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


<translate> The old woman broke the dead branch for firewood by the camp.

Wulbuman dakil wulan dumbarrin baya-ka bayan karangkal.


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


<translate> The woman tied the bag with rope.


<glossary> walal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> He went into the house


<translate> The cockatoos tore the ripe fruit from the tree and dropped half of it on the ground uneaten.

Kumurbina mayi kulbul juku-muny manin, jambul bubu-ngu daran nuka-kari.


<translate> Up went the smoke, down came the rain, and between them the day did its work.

Wangkar dungan kubu, bada kadan kaba, dindarraba wungarbu murni nyungu murnin.


<translate> You see the shovelnose ray here.


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


<translate> The old woman said the worst thing was not the grief but the fear of the grief, for people who run from their sadness carry it unfelt forever, but people who sit with it are set free by it in the end.

Wulbumanangka balkan: yamba mumbu bajaku kari jiba-badi, yambada jiba-badimu yinil, bama nyulu nyungu walu-jirrbu-jirrbumuny warri yinya wundil milka-kari yabarrka, yambada bama nyulu ngundu bundanay yinyabu kaja-kari-manda ngadiku.


<translate> You see the ngurrkul fig tree there.


<translate> They see the ngalkarran tree there.


<translate> The sea is calm this morning — marrka, the old people called it: the sea remembering its breath.

Jalun wunbu muduwajuny: 'marrka', bama mukulbu kunjan: jalun wawu nyungu milka-binalnya.


<translate> That black diver bird is here.


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

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


<translate> The child did not eat the fish; he ate the yam instead.

Karrkayangka kuyu kari nukan, bambayal-baja nukan.


<translate> They saw the bloodwood tree there.


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


<translate> The old man said the older and younger siblings are named by different words, yaba for the older brother and yabaju for the younger, babarr for the older sister and jinkurr for the younger, because the age-order carried real weight: the older sibling had authority over and responsibility for the younger, and the younger owed obedience and could always turn to the older for help, so that even the words themselves taught the shape of the bond.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan yaba-yabaju babarr-jinkurr kuku yindu-yindubu kunjal, yaba dingkar-yalbayku yabaju bubanku, babarr jalbu-yalbayku jinkurr bubanku, wungar-jambul karrban junkurr bajaku: yaba nyungu yabaju junkurr karrbal yamba-yukil baja, yabaju nyulu ngara-yukil dayal nyulu nganga wandin yaba-nka wawu-manilka, kuku nyulu-nyulu milbin karra nyungu yala.


<translate> You see the jellyfish there.


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


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


<translate> The wind came in the late afternoon.


<translate> We saw the karranda tree here.


<translate> Those people are sitting there.


<glossary> ngarra ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Danny went to the store, Carol also went.

Danny storengy dungan, Carol ngarra dungan


<translate> Little by little the children's eyes grew heavy, and one by one they fell asleep where they sat by the fire.

Buban-bubanku karrkay-karrkaymu miyil dandimanda, nyubun-nyubun jana warngku wunan wanja jana bundanya bayanga.


<translate> You all saw the yawa possum there.


<translate> He saw the karrandal tree here.


<translate> The girl said: We caught many fish, and my brother carried the biggest ones, because he is the strongest of us all.

Maralangka balkan: Ngana kuyu wubul manin, ngayku yaba kuyu yalbay wundin, nyulu junkurr bajaku ngana wubulmuny.


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


<translate> The children learned that the teacher who cannot learn should not teach, for teaching is not pouring water into an empty vessel but lighting a fire that both can warm themselves by, and a teacher whose own fire has gone cold has nothing left to give.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman milbibama nyulu murruji binal kari milbil, milbil kari bana yamba-karinga yijarril, yambada baya wangkal jambulku nyulu ngundu wumbul-ma-ji, milbibama nyungu baya kiwaymandanya kari yamba dajinka.


<translate> The old man said the dark rain-cloud looks like a great fish rising slowly from the deep water of the sky.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: ngurrban ngumbu yala walu-walu yala kuyu yalbay daka buban-buban bana dajali jiri-muny.


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


<translate> You saw the kalkamuku snake there.


<translate> Is your old grandmother well and strong again now, the old man asked kindly, for she was very sick indeed in the last round moon.

Yunu babi mukul ngulkurr junkurr-baja niji? mukul-dingkar-angka janka nyajin, nyulu bambay bajaku kija murru-murru kalbay-muny.


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


<translate> You all see the sea turtle there.


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


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


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


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


<glossary> ngaral ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The carpenters are building a house

Jana carpenter-carpenterangka bayan ngaral-ngaral


<translate> Granny told one more story. Then everyone went to sleep.

Babingka kuku nyubun balkan baja. Jana wubulku warngku wunanda.


<translate> The food here is not sticky.


<translate> The child is afraid of him and runs to me again and again.

Karrkay nyungunku yinjilji, ngaykunku warri baja-baja.


<translate> The old man said the green ants build their whole nest by pulling living leaves together with a silk the little ones make, all working as one.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: munjurr jana-mu janku narmba bunga birra kaya-nya murru-murru kulba jinbal karrkay-mu bunga-nya-bu, wubulku nyubun-bu jana.


<translate> The base of that tree is hard.


<translate> The man put the dog's food on the ground.

Dingkar-angka mayi kaya-nga bubu-ngu yijarrin.


<translate> He saw the bayil jungle perch there.


<translate> Is the young man becoming a good hunter? Yes — he learned quickly, his aim became true, and now he never comes back empty-handed.

Warru ngulkurr balbi-bama-mal? Yuwu — nyulu warri binalman, nyungu mil yaral-man, nyulu kariku mara-kari kaday.


<translate> When the moon was full the people from three camps came together for a big dance by the river.

Kija yalbaymanda, bama bayan kulurmuny kadan, wurinka yalbayka wawubajanga.


<translate> They see the jajikal screw palm there.


<translate> The crab bit the child's neck.


<translate> You saw the shooting star there.


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


<translate> He saw the mirrku kidney bird there.


<translate> The old man said learn the plants young, for the day will come when the old people are gone and only you can show the children where the food hides.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: mayi-juku binal-ma warru-ba, wungar kaday mukul-bama wulan, yundu nyubun karrkay-karrkay nyaji-mani mayi wanja wawan.


<translate> You and I see the high bank there.


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


<translate> That cherry-like tree is 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 children asked what happens to the family when the last person who remembers the old ways dies, and the old man was quiet a long time and then said: That is why I am teaching you — so that day never comes.

Karrkay-karrkayangka babajin wanya jawun-karra janay bama bajaku nyulu kuku ngadiku binalku wulanya, mukulungku dingkarangka wunbu janay kalbay, balkan: Yinyamu ngayu yurra milbil, yinya wungar kari kadanyji yabarrka.


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

jana kuljubu jarba kunin baja, kunin baja


<translate> How many fish did you spear today? I speared four fish. And how many people came to the camp? Many people came, more than I could count.

Wanjarrinya kuyu yundu nyiku-wungar daman? Ngayu kuyu jambul-jambul daman. Wanjarrinya bama bayan-ka kadan? Bama wubul kadan, ngayu kari binal wanjarrinya.


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

Diwan madjanga warrin, jikanba ngakijinda.


<translate> I saw the jimalili lizard here.


<translate> The old man said in the end all roads are like one road, for every track a person walks leads back at last to the one country.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: badanga jina wubulku yala jina nyubun, jina wubulku bama jilba-nya nyunba bubu nyubun-ka kala-kalbay-muny.


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


<translate> What did you bring back from the hunt? I brought a wallaby. What else? I brought two fish and a dilly bag of yams as well.

Wanyu yundu balbi-muny wundin? Ngayu kadar wundin. Wanyubaja? Ngayu kuyu jambul, banjay balji nyubun baja wundin.


<translate> I see the bamboo spear stick here.


<translate> The man killed the brown snake with his club after it had bitten him hard on the leg in the long grass, the old woman said.

Dingkar-angka jinkalmu kuni juku-bu, wawu-bayka-nya-muny jina junkurr jikan kalbay-mba, mukul-jalbu balkan.


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


<translate> Grandfather's ankle is sore.


<translate> The young man happened to step on my foot.


<translate> You see the jawurraji ant bed here.


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


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


<translate> The children ate until they were satisfied, and then fell asleep by the fire.

Karrkay-karrkay nukan wawu-daray, wunanda baya ngundu.


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


<translate> I became sick from eating unripe mangoes.


<translate> Mother saw the blue-tongue lizard at the camp.


<translate> Everyone helped with the work.


<translate> Granny is boiling tea; grandad is roasting fish; the kids are setting out the food.

Babingka diyi wajul; kamingka kuyu dindal; karrkay-karrkayangka mayi yijarril.


<translate> You and I see the water there.


<translate> The black scrub goanna is at the camp.


<translate> I saw the ngarkay waterhen there.


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


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


<translate> The great bird fell, and the two hunters were glad and thanked the country for the good hunting.

Buyi yalbay daran, balbibama jambul wawu-mini, bubu balkan ngulkurr balbimuny.


<translate> When the mourning was finished, the old woman spoke the dead man's name aloud again for the first time, and the people knew the grief was closing.

Jiba-badi kunbayn-nya, mukul-jalbu bama wula-nya-mu burri yirrka-baja nyubun-bu, bama binal jiba-badi kunba-nya.


<translate> The small child sat by the fire and asked the old man a chain of questions all at once: who made the very first fire, and where did they find it, and why does the fire die if we do not feed it wood? And the old man laughed and said those are three good questions with one answer: sit, watch, and wait, and the fire itself will teach you.

Karrkay buban baya ngunduku bundan mukulungku dingkar babajin kuku wubulku nyubunku: wanya baya ngadiku bajaku bungan, wanjabu jana manin, wanyurrinku baya wulal ngana kari juku dayanya? Mukulungku dingkarangka yajarrin balkan yinya kuku kulur yukil nyubun-kuku-daji: bunda, nyaji, kalka, baya nyulu-nyulu yundu milbil.


<translate> The dog keeps running around at the camp.


<translate> He sees the wada tree there.


