and others have walked them home again.

Wawu-yamba wubulku mukul, wulbumanangka wujurr kunbay-manin: bama nyubunbu kariku kuli jirakal kulil, kariku wawu-mumbu jirakal manil: yundu jilbal baral bunganmunyba, bama yindubu jana jilban bayanka baja.


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


<glossary> buban ; type=noun ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I have only a little bit of money


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


<translate> Turn the meat over — it's burning!


<translate> They saw the yirku-yirku frog there.


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

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


<translate> The old woman said the tree-line where the rainforest meets the open woodland is the richest hunting and gathering ground of all, for it holds the plants and animals of both worlds at once, the deep-scrub foods and the open-country foods, the shade-lovers and the sun-lovers, so the old camps clustered along this tree-line, and a person who learns to read the edge learns the whole country twice over.

Wulbumanangka balkan juku-muru wanja majaji ngalkal-bubu nyaji-way nyulu balbil bangkal-bubu yukil bajaku wubulmuny, nyulu mayi minya bubu jambulmuny nyubunku karrbal, majaji-dukurr mayi bubu-yaral mayi baja, wabarr-wawu-bama jiri-wawu-bama baja, bayan mukul juku-muru yinya-mundu bangkan, bama nyulu muru ngaranka nyulu bubu wubulku binalman jambulku.


<translate> On the island they found fresh turtle tracks in the sand.

Burrira jana ngawiyamu jina jirakal nyajin jukara.


<translate> The dog slept by the fire all night. At dawn it followed grandad to the river.

Kaya bayanga warngku wunan. Muduwajuny kamimu jina wukurrin wawubajanga.


<translate> You and I saw the jiljay grub there.


<translate> Climbing up the tall tree after honey, the young man slipped and fell to the ground.

Warru juku kalbay-ngu daka-l-daka-nya wunba-ka, bubu-ngu daran.


<translate> At whose place does the child sleep tonight? The child sleeps at its mother's; but when the mother goes hunting, the child stays with its grandmother.

Wanyanda karrkay nyiku wujurr wunay? Karrkay nyungu ngamu-nda wunay; yambada ngamu balbi-nga dungay, karrkay nyungu babi-ji wunay.


<translate> You and I will go together, but they two will stay behind.

Ngaliny muru dunga-y, yambada bula kudamundu bundal.


<translate> Father put the shield on the ground.

Nganjan-angka kunjuri bubu-ngu yijarrin.


<translate> He is running away from here toward the deep water.


<translate> The men built a shelter before the rain came.

Dingkar-dingkarangka bayan balkan, kaba kadanyjiku.


<translate> We see the wangay vine there.


<translate> We sat outside and looked at the stars.


<translate> I saw him yesterday — he was very sick.

Ngayu nyunguny nyajin yilayku, nyulu bambay bajaku.


<glossary> manubu-wundil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> The boss deceived him


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

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


<translate> That black tip shark is there.


<translate> The children did not fully understand, but they remembered her words, and years later when they were grown they understood them well.

Karrkay-karrkay kari yukil binalman, yambada jana nyungu kuku binalku, wungar wubul kudamundu jana kambamanda binalman ngulkurr.


<translate> The men followed the wallaby tracks all morning. They found it near the swamp. Uncle speared it.

Dingkar-dingkarangka kadaramu jina wukurrin. Jana nyajin walngkanga ngundu. Kalngangka damanda.


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


<translate> You saw the kawarr bloodwood tree here.


<translate> Never mind, we will stay at the camp; perhaps rain is coming.

Wumba, ngana bayan-ba bundanday, nguba kaba kaday.


<translate> He sees the king parrot there.


<translate> You saw the jadi goanna there.


<translate> Remember to watch the water all the time while you glean on the reef, the old man warned the children, or the fast tide will catch you far out.

Binalku bana nyaji-nyaji-nka dulngku-ka bangka-nya, mukul-dingkarangka karrkay-karrkay-nka balkan, yira bila yundu kala-kalbay-ka mani-nyji.


<translate> Two grubs from the antbed catch one big fish — the little jiljay is stronger than its weight.

Jiljay jambulbu kuyu yalbay nyubun manil: jiljay buban nyulu junkurr-baja dandimuny nyungumuny.