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


<translate> They put hot stones in the oven, then the wallaby, then paperbark on top.

Jana kulji wumbul mumban kurrmanga, kadar, buyku wuyar.


<translate> The two of them saw the barrbal black bream here.


<translate> You and I see the jumper ant there.


<translate> One day while the children were climbing the rocks by the river, the smallest boy fell and cut his leg badly on a hard stone.

Nyubun wungara karrkay-karrkay kulji wangkar jananya wawubaja ngundu, karrkay buban bada wulan, nyungu jina yakan kulji junkurrbu kaka bajaku.


<translate> Chew it well, little one, then swallow — the meat is tough today.

Maja yukil, bubanku, yalada yurmbi, minya dandi nyiku.


<translate> You two see the wurrbal fog here.


<translate> Grandfather went with father.


<translate> The most important thing in any camp is the fire, and someone must always keep it alive through the night.

Yamba ngulkurr bajaku bayanba baya, bama nyubungku yabarrka baya kujil kunarangkalji.


<translate> The old woman said forgiveness within a family is not weakness but strength, for it takes a strong person to swallow their pride for the sake of the whole, and a family that cannot forgive itself will not survive to its grandchildren.

Wulbumanangka balkan: milka-wulay jawun-karranga kari junkurr-kari, yambada junkurr, bama junkurr nyungu wawu-yalbay nukanka jawun-karra wubulmu, jawun-karra nyulu murruji milka-wula-ji kari janay kangkalmu kangkalka.


<glossary> bambal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=kinship <usage_example> I call her grandmother


<translate> They saw the jellyfish there.


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


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


<translate> The old woman said if you find yourself despising a whole people, stop and find one of them and sit and eat with them, for it is easy to hate a word — a name for a crowd — but very hard to hate a face that is passing you the salt, and every wall between peoples is built of names and torn down by faces.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki yundu bama nyubun wubulku milka-mumbu, kalka nyubun jana manil bunda nuka nyulunji, kuku wawu-mumbu buban-buban, burri bama wubulmu, yambada miyil yundunka jalun dajilnya wawu-mumbu dandi-baja, bayan-junkurr bama jambulmu burribu bungan miyilbu kaka-manil.


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


<translate> You all see the lizard there.


<translate> She went for a walk after feeding the dog.

Nyulu jilba-dungan, wawu-kaya-muny mayi dajin.


<translate> The old woman kept feeding the child a little and a little more until she had finished the whole small yam, and then the child slept.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay mayi daji buban, buban-baja, nyulu bambayal buban narmba kunbayn-nya, yinyamun karrkay warngku wuna.


<translate> The old woman said: the scrub is our food-country; it gives us food in every season.

Kambangka balkan: madja ngana-mu mayi-bubu; nyulu nganangan mayi daji-l wungar wubul-a.


<translate> When my daughter was born, my mother came to help, my aunt brought food, and the whole family gathered to give the child a name.

Ngayku kangkal jalbu jana-nya, ngayku ngamu kada mara-dajinka, ngayku mukul mayi wundin, mula-mula muru janan kangkalka burri dayanka.


<translate> Ti-tree bark is on the house.


<translate> You see the umbrella palm there.


<translate> You saw the dijarr freshwater perch there.


<translate> The old man said the hardest part of any long journey is the middle, when the excitement of setting out is spent and the joy of arriving is still far off, and it is in the middle that a traveller is tested and a companion is proven.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: jilbal kalbaymu dandi bajaku dukurrbu, wawu-mini dungalmu kilban wawu-mini kadalmu kala-kalbay yamba, dukurranga jilba-bama nyaji-nyajin jawun murni.


<translate> Who is that coming along the path toward the camp now, the old man said, for he could no longer see well in the dim evening light.

Wanya yinya jina-ba bayan-ka kada-nya niji? mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu kari-baja ngulkurr nyaji wujurr-ma-nya balbal-kari-ba.


<translate> That spear is broken; make a new one from this strong wood.

Yinya kalka dumbarri-nya; buban bunga yanyu juku junkurr-bu.


<translate> How did the old woman carry all that heavy firewood by herself?

Wulbuman wanjarr baya-juku kulngkul wubul nyubun-du wundin?


<translate> Don't touch the hot red coals with your bare hand, little one; you will hurt yourself!

Kari karrba baya wumbul mara-bu, buban! Yundu nyulu-nyulu kaka-mani-l!


<translate> It takes a lifetime to learn the country, the old woman said, and a lifetime is barely long enough.

Bubu binalmanka wungar wubulku manil, wulbumanangka balkan, wungar wubulku nganga kariku.


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


<translate> The satin bower bird's feathers shine deep glossy black like still deep water, the old man said, and it loves everything dark and steals it for its bower.

Jurriyan-mu nangki balbal ngumbu yala bana dajali janka, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu ngumbu wubulku kuru-jirr, yanyul-bubu-nka mani.


<translate> The mother thanked the old people and said: the old ways still hold good, even now.

Ngamungka kamba-kamba ngulkurr balkan: yala ngadiku ngulkurr yabarrka, nyikuda.


<translate> You two see the blanket here.


<translate> The old woman peeped around in the house and did not go inside.

Mukul-jalbu bayan-ba nuri-nuri-ji, kari walan.


<translate> You and I see the marril ti tree here.


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


<translate> The old man knew every big old tree in the country by name and story, for each ancient tree was a marker of a boundary, a place of a happening, or the home of a spirit, and he taught the boys never to cut a big old tree carelessly, for a tree that has stood five hundred years holds more of the country's memory than any living person.

Mukulungku dingkarangka juku yalbay mukul wubulku bubungu binal nyungu kuku jangkar baja, juku mukul nyubun wubulku nyulu bubu-jina jarra-mabi, yamba nyubun bungalmuny, yambada wawu-yamba bayan, nyulu warru-warru milbin kariku juku yalbay mukul binal-karibu daka, juku nyulu janan wubul wungar karrbal bubu milka ngulkurr-baja bama wula-mabi wubulmuny.


<translate> You two saw the jalbil lizard here.


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


<translate> You see the yawarr palm here.


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


<translate> That old man is deaf — he has no ears — and he cannot hear the little children calling him.

Yinya mukul-dingkar milka-kari, nyulu karrkay-karrkay buban yirrka-nya kari nyaji-l.


<glossary> yungal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> The judge freed him (sent him back home)


<translate> The black bean tree is standing there.


<translate> The dogs dug under the shelter for the cool ground.

Kaya-kayangka bubu bakan bayanba, kiway-kiwayka.


<translate> You see the knight fish here.


<translate> The old woman asked father for fish.

Mukul-jalbu nganjan-nda kuyu-ku kunjajin.


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


<translate> That pheasant cuckoo is there.


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


<translate> The old man found many fat grubs in the rotten log and gave them to the hungry children.

Mukul-dingkar-angka kurran wubul juku kabu-nya-ba warrmba-bungan, karrkay dakwuy-ka dajin.


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


<translate> They saw the hickory tree there.


<translate> The person here is not kind.


<translate> You see the carpet snake there.


<translate> The woman asked grandfather about fish.


<translate> The children did not spoil the food.


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

Yinyarrin carpenter jana bada-badada workmal


<translate> The green ant bite made his whole arm swell, and the deep pain went right into the bone.

Munjurr baykal nyungu wakuy wubulku yalbay-ma-n, kaka bajibay dukurr-ka dungan.


<translate> Take a strong stick with you on the path, in case the vicious dog comes at you.

Juku junkurr mani yununji jina-nga, kaya kuli-ji kada-nyji yununku.


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> We put the fish net on the ground.


<translate> They see the three-pronged spear there.


<translate> Tomorrow we will go to the store.


<translate> The old people knew every part of their country and its right and proper name.

Mukul-bama-ngka bubu nyungu wubulku binal, nyungu burri ngulkurr baja.


<translate> I saw the kawarr bloodwood tree there.


<translate> The two of them saw the kawa ants here.


<translate> The children turned all the stones over looking for crabs.

Karrkay-karrkayangka kulji jurrkinyarrku, wurru-bulananda nubi-nubijinya.


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


<glossary> mara-kunbay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> I stop working on Sunday


<translate> They see the jellyfish there.


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


<translate> In the hot season the afternoon sky builds its own country, the old man said: white mountains stand up where no mountains are, their feet turn black, and at dusk they either walk away along the range or come down on the camp as the storm, so the hot-time afternoon has two doors, and the sky tells you by its feet which one it will use.

Wangariji jiri wungar-daraymuny bubu nyungu-nyungu murnil, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: manjal kambar janay wanja manjal-kari, jina jana ngumbu-mal, miyil-wujurr-wujurrba jana jilbal kala-kalbay manjalburr yambada jana kaday bayanka jarramali-mal, yalada wungar-daray wangarijimuny nyulu baral jambul-ji, jiribu yununy milbil jinabu wanjaku baral nyulu manil.


<translate> You all see the black cockatoo there.


<translate> The two of them see the rock python there.


<translate> The old man taught the boy every star in the night sky, the old woman said, and how to hold his path by them when he walks in the dark.

Mukul-dingkarangka karrkay dawar wubulku jiri wujurr-mu binal-bungal, mukul-jalbu balkan, jina nyungu karrba-nka dawar-bu nyulu wujurr-ba jilba-nya.


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


<translate> The bronze wing pigeon is here.


<translate> The first big rain came in the night. Everyone heard it on the paperbark roof.

Kaba yalbay kadan kunarangkal. Jana wubulku nyajin buykungu.


<glossary> jalngkun ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> The axe is very dull; sharpen it with a file

Axe dudu bajaku; jalngkun-bunga filemundu.


<translate> The women dug in the dry sand of the creek bed to reach the hidden soak water.

Jalbu-ngka jukar marral wawubaja-nga bakan, bana ngaki-nya mani-nka.


<translate> The small patch of scrub is here.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> The old woman said a child's why is a gift and an adult's why can be a weapon, for the same word asked with open wonder opens the world, but asked with a sneer to shame someone shuts it, and she taught that you should listen to the tone before you answer any why, and answer the wonder gladly but never reward the sneer, for the question is only as good as the spirit behind it.

Wulbumanangka balkan karrkay nyungu wanyurrinku nyulu daji mukul-bama nyungu wanyurrinku nyulu yinil-yamba, kuku nyubun babajin miyil-jangan-ji bubu kajal, yambada babajin bikirr-daji-bu bama nyubun bikirr-bungalka kajal, nyulu milbin yundu ngara kuku-nganja ngadiku yundu wanyurrinku nyubun kuku-yukil-manil, kuku-yukil-mani miyil-jangan wawu-minibu yambada kariku bikirr-daji dayal, kuku nyulu nganga yukil yala wawu ngundungu.


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


<translate> By the third day their food was almost gone, so the young men went ahead to hunt while the others followed slowly, and by evening they met again at the appointed place with three wallabies and a goanna.

Wungar kulurmuny jana mayi kilba-baja, warru wangkar dungan minyaka balbinka, yindu jana buban-buban wukurrin, kunarangkalba jana nyaji-wan baja bubu balkanmuny jana darrba kulurbu jadiji.


<translate> Auntie knows which plants are good medicine.


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


<translate> Those love handles are here.


<translate> You all see the ngiwa moray eel there.


<translate> The children learned to be glad for others' good fortune, and they found that a person who can rejoice in another's joy has many joys, while a person eaten by ngujan has none, however much they own.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman bama yindumu ngulkurrka wawu-mini janayka, jana nyajin bama nyulu bama yindumu wawu-mininga wawu-mini janay wawu-mini wubulji, bama ngujanbu nukanmuny wawu-mini-kari, nyulu yamba wubul karrbal baja.


<translate> You two saw the ngawurr-ngawun crocodile here.


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


<translate> We see the dukul-dukul bush here.


<translate> The digging stick is at the camp.


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

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


<translate> You two saw the barrbal black bream there.


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


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

Nyiku-nyiku bilngkumu walu karimanijinkuda


<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> You see the milbarkal tree here.


<translate> They two see the freshwater eel there.


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


<translate> The fish smelled the bait and came close.


<translate> The man saw the blue-tongue lizard.


<translate> The empty water hole, now without any water at all, could not save the thirsty travellers.

Bana-janku bana-kari niji nyulu jilba-bama bana-dakwuy kari wula-manin.


<translate> The flying foxes camp in their thousands in the big trees by the river and fly out at dusk in a great dark river across the sky to the fruiting country, and the old people read their flight to know where the fruit was ripening, for the flying foxes always find the sweet trees first and lead the watching people straight to them.

Kambi jana bayan wubul-yalbay juku yalbay wawubaja ngunduku marra-warrin kunarangkal wawubaja wujurr yalbay jiri naka-naka mayi-bubu-mundu, bama mukul jana marra-warri ngaran binalka wanja mayi kulbul-mandanya, kambi yabarrka juku jiba-wulay ngadiku manil bama nyaji-bama murni jana-mundu jilbaman.


<translate> You two see the dulmbi umbrella palm there.


<translate> Grandmother sat on the road.


<translate> Where did the kangaroo run to when the dogs chased it up the ridge?

Mayarriji wanjabu warri, kaya-ngka kangan-nya wangkar-ka?


<translate> You and I see the dingo here.


<translate> You two saw the kabuljaka snake here.


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


<translate> The child saw the flower on the tree.


<translate> The child saw the white crane outside.


<translate> You and I see the windbreak here.


<translate> You two see the mungka-dirka fur here.


<translate> If the road is bad, leave the billycan at the camp.

Kaki baral buyun, jungkalu bayan-ba bawa.


<translate> You two see the karraway snail here.


<translate> The children climbed the tree and ate the sweet ripe figs, throwing the best ones down to the little ones below.

Karrkay-karrkay jukungu dakan, binanji kulbul jiba-wulay nukan, ngulkurr bajaku bada yilban karrkay bubanka badabada.


<translate> You all saw the dukunjulu golden whistler here.


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


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


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

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


<glossary> milka-marri ; type=adjective ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> They have peace about that


<translate> That tree kangaroo is there.


<translate> You and I saw the kurrujuwa sentry bird here.


<translate> We wrapped the fresh fish in broad green leaves and put it down on the hot coals.

Ngana kuyu birra kalbay jikan-jikan-ba kajan, baya ngunjil-ba yijarrin.


<translate> Grandfather saw the shield in the bag.


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


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

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


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


<translate> Two dogs and one man went out hunting, but they came home with three big fat pigs.

Kaya jambul dingkar nyubun baja balbi dungan, jana bikibiki wandul kulur-jirr kadan.


<translate> The woman tied the sack with rope.


<translate> The old man showed the boy how to throw the spear straight with the woomera.

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru milban, wanjarr-ku kalka jinbal balur-bu mumal.


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


<translate> You and I see the windbreak here.


<translate> The old man said: the grandmother teaches the girls the plant names, and when they know them well, they will teach their own children — that is how the knowledge stays alive.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: babingka jalbu-jalbu juku burri binal-bungal, jana ngulkurr binal-man, jana nyungu karrkay-karrkay binal-bungal, yinyabu binal juran-man.


<translate> They saw the love handles here.


<translate> The two of them see the domestic turkey here.


<translate> The friend stayed down there.


<translate> The young man put the spear in the house.


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


<translate> What is that you are holding in your hand, my child?

Wanyu yundu mara-nga karrbal, ngayku karrkay?


<translate> The strong man carried the heavy log on one shoulder and the little child on the other arm.

Dingkar junkurr juku kulngkul binda nyubun-ba wundin, karrkay buban wakuy yindu-ngu.


<translate> Grandmother took the bone from the ground.


<translate> I see the scrub goanna there.


<translate> You all saw the jinkalmu snake there.


<translate> You all saw the grasshopper here.


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


<translate> The little bird did not fly away; it stayed in the tall tree and called out in the cold dawn.

Buyi buban kari marra-warrin; nyulu juku kalbay-mba bundan yirrka-l ngiki wunkuwingku.


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


<translate> That frill necked lizard is here.


<translate> The caterpillar crawls slowly along the branch, eating the young green leaves as it goes.

Kinga dakil-ba mara-warri, birra buban nuka-l dunga-nya.


<translate> You and I saw the barrbal black bream there.


<translate> The child saw the moon at night.


<translate> They saw the morning star here.


<translate> The old man said the echidna and the bandicoot were the cleverest of the small animals, for both knew how to vanish into the ground before the hunter's hand came.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: ngangkin kulngu binal bajaku minya bubanmuny, jambulku binal bubungu kilbanka balbibamamu mara kadanyjiku.


<translate> Father saw the fish net in the bag.


<translate> I saw the durra caterpillar here.


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


<translate> The old man made a fishing line from bark.

Mukulungku dingkarangka badur balkan dubalmuny.


<translate> We saw the nakawarra bee here.


<translate> I saw the jalbil lizard there.


<translate> The two of them saw the mirrku kidney bird there.


<translate> The young man washed his neck.


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


<translate> He sees the large mud clam there.


<translate> A young man speared his own foot in the scrub, and the old man bound the sore with bark and string and told him: the blood will stop, the flesh will close, the bone was not hit, but walk slowly for many days and the foot itself will say when it is well, for the body speaks to the person who listens.

Warrungku jina nyungu-nyungu kalkabu bakan majanga, mukulungku dingkarangka baji kajan warrurbu karrabu, nyulu milbin: mula janay, bangkarr nandaji, bajibay kari kunin, yambada jilba buban-buban wungar wubulku, jina nyulu-nyulu balkal wanjawanja nyulu yukil-mal, bangkarr nyulu bamanda balkal nyulu milka-janay.


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


<translate> Tie the vine twice, then go up the tree for the honey, the old man taught, lest the rotten branch drop you from the height, for the honey will still be there tomorrow, but a broken back takes a long time to become well.

Kalal kaja jambulku, yalada wandi wangkar jukuku wunbaka, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin, dakil kabubu yununy daray-maninyji wangkarmuny, wunba nyulu janay wunkuny baja, yambada muku dumbarrinmuny nyulu wungar kalbay yukil-malka.


<translate> The boomerang lay on the ground.


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

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


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

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


<translate> The muddy swamp is full of frogs and water birds in the middle of the wet season.

Daburri buyun karrkurr buyi-bana baja wubul, kaba-wungar dindarra-nga.


<translate> The hunters cooked the possum and the bandicoot together in the hot coals of the big fire.

Balbi-bama yawa ngumbi muru wajun baya ngunjil wumbul-ba yalbay-mba.


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


<translate> The child is running from there.


<translate> The wise old woman said: a good story is like the country — it feeds you and never runs dry.

Wulbuman binal-angka balkan: kuku ngulkurr yala bubu — nyulu yununy daji, kariku bana-kari-mal.


<translate> You and I saw the hook here.


<translate> The ground there is not lumpy.


<translate> Everyone laughed — even granny!


<translate> You two see the spring there.


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

Jana truckmundu warrin warrin, warrin, jana yilkinga.


<translate> You and I saw the ground here.


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


<translate> They saw the boomerang here.


<translate> You and I see the creek there.


<translate> The front legs were for one of them.


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

Karrkay-karrkayangka nulu nandan jukara.


<translate> The young woman painted her own face with white clay for the corroboree dance.

Jalbu-buban nyungu walu julngka-ji ngumbu-kari-bu warrma-ka.


<translate> There is no water at all along the road.


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


<glossary> dumbarriji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He broke his farm


<translate> You and I see the small bat here.


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


<translate> You and I see the waterfall here.


<translate> Mother washed grandmother's stomach.


<translate> The river runs down from the high country to the wide sea through the deep, dark scrub.

Wawubaja bada wanarri bubu wangkar-muny jalun kalbay-ka, madja ngungul dajali-burr.


<translate> The two men fought each other; I stood between them; I took the spear from them; and I sent them both home.

Bula dingkar kuni-wan; ngayu bula jambul-bu janan; ngayu kalka bulandamuny manin; ngayu bulangan bayan-mundu yungan.


<translate> You two see the mawal bee there.