<translate> You two saw the shield there.


<translate> When the pigeons come down in a great flock to the fruiting tree they are easy hunting, and the old man taught the boys to wait in cover and take only what the camp would eat that day, never firing into the whole flock in greed, for a flock hunted too hard learns to go elsewhere and never comes back to that country again.

Bakamu jana kadan bunda kanbal-yalbay juku mayi-mabi-mundu jana balbil yukil, mukulungku dingkarangka warru-warru milbin karra janka-mandanka mani nganga bayan nukalmuny yinya wungar, kariku janga wubulku ngujanbu, kanbal dandibu balbin nyulu binalman bubu yindu-mundu dungay kariku nyunban bubu ngundumuny baja.


<translate> You saw the kalkarrumbarr lizard there.


<translate> Are you all coming to the meeting, or just you two?

Yurra wubulku kaday kuku-yalbayka, yambada yubal nganga?


<glossary> narmba ; type=adjective ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> All the people came


<glossary> walngkal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> The log is floating on the water


<translate> You see the spear point there.


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


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


<translate> They saw the kalbariji tree there.


<translate> Watch the western sky always in the hot season, the old man warned, lest the great thunderstorm catch you far out on the open plain.

Jiri kaba-wungar-a nyaji-nyaji wungar-iji-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, jarramali yalbay yundu bubu ngalkal-ba marri-ba mani-nyji.


<translate> The old man said a person can help another change but can never do the changing for them, for a teacher can show the path a thousand times but the walking must be the student's own, a healer can set the bone but the flesh must knit itself, an elder can give the counsel but the choosing must be the young person's, so that the deepest law of change is that it comes always from within the thing that changes, and can be helped, fed, guided from outside, but never simply installed.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bama-ngka bama yindu mara-dajil yindu-manya yambada kariku nganga yindu-bungal jananka, milbil-bama nyulu jina milbil wubul yambada jilbal nyulu warru nyungu-nyungu, yukil-bungal-bama nyulu bajibay kajal yambada bangkarr nyulu-nyulu nandaji, mukul nyulu kuku-milbil dayal yambada kuku-manin nyulu warru nyungu, yindu dukurr bajaku wubulmuny nyulu wungar wubulku kadan dukurr yamba nyulu yindu-manmuny, mara-dajil dayal murnil ngalkalmuny yambada kariku nganga dukurrba bungal.


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


<translate> The eagle builds its big home high in a dead tree and comes back to the same place every year.

Wandi bayan yalbay bungan juku-wulan jarra-jarra, yinya bubu-ngu baja kadan wungar-kadal wubulku.


<translate> We brought fish from the sea.


<translate> Who ate all the ripe figs that were sitting right here, the old woman asked the children sharply, but not one of them answered her.

Wanya-ngka junda kulbul yaluy-mba wubulku nukan? mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay-karrkay nyajin kuli-bu, yamba nyubun-bu kari balka.


<translate> You and I see the seashore here.


<translate> The moon grows big, then small, then big once more — that is how the old people reckon the passing months.

Kija yalbay-ma-l, buban-ma-l, yalbay-ma-l-baja — yala mukul-bama-ngka kija-kija nyaji-l.


<translate> Grandmother made a bag from loya cane.


<translate> He sees the jalnji tree there.


<translate> The man put bark on the ground.


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


<translate> You and I saw the murrabal barramundi there.


<translate> The narrow track winds down through the scrub to the sandy crossing on the creek.

Jina buban madja-burr bada dungan, jukar wawubaja-nga.


<translate> The old man said the forest after rain is a different country, when the mushrooms push up overnight, the dry seeds sprout, the whole scrub breathes out a green wet smell, and food appears that was not there the day before, so the old people knew to walk the country hard in the days just after the first big rains, when it gave with both hands.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan majaji bana ngadiku bubu yindu, mayi jirakal wangkar wandin wujurr nyubunba, diburr kiway-kiway jurrbu-manda, majaji wubulku nganja jirakal duna ngaran, mayi wandin nyulu kariku ngunduka wungar ngadikungu, bama mukul binal bubu junkurr jilbanka wungar bada bana yalbay jirakalmuny ngadiku, nyulu dayanya mara jambulbu.