<translate> The old woman said the water is rather cold in the morning but very cold at night, so wash early, before the sun leaves the sky.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: bana jarra-ngiki wunkuwingku, yamba ngiki-baja-ku wujurr-ba, janji niji-niji, wungar jiri-muny dunga kariku.


<translate> This country is our mother; she gives us everything we need to live well.

Bubu yinya ngana-mba ngamu; nyulu ngana-nka yamba wubulku daji wunay-ka.


<translate> You all saw the dilly bag here.


<translate> I saw the jabil lizard here.


<translate> The rain fell hard all night, and in the morning the creek was running fast.

Kaba daran junkurrku kunarangkal wubulku, wunkuwingku wawubaja warrin jinbalku.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the bujil-yiran ibis here.


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

Dingkar-angka karra balji-nga kuna-bungan.


<translate> The water is cleaner than the grass.


<translate> The stick lay on the ground.


<translate> Grandmother got firewood, lit a fire, and then cooked fish.

Babi-ngka baya manin, baya wajun, kuyu wajun-da.


<translate> You two see the queenfish there.


<translate> Grandfather hears the wind there.


<glossary> diburr ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> I planted the seeds in the garden


<translate> We see the wangay vine here.


<translate> The old woman said a woman with milk and a woman without it were bound together in the old camps, for when one mother's milk failed or she died, another nursing mother would feed the child alongside her own, and no baby was ever left to starve for want of milk while a single nursing woman lived in the whole camp, for this was the deepest sharing of all.

Wulbumanangka balkan jalbu ngamu-bibi-ji jalbu ngamu-bibi-kari nyubunji kajan bayan mukulba, ngamu nyubun nyungu ngamu-bibi bawanya yambada nyulu wulanya, ngamu yindu bibi-ji karrkay dayal nyungu buban baja, ngawa nyubun kariku bawal wulanka ngamu-bibi-karinka kaki jalbu nyubun bibi-ji bayan wubulku wunay.


<translate> The figs on the big fig tree ripen in the wet season, and the birds eat them first.

Binanji dukal-juku yalbay-mba kulbul-mal bana-wungar-a, buyi nukal ngadiku.


<translate> He will return after two moons, when the round moon has grown full and small and full once more.

Nyulu nyunba kija jambul-muny, kija murru-murru yalbay-ma-n, buban-ma-n, yalbay-ma-n-baja.


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


<translate> On the way home they saw big storm clouds over the mountain and hurried their steps.

Bayanka dunganya, jana ngurrban yalbay nyajin manjalba, jinbalku dungan.


<translate> Why is that old woman sitting all alone in the dark, away from the warm fire?

Wanyurringku mukul-jalbu nyubun-bu wujurr-ba bunda-l, baya wumbul-muny kalbay?


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


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

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


<translate> The turtle on the reef is the greatest prize, and taking one feeds many, but the old law is strict: never take the small ones and never take a female heavy with her young, take only the big old males, and even then divide it so the old and the sick eat first, for the turtle gives its whole self and must be honored in the giving.

Ngawuya jalun-ba bada yamba yukil bajaku, nyubun manil bama wubulku dayal, kuku ngadiku junkurr: kariku buban mani kari jalbu-ngawuya nyungu buban junkurrbu mani, dingkar-ngawuya mukul yalbay nganga mani, yaladaku buban-manin mukul buyun-bama ngadiku nukalmu, ngawuya nyulu nyungu-nyungu wubulku dayan yabarrka yukil-bungalmu dayalba.


<translate> You two see the wooden sword here.


<translate> You all saw the jungarr marsupial native cat there.


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


<translate> The two hunters tracked the wallaby together, speared it from both sides, and divided the meat between their families.

Balbi-bama jambul kadar muru wukurri-way, jambul-burr daman, minya nyungu bama-nka daji-wan.


<translate> You all saw the jimu grasshopper there.


<translate> The man cut the meat with a knife.


<glossary> yakal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> you cut the meat up


<glossary> yunu ; type=adjective ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I got water for you


<translate> In the hot season we sleep outside.

Wungariji ngana ngalkalba warngku wunay.


<translate> They saw the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> You and I see the scorpion here.


<translate> The child saw the fish in the shade.


<translate> A thunderstorm struck the cow on the mountain.

Jarramali-ngka bulki dalbarrin manjal-ba.


<glossary> maku ; type=locational ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> The boat was coming toward him


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


<translate> The men cut the saplings and set them in the ground, and the women covered the frame with sheets of paperbark.

Dingkar-dingkarangka juku yakan, bubungu yijarrin, jalbu-jalbungku wurun nandan buykubu.


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


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


<translate> They saw the straw hat here.


<translate> They saw the small red ant there.


<translate> The man kept spearing around for wallabies all day.

Dingkar kadar-a dama-n-dama-ji wungar wubulku.


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


<translate> The burnt patch of grass is here.


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


<translate> The moon is also the counter of months, the old man taught the young men before the journey: tell your mother, if this thin moon grows full and then grows thin again, I am coming back, for the moon is a word-stick that all the people in every camp can read on the same night.

Kija nyulu wungar-milbil baja, mukulungku dingkarangka warru-warru milbin dunganka ngadiku: balka ngamunda: kaki kija bala yalbay-mal yalada bala-mal baja, ngayu kaday, kija nyulu kuku-juku, bama wubulku bayanba nyubun-nyubunba nyulu nyajil wujurr nyubunba.


<translate> You and I saw the mawal bee here.


<translate> The child took mother's clothes.


<translate> Bring the spear and the dilly bag, follow me to the river, and we will spear stingray and catch mud crabs!

Kalka wundi, balji wundi, nganya wukurri wawubajanga; ngali yawu damanka, ngalngal karrbanka!


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


<translate> The person there is generous.


<translate> You saw the karranda tree there.


<translate> If anyone happens to see the ripe mangoes on the tree, bring them back to the camp!

Mayngku kulbul juku-ngu nyaji-ji, mana bayan-ka!


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

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


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


<glossary> kuljan ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> I drummed the water


<translate> You saw the bajal bower bird there.


<translate> Where is the good camping place with plenty of fresh water and dry firewood nearby?

Wanjabu bubu ngulkurr bunda-nka, bana ngulkurr baya-juku wubul-jirr?


<translate> You and I see the morning star here.


<translate> They saw the julaji freshwater catfish here.


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

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


<translate> Big sister's dog bit the pig.

Babarrandamundu kayangka bikibiki baykan.


<translate> They saw the didgeridoo here.


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


<translate> The old man said: If it rains tomorrow, we will stay in the camp and make spears; if it is fine, we will go hunting.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Kaki kaba kaday wunkun, ngana bayanba bunday, kalka ngaral; kaki wungar ngulkurr, ngana balbil dungay.


<glossary> walngal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He took off his shoes


<translate> You and I see the kurruba freshwater fish there.


<translate> We see the jingajalka tree here.


<translate> I see that wuymbariji scrub tree.


<translate> If the child has a cold, grandmother gives green ants to the child.

Kaki karrkay ngiki-ji, babi-ngka yangka dajil karrkay-anda.


<translate> The father teaches his son the man's law and the way of the spear, the old man said, and the mother teaches the daughter the woman's law and the way of the dilly-bag.

Nganjan-ngku warru-karrkay binal-bungal dingkar-mu yalaku kalka-mu-jirr, mukul-dingkar balkan, ngamu-ngku jalbu-karrkay binal-bungal jalbu-mu yalaku ngunyin-mu-jirr.


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

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


<glossary> dakal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> he climbed the tree


<translate> The man with the beard speared many mullet.

Dingkar-angka walarr-iji-ngka ngalkun wubul daman.


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


<translate> It was not the man who broke the billycan.


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


<translate> The children learned that night how to find the turtle tracks and read which way the mother had gone.

Karrkay-karrkayangka yinya kunarangkal binalman ngawiyamu jina nyajinka, wanjabu ngamu dunganya.


<translate> That angry man is like a fierce dog, the children said — all noise and teeth, but he runs from a raised stick.

Yinya dingkar kuli-ji yala kaya kuli-baka, karrkay-karrkay balkan — yirrka dirra-jirr, yamba nyulu warri juku wandi-nya-muny.


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


<translate> You two see the running water there.


<translate> What did the old people call a rich man? — Kin-with. And a poor man? — Kin-without. The things never entered into it.

Wanyu bama mukulungku kunjan bama yamba-ji wubul-ji? Jawun-karra-nji. Bama yamba-kari? Jawun-karra-kari. Yamba kariku walan yinyaka.


<translate> Go up the track to the hinterland camp, but do not go down to the sea where the crocodiles live.

Wangkar dunga-y jina-burr bayan jibarr-ka, kari bada dunga-y jalun-ka, bilngkumu yinya wunay.


<translate> The children jumped into the water.


<translate> They saw the butcherbird there.


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


<glossary> nubiji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> The child went into the scrub and then got lost

Nyulu karrkay madjanga dungan, nubijinkuda


<translate> They saw the big clam shell here.


<translate> The old woman caught two fat bandicoots in the thick grass through the long, cold night.

Mukul-jalbu ngumbi jambul wandul manin jikan junkurr-ba, wujurr ngiki kalbay-mba.


<translate> You should have left the dog outside in the yard, not brought it into the house.

Yundu kaya ngalkal-ba bawa-nyaku, kari bayan-ba wundi-nyaku.


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


<translate> Grandfather left the shield in the bag.


<translate> We see the murrka scar here.


<translate> I take the fishing line before the fish bites.

Ngayu badur wundil, kuyu-ngku bayka-nyjiku.


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


<translate> He quickly followed the kangaroo.


<translate> He sees the mura tree there.


<translate> The dog is guarding the camp.


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


<translate> The kookaburra laughed loudly from the high branch just as the sun was coming up.

Kururrungka yirrka-y yalbay-bu dakil kalbay-ba, wungar wandi-nya.


<translate> I see the light bellied black snake.


<translate> That blue spotted fantail ray is there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the dakwurr-dakwun hammer bird there.


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


<translate> The old man taught the boy to cover the coals with ash before sleeping, lest a wind come in the night and the fire get into the dry grass.