<translate> How did the old people ever find their way across the whole wide country with no path at all to follow, the boy asked the grandfather.

Wanjarr bama mukul jina bubu narmba-burr manin jina-kari bajaku? karrkay-angka kami nyajin, bubu marri yalbay-mba.


<translate> You two see the whip snake here.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the ngurran rope here.


<glossary> jarrngkurr ; type=noun ; domain=weapon <usage_example> He hit the man with his weapon


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


<translate> The pheasant coucal calls its low double note in the afternoon before rain, and the old ones say when you hear it start up out of season you should look to your shelter, for it has never yet been wrong about the coming water, and the little birds go quiet and fly low just before the first heavy drops fall.

Bulbul balkan nyungu kuku bada jambul kunarangkal bana-wungar ngadiku, mukul jana balkan yundu ngaranya nyulu wandin wungar-karinga yundu bayan-wawun nyajinka, nyulu kariku ngadiku kanban bana kadalmu, buyi buban dandi-manda bada marra-warrin bana yalbay jirakal badanya ngadiku.


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

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


<translate> The scrub hen scratches up a great mound of leaves and earth, the old man said, and lays her young deep inside where the rotting leaves keep them warm.

Jarruka birra bubu-jirr yalbay bubu-mabi baka, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyungu karrkay julbi dajali-ba wandi, birra kabu wumbul karrba.


<translate> I saw the karrandal tree there.


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


<translate> The fire got small in the night — light it again!


<translate> They saw the buyukal tree there.


<translate> Why did all the frogs suddenly fall completely silent in the middle of the night, the child asked, and the old woman answered him only: a snake.

Wanyurrimun yirku-yirku wubulku nyubun-bu yirrka kunbayn wujurr jarra-ka? karrkay nyajin, mukul-jalbu-ngku nyubun balkan: jarba.


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

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


<translate> The child went with a friend.


<translate> Who is that man standing by the fire? He is a stranger from the north. Do you know him? No, I do not know him; ask the old man, he knows everyone.

Wanya yinya dingkar baya ngundu janay? Nyulu bama yindu kuwa-muny. Yundu nyunguny binal? Kari, ngayu nyunguny kari binal; mukul-dingkar babaji, nyulu bama wubul binal.


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


<translate> The dog ran from here to there and back again, following the scent.

Kaya warri yaluy-muny yinyay, baja kadan, jina wukurril.


<translate> Follow the river up to the mountain.


<translate> The old woman said the trees remember the fire, for a country burned well in the cool season grows back green and open and full of new food, but a country left unburnt too long grows a deadly fuel-load and burns at last in a killing fire that destroys even the great old trees, so the old people burned the country in careful patches, reading each tree and each grass to know its season.

Wulbumanangka balkan juku baya karrbal, bubu wajun yukil kiway-kiway wungara jirakal-manda janga jarral mayi jirakal-mabi, yambada bubu waju-kari kalbay bajaku nyulu baya-mayi wula-mabi jarral wajun bada bajaku baya-kunil juku yalbay mukul baja kunilmuny, bama mukul bubu wajun buban-buban karra, juku nyubun jikan nyubun ngaran nyungu wungar binalka.


<translate> He sees the king parrot there.


<translate> Grandfather cooked fish at camp.


<translate> You all see the small sticks there.


<translate> By midday the sun was warm again and the children ran out to play in the fresh clean country.

Wungar wangkar wumbul baja, karrkay-karrkay warrin ngalkalba, kinkan bubungu jirakalba.


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

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


<translate> We see the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> The stones are not close together.


<translate> They saw the fish net on the ground.


<translate> That stockwhip bird is there.


<translate> The two sisters, who are always together, went to the creek to bathe.

Jalbu-bulal, muru-baja, wawubaja-ka dungan, julurri-ji-nka.


<translate> They saw the bajal bower bird here.


<translate> A man with no words and no truth is a man that the people will not follow or listen to.

Dingkar kuku-kari, manubaja-kari, yinya dingkar bama kari wukurri, kari nyaji-l.


<translate> We two, not you, see the nyamun natural debris here.


<translate> The old woman said a full belly and an empty belly teach opposite lessons: the person with a full belly forgets easily and grows careless, while the person with an empty belly remembers every kindness and wastes nothing, so a wise people makes sure the young know real hunger once, but makes just as sure that no elder ever goes to sleep belly-empty.

Wulbumanangka balkan jiba yajin-ji jiba yajin-kari yindu-yindu milbil: bama jiba yajin-ji nganga milka-wulal binal-kari-manda, yambada bama jiba yajin-kari karrbal wawu-jirray wubulku kari yamba kudamundu, bama binal karrkay dakwuy ngadiku binalman nyubun, yambada nganga mukul nyubun kariku jiba yajin-kari wunay.


<translate> The old woman said the deepest teaching of the change-words is that almost nothing in the world is truly fixed, that the hard becomes soft and the soft hard, the wet dry and the dry wet, the young old and, through the children, the old young again, so that a person who grasps this stops fighting to freeze things as they are and learns instead the far harder and wiser art of guiding change well, since change will come whether guided or not.

Wulbumanangka balkan kuku yindu-mabimuny milbil dukurr bajaku nyulu yamba wubulku bubungu nyulu kari bajaku yindu-kari, dandi kima-mal kima dandi-mal, ngawa kaka-mal kaka ngawa-mal, warru mukul-mal karrkay-muny baja, mukul warru-mal baja, bama nyulu yinya manin nyulu bawal warribu yamba yindu-kari-bungalka yala jana janan nyulu binalman yindu dandi bajaku binal-baja janka yindu-mal yukil murninka, yindu-mal kadan wukurril-ji wukurril-kari baja.


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


<translate> You and I saw the scorpion here.


<translate> I saw the yuray snake there.


<translate> They chopped and split all morning, and the sound of the axes carried far across the water.

Jana nyandan yika-daman wunkuwingku wubulku, waymbilmu kuku kalakalbay dungan bananga.


<translate> They saw the waterfall here.


<translate> We see the tree kangaroo there.


<translate> A child who talks too much and never listens learns very little, the old man said.

Karrkay kuku-baka nyulu kari milka-jana-y, nyulu buban binalman, mukul-dingkar-angka balkan.


<translate> I went for a long walk in the morning while he stayed back at home in the camp.

Ngayu wunkuwingku jilba-dungan, nyulu bayan-ba bundandan.


<translate> What are those women gathering down on the reef when the tide goes right out?

Wanyu yinya jalbu-ngka dulngku-ngu bangka-l, bana bada dunga-nya?


<translate> They see the spear barb here.


<translate> The fresh water lily is here.


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


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


<translate> I saw the jadi goanna there.


<glossary> balu ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I almost hit the chicken


<translate> If you find honey in a tree, the old woman told the girl, then take only some and leave the rest, so there is more another time.

Kaki yundu wunba jukungu nyajil, wulbumanangka maralka balkan, yundu buban mani, kanbal bawa, wunba baja janay yindu wungara.


<translate> Don't tease the jealous one; that fire eats teasing like dry grass.

Kari yajarr-bunga bama ngujan-ji: bayabu yinyabu yajarr nukal yala jikan marral.


<translate> Two eagles fought high up in the sky over the dead kangaroo on the stony ridge.

Wandi jambul wangkar-a kuni-wa-l, mayarriji wula-nya kulji-ba.


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


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


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


<translate> You see the kurrun tree there.


<translate> You two saw the julaji freshwater catfish here.


<translate> I see the wooden sword there.


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

Nyulu karrkay mambarrin schoolbu dunganka


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


<translate> They saw the yuray snake here.


<translate> They saw the freshwater crocodile there.


<translate> The old woman said a name with a story behind it and a name without one are not the same at all: a person's name should carry the country, the ancestors, and the event it came from, so that to say the name is to call up all of that, and a child given a name empty of story is given only a sound, not a place in the long line of the people.

Wulbumanangka balkan kuku jangkar-ji kuku jangkar-kari nyubun kari yala: bama nyungu kuku karrbanka bubu, ngadiku-bama, yamba nyulu kadanmuny baja, yundu kuku balkanya yundu yamba wubulku kunjal, karrkay nyulu kuku jangkar-kari dayan nyulu kuku nganga dayan, kari bubu bama jina kalbay-mba.


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


<translate> The ground oven was still hot in the ground.