Mukulungku dingkarangka karrkay milbin: ngunjil nulubu nanda-ngarr, muyar kunarangkal kada-nyji, baya jikanba dunga-nyji.


<translate> The old man heard the soft, soft sound with his good ears in the quiet of the night.

Mukul-dingkar milka ngulkurr-bu nyajin, wujurr janka-ba kinka buban-buban.


<translate> I saw the dukunjulu golden whistler here.


<glossary> bila ; type=particle ; domain=manner <usage_example> a person in a hurry


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


<translate> The man saw the snake outside.


<translate> The children kept hitting at the grass with sticks.

Karrkay-karrkay jikan-ba kuni-n-kuni-ji jaba-bu.


<translate> That willie wagtail is here.


<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> The heavy rain began again in the afternoon, the old man said, and it did not finish falling until the sun came up the next morning.

Kaba yalbay yudal-baja wungar wujurr-ma-nya-ka, mukul-dingkar balkan, kari kunbayn daray wungar wandi-nya-muny wunkuwingku yindu-ngu.


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


<translate> After bathing, grandmother cooked food.

Wawu-janji-nya-muny, babi-ngka mayi wajun.


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


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


<translate> The children carried these teachings, and though they still felt jealousy and anger and fear and grief all their lives, they had learned that feelings are weather, not climate: they pass, if you let them.

Karrkay-karrkayangka yinya kuku wundin, jana ngujan dukul-wuri yinil jiba-badi milka-binalku wawu wubulku, yambada jana binalman wawu yala wungar, kari bubu: nyulu dungay, kaki yundu bawal.


<translate> The snake felt no fear and no threat, so it moved slowly off the warm path into the cool grass.

Jarba kari yinil, kari yinyil-kangan, yala jarba buban-buban dungan jina wumbulmuny jikan kiwaymba.


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


<translate> We see the murrkul tree here.


<translate> The women collected mushrooms, pineapple, and shoots in the scrub, and brought them in the coolamon.

Jalbungku madjanga jumbay-jumbay banabul jurrbu baja mujan, dubalba wundin.


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

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


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


<translate> They see the freshwater turtle here.


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


<translate> You two see the lizard there.


<translate> Mother got up to see the child.


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


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


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


<translate> What did you take the dog into the shelter for? the old man asked, laughing, in the old words — you should have left it outside — and the boy did what the dog itself does, looked down and said nothing, so the whole camp laughed, and the dog too, hardest of all.

Wanyurrinku yundu kaya wundin bayanka? mukulungku dingkarangka babajin yajarr-ji kukubu mukulbu, yundu nyulu bawanyaku ngalkalba, buban murnin yala kaya nyungu-nyungu, nyajin bada, balkan yamba-kari, yalada bayan wubulku yajarr-man, kaya baja junkurr bajaku.


<translate> You all see the frill necked lizard here.


<translate> The old woman saw the snake crawling through the long grass toward the camp, the old man said, and she called out a warning to the children at once.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku jarba nyaji-n, mara-warri-nya jikan kalbay-mba bayan-ka, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu karrkay-karrkay-nka yirrka nyiku-nyiku.


<glossary> bijjaril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I dream about a carpet snake


<translate> The children caught the small lizards among the warm rocks in the midday sun.

Karrkay bajuy buban karrban kulji wumbul-a, wungar dukul-ba.


<translate> He sees the crocodile there.


<translate> What is this white man's thing, and what is it for? It is a hard knife; it cuts faster than a shell, but the old woman says it takes the taste from the fish.

Wanyu nyiku waybala-mu, wanyurringku? Nyiku naybu dandi; nyulu warkal-ngadiku warri yakal, yambada mukulungku balkan nyulu kuyu-mu nganja manil.


<translate> Two sorries mend faster than one: the sorry of the mouth, and the sorry of the changed hands.

Dukul-kulnkul jambulbu murnil warri-baja nyubunmuny: dukul-kulnkul ngandalmuny, dukul-kulnkul maramuny yindu-manmuny.


<translate> You see the black bean tree there.


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


<translate> We saw the running water there.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


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


<translate> What kind of people are those strangers camping over there beside the far river?

Bama wanyunguy yinya, wawubaja kalbay-ba ngundu bunda-nya?


<translate> You see the kurunkal mangrove there.


<translate> That karraway snail is there.


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


<translate> They should have listened when the old ones said the big fish come only if the small ones are left to grow, the old man said, but the young netted everything two seasons running, and the third season the water was empty, and now even the old good places give nothing, and it will take a lifetime to come back.

Jana wukurrinyaku mukul jana balkanya kuyu yalbay kaday nganga kaki buban jana bawal bunganka, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, yambada warru wubulku makarrbu manin jambul wungar warri, kulur wungara bana yamba-kari, nyiku mukul bubu yukil baja kari yamba dajil, wawu wubulmuny nyunbanka.


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


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


<translate> The children were full of questions about the sky, and the old woman answered as many as she could: what is the moon and why does it change, where do the stars go in the daytime, how far away is the sun, why does the rainbow come only after rain, and what are those white paths of stars that cross the whole night sky?

Karrkay-karrkay babaji-mabi jiri-mundu, wulbumanangka balkan wanyu nyulu balkalmuny: wanyu kambi wanyurrinku nyulu yindu-manda, wanja dawar dungay wungara, wanjarrinya kala-kalbay jalbay, wanyurrinku ngamu-bulmba bana ngadiku nganga kadanya, wanyu yinya dawar-baral kambar jiri wubulku wujurr nyaji-way-mba?


<translate> The children cried in the night.


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


<translate> The man chopped the big log, cut off the dry bark, and carried the wood to the camp.

Dingkarangka walmba yalbay nyandan, julkun marral yakan, juku bayanka wundin.


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


<translate> "Who is that man standing over there by the water, the one with the long spear in his hand?"

Wanya yinya dingkar janay yinyay bana ngundu, yinya kalka kalbay-jirr mara-ba?


<translate> The old man taught the children which snakes were good to eat and which were deadly, for the difference was life and death and there was no room for a mistake.

Mukulungku dingkarangka karrkay-karrkay milbin jarba wanya nukanka ngulkurr, wanya wulaymani, yinya kuku wawu wulaymu, kari wanja murnilmu.


<translate> They saw the yawarr palm here.


<translate> Those calf muscles are here.


<translate> The wet season is the time of thunder and lightning, and the people fear the great storms in the sky.

Kaba wungar-iji jarramali balbay-jirr, bama yararri muyar yalbay jiri-ba.


<translate> The old woman said the same of people: do not choose a friend for their strong arm or their handsome face, but for their good heart and their true word.

Wulbumanangka balkan bamamu baja: kari yaba mani nyungu mara junkurrmuny, nyungu walu ngulkurrmuny, yambada nyungu wawu ngulkurrmuny, nyungu kuku yukilmuny.


<translate> A boy and his brothers raced each other along the creek, and he came back with his breath run far away from him, and the old man laughed: the breath is a small shy creature, hold it softly, take breath slowly with a big chest and it comes back to the hand, but if you chase it, it runs further off.

Buban yaba-karra baja warriway wawubajanga, nyulu kadan baja, wawu nyungu warrin kala-kalbay, mukulungku dingkarangka yajarr-man: wawu nyulu minya buban yinil-ji, karrba nyulu kimabu, wawu mana buban-buban damu yalbaybu, nyulu maraku kaday baja, kaki yundu nyulu jurrngal, nyulu warri kala-kalbay.


<translate> You all saw the jadamu bananas here.


<translate> I heard the word with my ear.


<translate> In the early morning many birds call out loudly all through the thick scrub.

Wunkuwingku buyi wubul yirrka-y yalbay-bu madja-nga wubulku.


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


<translate> The young woman painted her own face with white clay for the corroboree dance.

Jalbu-buban nyungu walu julngka-ji ngumbu-kari-bu warrma-ka.


<translate> The dilly bag lay on the road.


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


<translate> You and I see the kalkurr yam there.


<translate> I see the Torres Strait Island pigeon.


<translate> They saw the mackerel sky here.


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


<translate> The woman dropped the stick on father's shin.

Jalbu-ngku juku daray-manin nganjan-anda bibar-a.


<translate> The kangaroo rat digs a deep hole in the sandy ground and hides there by day.

Jayju jukar-bubu-ngu janku dukurr bakan, yinya-nga ngakiji wungar-a.


<translate> You see the wild grape here.


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


<translate> Mother hears the thunder here.


<translate> The two of them see the wurru-bulan small crab there.


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

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


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


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


<translate> They saw grandmother's stomach.


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


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


<translate> The child slept beside mother.


<translate> The children played, ate food, and then lay down.

Karrkay-karrkay kinkan, mayi nukan, wunan-da.


<translate> Tie the vine twice, then go up the tree for the honey, the old man taught, lest the rotten branch drop you from the height, for the honey will still be there tomorrow, but a broken back takes a long time to become well.

Kalal kaja jambulku, yalada wandi wangkar jukuku wunbaka, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin, dakil kabubu yununy daray-maninyji wangkarmuny, wunba nyulu janay wunkuny baja, yambada muku dumbarrinmuny nyulu wungar kalbay yukil-malka.


<translate> You and I saw the julaji freshwater catfish there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the frill necked lizard there.


<translate> The old man said the country itself is the greatest teacher of all, greater than any person, for it never lies.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan bubu nyulu-bu binal-bunga-bama jarra-yalbay wubul-ku, jarra-yalbay bama wubul-ku, nyulu kariku kuku-kari balkal.


<translate> We — not you — will take the canoe; you all wait at the crossing.

Nganjin marrakan manil, yurra janay bana-baralba.


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

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


<translate> They heard the rustling noise there.


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


<translate> The old woman said the greatest grief and the greatest duty could both fall on the same kin at once, as when a mother must prepare her own dead child for burial, and the kin-system did not spare a person such things but it did surround them, for no one bore the hardest duties alone, the sisters and the mother's sisters and the cousins all gathering close, so that even the heaviest sorrow was carried on many shoulders and never on one back alone.