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


<translate> The large round oyster is there.


<translate> The charcoal lay in the bag.


<translate> I see the marril ti tree here.


<translate> They heard the chewing sound here.


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

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


<translate> He saw the jalbil lizard there.


<translate> You all saw the ngumbul snake there.


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


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


<translate> The men made strong rope from the inner bark of the tree and twisted it tight with their hands.

Dingkar-angka karra junkurr bungal dakil dukurr-muny, mara-bu junkurr murnin.


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


<translate> The child climbed on the tree.


<translate> You two saw the jangkan swift here.


<translate> Wait for us two! Our legs are short but our reasons are long.

Janay ngalinka! Jandal ngalimuny buban yambada wawu ngalimuny kalbay.


<translate> The two of them see the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree here.


<translate> The old woman's story was very long and very good, and the children listened all night through.

Mukul-jalbu-mu kuku kalbay-baja-ku ngulkurr-baja-ku, karrkay-karrkay-angka wujurr wubulku milka-janan.


<translate> When the old man could no longer walk the long journeys, the young ones would carry him the last part on a litter of poles and bark, and he did not feel shame in it, for he had carried others in his own strong years, and he said the litter carries everyone in the end.

Mukulungku dingkarangka nyiku murruji jilbal kalbay, warru jana nyulu dumbay jarrakulban juku baja wawun-ji, nyulu kari milka-murruji-manda yinyanga, nyulu bama yindu jarrakulban nyungu wungar junkurrbu, nyulu balkan: juku-jarrakay bama wubulku jarrakulbal dumbay-mba.


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


<translate> A thunderstorm came from the mountain.


<translate> The little dog stole the meat!


<translate> We brought meat from the house.


<translate> Grind the hard root on the stone with water, the old woman said, and wash it well, for it is bitter and will make you sick uncooked.

Ngara junkurr kulji-ba murni bana-jirr, mukul-jalbu balkan, janji ngulkurr, nyulu ngunyjanji bama bambay-ma-nyji nuka-nya kari-ku.


<translate> You two see the kangaroo rat there.


<translate> The child saw the saltwater crocodile.


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


<glossary> karangal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> That man sneaked around to see if there was any meat


<translate> They two saw the freshwater turtle there.


<translate> You and I see the possum there.


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


<translate> The bright sun rose slowly over the hills, and the day soon became hot and dry.

Wungar balbal daka buban-buban jamba-muny, wungar niji wumbul-ma-n marral.


<translate> The snake lay on the ground.


<translate> The man tied the spear with rope.

Dingkar-angka kalka karra-bu kuna-bungan.


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


<translate> The young man paints himself with white clay for the big corroboree tonight.

Warru kambar-bu julngka-ji warrma yalbay-ka wujurr-ba niji.


<translate> He was so angry in his head that his face went dark and his hands were shaking badly.

Nyulu dukul-wuri baja, nyungu walu ngungul-ma-n, nyungu mara yararri-yararri buyun.


<translate> Break off the bamboo and bring it!


<translate> Auntie showed the girls how to strip the bark, soak it in water, and tie it into a strong little water carrier.

Bimayngka maral-maral milbin: dubal yurril, bananga yijarril, buyku kajal banaka junkurrji.


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


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


<translate> Grandmother sent a message with mother.


<translate> I see the kalkuri tree here.


<translate> I saw two trees, one growing by the roadside and the other down on the sandy beach.

Ngayu juku jambul nyajin, nyubun jina karangkal nyubun jukar bada janay.


<translate> They see the archerfish here.


<translate> The young men built a big smoke-fire on the sea-point at dusk, sent up two tall columns as the danger signal, watched the far camp answer with one column of their own, packed their weapons, ran through the night along the ridge, reached the neighbour camp by dawn, and then stood the watch together until the trouble passed.

Warru-warru kubu-baya yalbay jalun-ngandal-ba bungan kunarangkal, kubu jambul kalbay wangkar yunga dukul-kuku yala, bayan kala-kalbay nyubun kubu nyungubu janjilnya nyajin, nyungu kalka buwan, wujurr baralba warrin, bayan ngundu muduwajungu kadan, yalada nyubun-nyubunji janji dukul-yamba dunganyjiku.