Wulbumanangka balkan wawu-mumbu yalbay yamba-yukil yalbay jambul wandiman karra nyubunku nyubunji, ngamu nyulu nyungu-nyungu karrkay wula-mabi murni-manil bunya-nka, jawun-karra kari bama nyinya-mundu kima-manin yambada nyulu jana wabarr-manin, wanya kari yamba-yukil dandi bajaku nganga karrbal, babarr mukul-warra bangunji baja wubulku ngunduku bangkan, wawu-mumbu junkurr bajaku baja jarrba wubulku karrban kari nyubun jarra nyubunbu nganga.


<translate> We see the bronze wing pigeon there.


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


<translate> He kept calling and calling his old dog, but it had run far away and did not come back.

Nyulu kaya mukul nyungu yirrka-l-yirrka-n, yamba kaya kala-kalbay-ka wanarrin kari kadan.


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


<translate> The children learned to share not by giving everyone the same, but by giving each person what they needed — that was the harder and the better way.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman daji-wayka kari bama wubulku nyubun dajil, yambada bama wubulku nyungu wawu dajil, yinya yala dandi-baja, ngulkurr-baja baja.


<translate> They saw the running water here.


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


<translate> You and I see the small sticks here.


<translate> You saw the kanjal companion here.


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

Wulbumanangka kambamanda, nyulu maral binal nyubun binalbungan yambayamba mayimu.


<translate> The boy sat and watched the old man tracking the wallaby through the scrub, the old woman said, reading every mark and every broken twig in the sand.

Karrkay bunda nyaji-l-nyaji-n, mukul-dingkarangka kadar jina nyaji-l-nyaji-nya madja-burr, mukul-jalbu balkan, jina nyubun-nyubun juku wuba-nya-jirr jukar-a nyaji.


<translate> The dugout canoe went on the sea.


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


<translate> You two see the valley there.


<translate> The old man said the cost of every choice is the road not taken, so before you choose, walk both roads in your mind to the very end, and only then decide which regret you would rather carry.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: yamba wubulku manilmu dandi jina kari maninmuny, yundu maninyjiku ngadiku, jina jambul milkanga murru bajakuka jilba, yalada nganga binal wanya milka-badil yundu wundinka wawu.


<translate> Work first, story after — that one little order built every camp on this river.

Murni-ngurr, kuku-jangkar badaku, murni-jinabu buban yinyabu bayan nyubun-nyubun bungan wawubajanga.


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

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


<translate> The old woman said her grief for her husband was deep, but her love for her children was deeper still, and it held her up.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: nyungu jiba-badi wawubaja-nka dajali, yamba nyungu kuru karrkay-karrkay-nka dajali bajaku, yinya nyunya wandi-mani.


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


<translate> This spear is broken: the point is gone, the barb is bent, and the bamboo shaft has snapped; I will make a new one from that bamboo.

Nyiku kalka murrnga-jin: kurrajan kari, jinil buyun, dara murrngan; ngayu nambarr-bu kalka baja bungay.


<translate> We see the small conical shellfish there.


<translate> We will eat when your father comes back, not before.

Ngana nukal nganjan kadanya baja, kari ngadiku.


<translate> The goose is standing there.


<glossary> nubiji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> What are you looking for?


<translate> Grandfather's stories grew a little every year, and the true parts grew strongest — a good story feeds its bones first.

Kuku-jangkar kamimuny yalbay-man buban wawu nyubun-nyubunba, daji manubajamuny junkurr-man bajaku: kuku-jangkar yukilbu bajibay nyungu mayi-dayal ngadiku-ngurr.


<translate> The old man threw the many-pronged fish spear and held the big flathead down against the sandy bottom.

Mukul-dingkarangka yinba daman, dalmbal yalbay jukar-jina-nga bada karrban.


<translate> The black scrub goanna is on the ground.


<translate> The bark of the tea tree, when it is ground up, takes the pain out of a sore.

Bijin-juku-mu buyku nyurrban, nyulu kaka manin baji-muny.


<translate> The two brothers fought over the fish, but the old man spoke to them, and soon they made peace and shared the catch.

Yaba jambul kuyu-nka kuni-wan, yambada mukul-dingkarangka jananda balkan, jana ngulkurr-man, kuyu daji-wan.


<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> Take the meat from the fire, put it on the big flat stone, and give some to the old people first.

Minya baya-muny mani, kulji yalbay-mba nanda, mukul-bama-nka daya ngadiku.


<translate> They walked the coast road at low tide when the sand was firm, watching for the tracks of the turtles that come up the beaches at night, and where they found the tracks they dug and found the eggs buried in the warm sand.

Jana jalun baral jilban bana badanya wanja jukar junkurr, jana nyajil ngawiya jina nyulu jalunba wujurr wandina, wanja jana jina nyajin jana bikan ngawiya kabul nyajin jukar wumbulba kunjinmu.


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


<translate> The women scraped the yams and put them in the oven.

Jalbu-jalbungku wukay yurrin, kurrmanga mumbanda.


<translate> You two see the flat rock here.


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


<translate> The young woman prepared her first big fish for the whole family, wanting to do it perfectly: she scaled and cleaned it carefully at the water, made a good fire and let it burn to coals, wrapped the fish in the right leaves with a little fat, laid it in the coals and turned it at the right moment, tested that it was cooked through, served the old ones first, and then watched anxiously as everyone tasted her cooking.

Karrkay-jalbu nyungu kuyu yalbay ngadiku bungan jawun-karra wubulkunka, wawu nyulu yukil bajaku bunganka: nyulu jindi karra bananga buban-buban, baya ngulkurr bungan wula ngunjilku dungan, kuyu birra yukilba wandul buban baja buwan, ngunjilba daya murni-manin wungar yukilba, jani dukurr-mundu nyajin, mukul ngadiku daya, yalada janka-kari nyajin bama wubulku nyungu waju nganja-kangalnya.


<translate> The two old women kept telling stories.


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


<translate> They saw the mingur tree there.


<translate> Father left liver in the shade.


<glossary> wawu yungal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> Hank is wishing for a new outboard motor

Hankangka wawu yungal-yungal motorka jirakalka


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


<translate> Grandmother dislikes half-ripe mangoes on principle.


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

Dingkarangka kuyu daman, nyulu ngundu kada-nya.


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


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


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


<translate> You two saw the bilu-warra spoonbill here.


<translate> You all see the running water here.


<translate> In the early morning the old man rises with the sun and walks down to the cool river to bathe.

Wunkuwingku mukul-dingkar wungar-jirr wandin, bana ngiki-ka bada jilban janji-nka.


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


<translate> Sea-turtle meat is softer than fish, so the old people give it to the ones who have lost their teeth.

Minya ngawuya jarra-kima kuyu-ka, bama mukul yinya dajin dirra maru-maru-nka.


<translate> You and I see the small bat there.


<glossary> dudu ; type=noun ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> The knife is blunt, you should sharpen it


<translate> The ground was wet and the digging was easy.


<translate> You and I see the dove there.


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


<glossary> badi ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> They are wailing because their older brother died


<translate> The men painted their bodies with white clay and red ochre for the dance; the old man drew the totem lines, and each design told which country a man belonged to.

Dingkar-dingkarangka bangkarr bajar-bu, murbuy-bu julngkan wuri-nka; mukul-dingkarangka bama-mu duburan julngkan, nyubun-nyubun duburan-du balkan wanya-mu bubu.


<translate> The old woman said the road always looks longer going out than coming back, though the distance is the same, for on the way out you carry the weight of not-knowing, and on the way home you carry only your tiredness and your stories.

Wulbumanangka balkan: baral yabarrka kalbay-baja wangkar dungalmu kadalmuny, murni nyubun, wangkar dungalba yundu jarrakulbal dandi binal-karimu, bayan-mundu kadalba yundu jarrakulbal nyungu wawu-wula-y nyungu jangkar baja.


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


<translate> The long brown snake lay hidden in the dry grass right beside the narrow track.

Jarba jinkalmu kalbay jikan marral-ba ngaki-nya wuna-l, jina buban karangkal.


<translate> They see the windbreak there.


<glossary> wawu-darra ; type=noun ; domain=dimension-size <usage_example> The house is too small for all the people (just can't fit in)


<translate> The dog licked the child's head.


<translate> The wives said to the men: go and get some fish for the little children.

Manyarr-karra-ngka dingkar-anda yalaman: Dunga-y kuyu mani, karrkay buban-anda!


<translate> You saw the biru-biru rainbow bird there.


<glossary> yunu ; type=adjective ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Where is your dog?


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


<translate> The old man examined the sky thoroughly at dusk, watching for the sign of the coming rain.

Mukul-dingkar jiri nyaji-l-nyaji-n wujurr-ma-nya, kaba kada-nya-mu binal-nka.


<translate> On the cold mornings the river wears the fog like a blanket pulled up to the chin, the old woman said, and the birds talk inside it unseen, so the fishers sit and wait at the edge, for the sun will fold that blanket back before the food fires ask for them, and a fish caught in the clearing fog carries the smell of two seasons.

Muduwajuny kiway-kiwaymba wawubaja kararr-ji ngurrbal-ji yala bama kararr kulbal bariku, wulbumanangka balkan, jarruka-jarruka balkal dukurrba nyungu nyajil-kari, yalada kuyu-bama bundal janay ngundu, wungarbu kararr yinya murnil baja mayi-baya babajinyjiku, kuyu maninmuny ngurrbal dunganya nyulu jila-ji wungar-jina jambulmuny.


<glossary> wanyurrinku ; type=interrogative ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Why did he laugh?


<translate> When the men find a python in a hollow log, the old man said, they block both ends and cut it out, for its meat is fat and very good to eat.

Dingkar-dingkar kabul walmba janku-ba nyaji-nya, mukul-dingkar balkan, jana ngandal jambul nandal, baka ngalkal, nyungu minya wandul ngulkurr nuka-nka.


<translate> The dog chased the fat pig around and around the camp until at last it ran off into the scrub.

Kaya bikibiki wandul kangan murru-murru bayan, bikibiki madja-ka wanarrin kariku-muny.