<translate> The old people tell the dreamtime story about the mountain and the river.

Kamba-kambangka ngujakura balkal manjalka wawubajaka.


<translate> They saw the running water here.


<translate> The burnt patch of grass is there.


<glossary> jilba ; type=noun ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> The child can walk now


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


<translate> The dog licked the boy's face.


<translate> The woman watched the dog looking back.

Jalbu-ngku kaya nyaji-l-nyaji-n, kurrka-nyaji-ji-nya.


<translate> Never leave the fire burning when you go off to hunt in the far scrub!

Kari bawa baya balbal-nya, yundu balbi-ka madja kalbay-ka dunga-nya!


<translate> She carried two dilly bags full of ripe fruit and one big bag full of small silver fish.

Nyulu ngunyin jambul mayi kulbul-jirr wundin, ngunyin nyubun yalbay kuyu buban-jirr baja.


<translate> The boy tried to spear the fast fish in the clear pool, the old man said, but he threw too soon and the fish darted away under the rock.

Karrkay babal kuyu bila dama-nka bana balbal-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba nyulu nyiku-nyiku-bu dama, kuyu wanarri kulji bada-ba.


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


<translate> The mother's brother is there.


<translate> The sea snake is very dangerous; the old people never touch it in the water.

Yuray bambay-baja; mukul-bama kariku nyunguny karrba bana-nga.


<translate> The young man saw fog at camp.


<glossary> minji ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> They went real fast, the boat made a big splash (bow wave) (as it goes along fast)

Jana jinbalku dungan, buwunda bana minji-kangan


<translate> Mother sees the grass tree there.


<translate> If we stay at the camp, we close the house.

Kaki ngana bayan-ba bundanday, ngana bayan nandal.


<translate> I saw the karrmbil parakeet there.


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

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


<translate> The man heard the wind there.


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

Kuyungku kari bajaku baykan, ngayu badu bawanda


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


<translate> The old woman scraped the scales off the fish before she cooked it.

Wulbumangka kuyu jindi manin, waju-nyji.


<translate> The spirit of the dead man frightened the young hunter in the dark scrub late at night.

Dubu-ngku dingkar wula-nya-mu warru balbi-bama yararri-mani-n madja ngungul-ba wujurr-ba.


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


<translate> We saw the dawa-dawa magpie here.


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


<translate> We see the young cassowary here.


<translate> The hunter did not spear the wallaby, for it was too far away across the wide, open plain.

Balbi-bama-ngka kadar kari daman, nyulu kala-kalbay bajaku bubu ngalkal-burr.


<translate> What do we say first when we come to another people's country? — We stand at the edge, we call out, and we stand to hear their word.

Wanyu ngana balkal ngadiku-ngurr kaki ngana kaday bubuku bama yindumuny? Ngana janay ngundu, yirrkay, ngana janay kuku janamuny milka-jananka.


<translate> The young cassowary follows along behind its mother on the narrow rainforest track.

Kurranji buban ngamu-mu kudamundu dunga-y, madja jina buban-ba.


<translate> You saw the kalburiji bee here.


<translate> The two of them saw the smouldering log here.


<translate> The two of them saw the wurrbu hornet here.


<translate> We saw the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> The old woman looked at the boy and said: he looks just like a young pig, all round belly and quick little eyes.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay nyajin, balkan: nyulu yala walu-walu yala bikibiki buban, jibar murru-murru, miyil buban bila.


<translate> The dingo and the camp dog are cousins who chose different fires.

Murramu kaya-bayan jawun jambul: jana baya yindu-yindu manin.


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


<translate> You see the ngajay small crayfish there.


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


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


<translate> You and I saw the jungka wild cherry tree here.


<translate> Hold the digging-stick tight when you reach into the mud, the old woman warned, lest the big mudcrab grab your hand and cut it.

Juku junkurr karrba kambal-kambal-ba daka-nya, mukul-jalbu balkan, kiju yalbay yundu mara mani bayka-nyji.


<translate> That wurmbariji scrub tree is there.


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


<translate> The dog saw the possum and chased it.


<translate> You and I saw the ngarkay waterhen here.


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

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


<translate> The little child cried for its mother all through the long night, the old woman said, and would not be quieted by anyone else at all.

Karrkay buban ngamu-nka badi wujurr narmba, mukul-jalbu balkan, yindu-yindu-ngku kari nyunguny janka-bungal.


<translate> The young man asked his grandfather: "Why does the grey kangaroo stand like the boss of the wide plain?"

Warru-ngku nyungu kami babajin: Wanyurringku julmbanu janay yala maja bubu-ku, bubu kalbay-mu?


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


<translate> The Moreton Bay fig tree is dry.


<translate> Have the men come back yet from the far reef, the old woman asked the children, for the strong tide is already beginning to turn now.

Dingkar-dingkar dulngku kala-kalbay-muny bada-baja kada-n niji? mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay-karrkay nyajin, yira junkurr niji nyunba yudal-nya.


<translate> In the morning the men went up the rocky hill to hunt goanna among the warm stones.

Wunkuwingku dingkar-dingkar wangkar dungan manjalba, jadika nyajil-nyajin kulji wumbulba.


<translate> They see the archerfish here.


<translate> Father took water to the road.


<translate> The woman went to the scrub to get food.


<translate> We should go back to the camp now, before the big rain comes down in the dark night.

Ngana bayan-ka dunga-nyaku niji, kaba yalbay wujurr-ba dara-nyjiku.


<translate> He saw the bajabaja lizard here.


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


<translate> The child took the dilly bag from the ground.


<glossary> walngkurril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> The dog barked at the pig


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

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


<translate> Left at the split rock, right at the big tree, straight to the water — with a road full of markers you never get lost.

Walmbi kulji dumbarrinmunyba, jurrubiji jukuba yalbayba, yaralbu banaka: baral milbil-ji yundu kariku wulal.


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


<translate> You see the barramundi there.


<translate> Grandfather takes medicinal root for the road in case he gets sick.

Ngaji-ngka bangkan wundil baral-ka, kunka nyulu bambay-ma-nya-mun-ku.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the jiljay grub there.


<translate> We see the clean house here.


<translate> You see the large round oyster here.


<translate> They see the rock python there.


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

ngayu mayi wayjul-wayjul, babal saltmunku


<translate> They saw the fire stick here.


<translate> The food there is not sticky.


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


<translate> Where are you going now with that big spear and your two hunting dogs?

Yundu wanjabu dunga-y niji, kalka yalbay-ji kaya jambul-ji?


<translate> A thunderstorm came in the night.


<translate> The loud thunder rolls right across the sky and the little children begin to cry.

Jabulbina yalbay jiri-burr yirrka-y, karrkay buban wubul banbadi-l.


<translate> The children asked the old woman about the names of all the bright stars in the dark night sky.

Karrkay-karrkay mukul-jalbu-nda babajin, dawar balbal narmba-mu burri jiri wujurr-ba.


<translate> He taught them to cover themselves at night against the cold, to keep themselves dry in the rain, and to warm themselves at the fire when they came in wet.

Nyulu jana milbin nanda-jinka kunarangkal kiwaymuny, nyulu-nyulu marraljinka kabanga, wumbuljinka bayanga jana yaru kadanya.


<glossary> kayal ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> They eat raw meat


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

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


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


<translate> Long ago people camped at the river.


<translate> You saw the ngumbi bandicoot there.


<translate> The bloodwood has very hard wood, and people got spears and digging sticks from it.

Babajaka-mu juku dandi-baja, bama kalka juku-baka manin juku-muny.


<glossary> kala-balal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> Try out the log (to see if it will hold you)


<translate> The old woman's morning has run in one order for many wet seasons: stir the fire first of all, put the water on, wake the children while it warms, wash the small faces, then eat, and then the day may do whatever it wants, for the person who holds the first hour is never wholly held by the left-over day.

Wulbuman muduwaju nyungu warrin jina nyubunburr bana-wungar wubulku bajaku: baya-ngurr murni, bana yijarrika bayanga, karrkay wandi-bunga bana wumbul-manya, walu buban julurrika, yalada nuka, yalada wungar murnil wanyu nyulu wawu-manil, bama nyulu wungar-buban ngadiku karrbal, wungar bawanmunybu nyulu kariku wubulku karrbal.


<translate> This wood splits clean; that one fights back — listen to the first blow, then choose.