<translate> They saw the jinkalmu snake there.


<glossary> kalbariji ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> If you eat the finger cherry, you'll get blind when you get to be an old woman

Yundu kalbariji nukal, yundu wulbumanmal, yundu miyil-burramalda


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


<translate> You all saw the julaji freshwater catfish there.


<translate> The wood there is not thick.


<translate> When the cold season ended, the family moved camp and went up the river to the hill country.

Buluriji dunganya, jawunkarra jurrkijin, wawubaja wangkar dungan bubu manjalka.


<translate> The children learned to be glad for others' good fortune, and they found that a person who can rejoice in another's joy has many joys, while a person eaten by ngujan has none, however much they own.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman bama yindumu ngulkurrka wawu-mini janayka, jana nyajin bama nyulu bama yindumu wawu-mininga wawu-mini janay wawu-mini wubulji, bama ngujanbu nukanmuny wawu-mini-kari, nyulu yamba wubul karrbal baja.


<translate> We see the corkwood tree there.


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

Karrkay-karrkay wulngku mukul janka badin, mukul-bama-ngku ngulkurr nyajin.


<translate> A hunter who shares his kill is rich in friends, said the old man, and friends are better than meat.

Balbibama nyulu minya dajil jawunbu wubul, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, jawun ngulkurr minyamuny.


<translate> Put the tools back where the hands expect them — the night has no eyes.

Yamba-murni yijarri baja wanja mara binal, wujurr miyil-kari.


<translate> The old man gave the baby his grandfather's name, and the mother said it was good.

Mukul-dingkarangka ngawa burri dalkin kami-mu, ngamungku ngulkurr balkan.


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


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


<translate> The little one who had cried for water was the first to fall asleep, full and happy at last.

Karrkay buban, nyulu banaka badin ngadiku, warngku wunanyarr, mayiji wawu-mini.


<translate> The child washed himself in the river.


<translate> Nobody swims here, said grandad. This is the shark's water.

Kamingka balkan: kari yaluy marajika. Yanyu yaburrumu bana.


<translate> Before dawn the old man walked down to the river, sat on a stone, and watched for the fish in the shallow water.

Mukul dingkar bada dungan wawubajanga muduwajuny, kuljinga bundandan, kuyuka nyajil-nyajin bubanba.


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


<translate> Kind is a doing-word here, the old woman said: manun-manun is as manun-manun does — bring wood, sit with the sick one, wait for the ones who are not fast.

Manun-manun nyulu murni yanyaba, wulbumanangka balkan: manun-manun nyulu wanyu manun-manun murnil: juku mana, bunda bambaynji, janay bamanka warri-karinka.


<translate> The blue-tongue lizard is on the ground.


<translate> We built a big fire on the beach so the fishermen could see home.

Ngana baya yalbay ngaran jukara, dingkar-dingkarangka nyajinka.


<glossary> kaki ; type=particle ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> When/if you go, close the gate


<translate> When the old man died, the old woman cried, and all the people cried too, just the same, for they had all loved him.

Mukul-dingkar wula-nya, mukul-jalbu badin, bama narmba badin yala-rrku, jana wubulku nyungu-nka kuru-jirr.


<translate> Her long grey hair hung down like the dry yellow grass on the high river bank.

Nyungu mungka kalbay ngungul-ngungul bada wunay, yala jikan marral jalkar-a wunay.


<translate> I see the mother's father there.


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


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

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


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

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


<translate> You all saw the jabil lizard there.


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

Nganjin ready jilba dunganka, yundu juwaku bundanday


<translate> Give it here first! wash your hands first! drink water first before you talk! — the sharp little rr rides at the end of the telling word when the order matters, the old woman taught the girls, so listen for it: when you hear daya-rr and julurri-ka-rr, the speaker is not just asking, they are setting the world on its right road.

Daya-rr! julurri-ka-rr mara! bana-ngurr nuka balkanka ngadiku! kuku buban 'rr' bundal kuku badaba murni-jina yalbaynya, wulbumanangka jalbu-buban milbin, yalada milka-janay yinyaka: kaki yundu milka-janay 'daya-rr' 'julurri-ka-rr', balkal-bama nyulu kari nganga babajil, nyulu bubu yijarril baralba yukilba.


<translate> Did the old woman finally finish weaving the big new dilly-bag, the child asked eagerly, and the mother told her that indeed she had finished it.

Mukul-jalbu ngunyin yalbay jirakal jaba kunbayn niji? karrkay wawu-bu nyajin, ngamu-ngku nyunguny balkan nyulu kunbayn-nya.


<translate> Everyone will help — with many hands the work is fast.

Jana wubulku mara-dajil — mara wubul, jinbalku kirrajil.


<translate> The dog came straight towards us.


<translate> The white-tailed rat is there.


<translate> The two small fish were cooked in the coals and shared out among all the children.

Kuyu jambul buban baya-nga waju-jin, karrkay-karrkay-ka wubul daji-jin.


<translate> The boy watched the old man's hands and came to understand that patience itself was a kind of tool.

Karrkayangka mukulmu mara nyajin, binalmanda: wunbu nyulu yamba yala.


<translate> The old woman said the fire is where the day comes to rest: the hunting done, the food cooking, the people drawing in from the edges of the country to the one warm center, and it is here, in the good tiredness after the meal, that the stories are told and the children learn who they are and where they come from.

Wulbumanangka balkan: baya wanja wungar mara-kunbanka kaday: balbil dumban, mayi wajunya, bama bubu wular-muny ngundu-mundu dukurr-bu wumbul nyubunku kadan, yinya, mayimuny wawu-wula-y yukilba, jangkar balkan karrkay-karrkay binal jana wanyu jana wanjamuny kadanmu.


<translate> You all see the tree snake here.


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

Bula minya wali-yindu walu-yindu kalkabu mungkin


<translate> You see the fighting stick there.


<translate> We see the young cassowary here.


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


<translate> He sees the kurrija octopus here.


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


<translate> The plain turkey walks slowly across the open grassland with its head held high, the old woman said, but it runs very fast when a hunter comes near.

Kurrbal bubu ngalkal jikan-ba janka jilba, walu jarra-jarra-ba karrba, mukul-jalbu balkan, yamba bila bajaku wanarri balbi-bama ngundu kada-nya.


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

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


<translate> You saw the yarrkay-yarrka group of children here.


<translate> Grandmother saw the white crane in the scrub.


<translate> You two saw the milkul soup there.


<translate> He saw the kungkun snake there.


<glossary> wambaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> Share out the meat now


<translate> The wind hit the camp first, bending the trees flat and tearing at the humpies and throwing dust and leaves everywhere.

Muyar bayan damanyarr, juku bada kulban, wurun kunin, jukar birra yilban yiringkurr.


<translate> They killed the wallaby and shared the good meat out to all the people in the camp.

Jana kadar kunin, minya ngulkurr bama narmba-nka dajin bayan-ba.


<translate> You all see the liver there.


<translate> Grandmother lit the fire at the camp.


<translate> When the old people tell the story of the old days, my heart feels sad and I want to cry.

Mukul-bama-ngka kuku balka-nya mukul wungar-mu, ngayku wubul jiba-badi, ngayu wawu badi-nka.


<translate> The children learned to say two things every day, to as many people as they could: thank you, which admits you needed them, and how can I help, which offers that you are needed too, and between those two small phrases a whole community is woven.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman kuku jambul wungar wubulku balkanka, bama wubulku jana maninka: wawu-mini balka, yinya milbil yundu jananka wawunmuny, yala ngayu mara-daji, yinya dajil yundunka baja wawu, jambulku kuku bubanba bama nyubun wukurril.


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


<translate> You and I see the fire there.


<translate> If a friend comes, I cook food and sweep the house.

Kaki jawun kaday, ngayu mayi wajul, bayan kidal.


<translate> The old man walked slowly along the sandy beach, leaning on his long, strong wooden walking stick.

Mukul-dingkar jilban buban-buban jukar-burr, nyungu juku kalbay junkurr-bu karrba-l.


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


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


<translate> The old woman said a childless couple was never truly without children, for in the kin-web the children of one's siblings and cousins were one's own to love and help raise, an aunt was a second mother, an uncle a second father, so that a child had many mothers and many fathers looking out for it, and a person who could not bear children could still pour all their parent-love into the wide family and never go without.

Wulbumanangka balkan dunyu-ngaybirr karrkay-kari nyulu kari bajaku karrkay-kari, jawun-karraba karrkay nyungu babarr-yaba bangunji baja nyulu nyungu-nyungu wawu-manilka dingkar-manilka baja, mukul nyulu ngamu jambul, kalnga nganjan jambul, karrkay nyulu ngamu wubul nganjan wubul karrbal nyajilmuny, bama nyulu kari karrkay wandi-manil nyulu nganga nyungu ngamu-wawu jawun-karra yalbay-mba bungal kari nganga janay.


<translate> The children found an old broken axe in the sand, its handle rotten and its stone dull; the old man said it was his father's, and he cleaned it and kept it in the house.

Karrkay-karrkayngku warrbi mukul murrnga-ji jukar-a nyajin, jaba kabu, kulji buyun; mukul-dingkarangka balkan yinya nyungu nganjan-mu, nyulu ngulkurr-bungan, bayan-ba karrban.


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


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


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


<translate> The dry-country goanna runs faster than the dog, so it always reaches the tree first.

Minya bubu-dukurr-mu jarra-jinbal kaya-ka, nyulu juku-ka warri wungar-nyubunmuny kadal.


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


<translate> We, not you, saw the milkul soup there.


<lexeme> upper reaches of the Bloomfield River


<translate> When the wallabies came close, the hidden hunters rose up and threw their spears all at once, and two big wallabies fell and the rest bounded away.

Darrba ngundu kadanda, balbibama ngaki-jinmuny wandin, kalka yilban nyubunbu, darrba jambul yalbay wulan, kanbal warrin baja.


<translate> Grandmother sees the rain there.


<translate> The black bean tree is good.


<translate> The person here is not quiet.


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


<translate> Dad showed the boomerang to me.