Juku yanya dumbarril yukilbu, yinya bakal muku: milka-janay jurrnga ngadiku, yalada mana.


<translate> You all saw the jabil lizard there.


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


<translate> Little by little the children began to understand, the old woman said, that everything in the country is tied to everything else, and nothing stands alone.

Buban-buban karrkay-karrkay binal-ma-l yudal, mukul-jalbu balkan, wubulku bubu-ba nyubun yindu-nka kaja-nya, yamba-kari nyubun-bu janjanay.


<translate> Grandfather is not angry at the new net; he is angry that he needs it.

Kami kari dukul-wuri makarrka jirakalka: nyulu dukul-wuri, nyulu wawu-manilnya yinya.


<translate> The old grandfather's forehead and cheeks are deeply lined, for he has seen very many cold seasons.

Mukul kami munju kangkul dajali-dajali, nyulu ngiki-wungar wubul bajaku nyajin.


<translate> You two see the dalkari bladder here.


<glossary> karangkal ; type=adjective ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> I sat alongside the road


<translate> The two of them lived well together, and in time their own children played in the camp by the river.

Jana jambul ngulkurr bundandan, wungar dunganya, nyungu karrkay-karrkay kinkan bayanba wawubajanga.


<translate> We two, not you, see the dijarr freshwater perch here.


<translate> That old woman is my mother's older sister.


<translate> My spear is bigger than yours.


<translate> I gathered the wattle flowers and the candlenut seeds in the scrub, and brought them home in my coolamon.

Ngayu madjanga yalngkal nganka bilar diburr baja munjan, dubalba wundin bayanka.


<translate> Set up the shelters before dark!


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


<translate> Mother put the knife in the bag.


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


<translate> After bathing they have a rest.


<translate> We gathered the wild grapes from the vine that hangs down over the water.

Ngana kangka bangkan maya-muny, nyulu bana wangkar bada wunay.


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


<translate> The old man said a good hunter asks the country questions all day long and reads its answers in the signs: where did the wallaby feed, when did it pass, which way did it go, how many were there, is the water near, so that hunting is really a long conversation of questions and answers between the hunter and the land, and the one who asks well eats well.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan balbi-bama yukil bubu babajil wungar kalbay wubulku ngaral nyungu kuku-yukil wari-nga: wanja darrba nukan, wanja-wanja nyulu jilban, wanjaburr nyulu dungan, wanjarrinya janan, bana ngundu, balbil nyulu bajaku kuku kalbay kuku-babaji kuku-yukil baja balbi-bama bubu jambulmuny, bama nyulu yukil babajil nyulu yukil nukal.


<translate> Grandmother took the paperbark from the ground.


<translate> We climbed slowly up the steep mountain to the high rocky peak at the very top.

Ngana buban-buban manjal jarra-jarra dakan, kulji wangkar-a jalkaraburr-ka.


<translate> The rock python coils around the tree branch and waits quietly for the possum.

Kabul juku-dakil kaja-ji, yawa-ka janka karrban.


<translate> Don't swim in the river — a crocodile might bite you!

Kari wawubajanga marajika, bilngkumungku yununy baykanyji!


<translate> My father got angry and shouted loudly when he saw the boys standing near the deep water.

Ngayku nganjan kuli-ma-n yirrkan yalbay-bu, nyulu nyajin warru bana dajali ngundu janay.


<glossary> bajurr-bangkan ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> I scolded my child because he broke the cassette

Ngayu kangkal bajurr-bangkan, nyulu cassette dumbarrinya


<translate> When the family moved to a new camp, they carried fire with them in a slow-burning firestick wrapped in bark.

Jawunkarra bayan jirakalka jurrkijinya, jana baya wundin jidinga buban-buban wajunya, dumbulbu nandan.


<translate> In the middle of the night, rain fell.


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


<glossary> bada-bada ; type=locational ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> The paper is under the table


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


<translate> They heard the grunt sound there.


<translate> My younger brother is very fast.


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


<translate> The people of Wujal Wujal are the river people, and the people of the sea live down by the coast.

Wujalwujal-warra bama wawubaja-mu, yamba jalun-warra bama bada jalun ngundu wunay.


<translate> The two of them see the ghost crab there.