<translate> One old man was ear-blunt from birth and never heard a single word, but nobody called him word-less, for he read every face like open country and talked fast with his two hands, and the old woman said: language is a river, if the ear is closed it simply cuts another channel.

Dingkar mukul nyubun milka-dudu wandinmuny, nyulu kuku nyubun kariku milka-janan, yambada bamangka nyulu kariku kunjan kuku-kari, nyulu walu wubulku nyajin yala bubu ngalkal, nyulu balkan warri marabu jambulbu, wulbumanangka balkan: kuku nyulu wawubaja, kaki milka nandajin, nyulu nganga bana-baral yindu yakal.


<translate> You and I saw the prawn there.


<translate> The old man said the goanna's fat was rubbed on the sore joints of the old people, and nothing else made them warm and easy again so well.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: jadi-mu wandul mukul-bama-mu bunku-ka murni, yindu-yindu kari jana wumbul ngulkurr-bungal yala.


<translate> You see the tiger shark there.


<translate> The two came, saw the food, and then ate.


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

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


<translate> You saw the bakay snake here.


<translate> The young man was bitten by a shark in the salt water, but the old people made him well with bush medicine.

Warru jalunba yaburr-undu bayka-jin, yambada mukul-mukul-ungku nyulu mayi-bu kakawarri-bungan.


<translate> The old man said learn the plants young, for the day will come when the old people are gone and only you can show the children where the food hides.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: mayi-juku binal-ma warru-ba, wungar kaday mukul-bama wulan, yundu nyubun karrkay-karrkay nyaji-mani mayi wanja wawan.


<translate> I saw the ngarkay waterhen there.


<translate> The women ground the hard seeds into meal on a big flat grinding stone by the morning fire.

Jalbu-ngku mayi junkurr murnin kulji yalbay-bu, baya ngundu wunkuwingku.


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


<translate> The Moreton Bay fig tree is standing outside.


<translate> The honey from this tree is the sweetest in all the country.

Wunba yala-muny juku-muny jiba-wula-wula-baja bubu wubul-a.


<translate> "My good knife is somewhere here in the camp, but I do not know where I put it in the dark last night."

Ngayku naybu ngulkurr wanjabu yala bayan-ba, yamba ngayu binal-kari wanja ngayu nanda ngungul-ba yilayku.


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


<translate> The young man saw fog at camp.


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


<translate> You and I see the coral there.


<translate> That folded clothing is there.


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

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


<translate> They see the rock python here.


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

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


<translate> We see the cloudless sky there.


<glossary> bubu ; type=noun ; domain=land-geography <usage_example> the clothes are dirty now


<translate> We see the spider shell there.


<translate> They saw that kurunkal mangrove.


<translate> That person there is not kind.


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


<translate> Don't travel water-without in the hot season — not even one day.

Kari jilbal bana-kari wangariji, wungar nyubun baja.


<translate> My cousin came from the seaside people to get spears from us.

Ngayku bangunji jalun-ji-warra-muny kadan, kalka mani-nka.


<translate> The boy asked the old man which was the strongest animal, and the old man turned it into a lesson by asking back a chain of his own: strongest at what — at lifting, at running, at holding on, at going without water, at surviving fire, for the crocodile is strongest in the water and useless on the ridge, and the question which is strongest has no answer until you first ask, strongest for what task and in what place?

Buban mukulungku dingkar babajin wanyu minya junkurr bajaku, mukulungku dingkarangka yinya milbil-manin babajin kuku nyungu-nyungu: junkurr wanyunka — jarrakulbalka, warrinka, karrbanka, bana-karibu janayka, baya wula-karibu, bilngkumu junkurr bajaku bananga jina-kiway yamba-yukil-kari, kuku wanyu junkurr nyulu kuku-daji-kari yundu ngadiku babajil, junkurr wanyu kirrajinka wanja bubungu?


<translate> Mum sent the food with granny.


<translate> You and I saw the grasshopper there.


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

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


<translate> You and I saw the jamal egg white here.


<translate> "Who is that man standing over there by the water, the one with the long spear in his hand?"

Wanya yinya dingkar janay yinyay bana ngundu, yinya kalka kalbay-jirr mara-ba?


<translate> In the middle of the night, wind came.


<translate> The children slept close to the old people.

Karrkay-karrkay warngku wunan kamba-kambanda ngundu.


<translate> I hear the whistle sound here.


<translate> The child sees the whirlwind there.


<translate> You two saw the karrandal tree here.


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


<translate> That woman saw me at the camp and called me by my name.

Yinya jalbu-ngka nganya nyajin bayan-ba, ngayku burri-bu kunjan.


<translate> The rats came into the camp at night and ate the yams in the bag.

Kukur bayan-ba kadan wujurr-ba, bambayal nukal balji-nga.


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

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


<translate> We heard a song from the house.


<translate> That wood there is not coarse.


<translate> The big fat witchetty grubs live in the roots of the certain tree, the old woman said, and the children dig them out and eat them raw or roast them in the coals.

Mujurr yalbay wandul juku yindu-mu ngara-ba wuna, mukul-jalbu balkan, karrkay-karrkay baka ngalkal, waju-kari nuka kubu-ba waju-jirr.


<translate> The old man said if a snake lies across your path do not step over it, for you cannot see what its tail is doing, but wait, and it will move, because it wants to meet you no more than you want to meet it, and most trouble passes if you only give it room.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki jarba baral naka-naka wunay kari wangkar jilba, yundu murruji nyaji nyungu junkan wanya bungal, yambada kalka, nyulu dungay, nyulu wawu yundu nyaji-way kari junkurr-baja yundu nyulunka, dukul-yamba wubulku dungay kaki yundu nganga bubu daji.


<translate> When the high tide comes in the fish come with it into the creek, and the men wait at the narrow place with their spears.

Balar kadanya, kuyu kadan jalunji yilkinga, dingkar-dingkar maku-janan yilki bubanba kalkaji.


<translate> We hear the whistle sound there.


<translate> They saw the boxwood tree there.


<translate> You see the mother's father.


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


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


<translate> He sees the straw-necked ibis there.


<translate> He sees the black snake here.


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


<translate> The old man said there is a relation of careful avoidance between a man and his mother-in-law, and it is not coldness but deep respect: the two do not look directly at each other, do not speak directly, do not sit close, and a message between them passes through a third person, and though outsiders find this strange, the old people understood it as a way of protecting a delicate bond from the friction that closeness can bring.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan karra jibarr-jibarr janan dingkar nyungu biwul jambulmuny, nyulu kari kaka-milka yambada yulmbarril dukurr: jambul kari nyaji-way nyubunji, kari balka-way nyubunji, kari ngundu bundal-way, kuku jambulji jilban bama kulur-mundu, bama-nka yinya kari binal, bama mukul milkabu baykan nyulu yala karra kima karrbanka kuni-way ngundu-mundu-muny.


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


<translate> The woman asked grandfather about fish.


<translate> He sees the wangku tree there.


<translate> They saw the empty box there.


<translate> You all see the mura tree there.


<translate> The dog chased the fat pig around and around the camp until at last it ran off into the scrub.

Kaya bikibiki wandul kangan murru-murru bayan, bikibiki madja-ka wanarrin kariku-muny.


<translate> The child asked the girl about the mango.


<translate> You and I saw the bajalji python here.


<translate> They saw the woomera butt here.


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


<translate> The smouldering log is there.


<translate> You and I saw the yiki owl here.


<translate> I saw the mackerel sky here.


<translate> You two saw the kalkarrumbarr lizard there.


<translate> They heard the barking sound here.


<translate> That clothing is not narrow.


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


<translate> Many people sat in the shade of the big fig tree, ate the sweet ripe fruit, and talked.

Bama wubul jarrangkal wabarrba, mayi kulbul jiba-wulay nukan, jana balkan.


<translate> The children learned to wash themselves without being told, to keep their sleeping place clean, and to dry themselves properly in the cold season.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman julurri-jinka kari balkanyjiku, nyungu warngku-wanja dayirr kujinka, nyulu-nyulu marraljinka bulurijinga.


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


<translate> The men brought back spears and sticks and plenty of firewood to the big camp.

Dingkar-angka kalka, juku, baya-juku wubul baja bayan yalbay-ka wundin.


<translate> When the children washed in the river each morning, the old man said, they were not just cleaning their skin but greeting the water and thanking the country for another day.

Karrkay-karrkay wawubajanga julurri-jinya wunkuwingku wubulku, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, jana kari nyubun bangkarr dayirrmanil, banaka kuku dajin, bubunka nyubun wungarmu ngulkurr balkan.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the jiwal-jiwal kingfisher there.


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<lexeme> the point between Kangkiji and Kaway


<translate> You two see the outrigger canoe there.


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

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


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


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


<translate> The old woman cried out to the children: "Do not go!"

Mukul-jalbu karrkay-karra-nda yirrkan: "Kari dunga-y!"


<translate> The children learned to take the precaution and then let the worry go, for worry after precaution is a debt paid twice, and the whole point of preparing is to be free to act without fear.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman nyaji-ngarr maninka, milka-badil yindu bawanka, milka-badil nyaji-ngarrmuny yala yamba jambul dajil, nyaji-ngarrmu yala nganga kaja-kari yinil-kari ngaranka.


<translate> Mother saw the moon outside.


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


<translate> The people ate hairy-yam food.


<translate> I saw the darrba grass wallaby here.


<translate> We see the kurrujuwa sentry bird here.


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


<translate> Where is your mother now? I have not seen her since early this morning.

Yunu ngamu wanjabu niji? Ngayu nyunguny kari nyajin wunkuwingku-muny.


<translate> The friend asked mother about news.


<translate> You saw the bayil jungle perch here.


<translate> You two saw the spear barb there.


<translate> The old woman said: the country's remedy is strong, but a person also gets well from good care and quiet.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bububu kalbal junkurr, yambada bama jani-mal ngulkurrbu wunbungu.


<translate> You see the Leichhardt tree here.


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


<translate> You saw the walkarr goanna there.


<translate> The geese flew high over the grey sea in a long line towards the cold wind.

Jamarbina wubul jalun wangkar-a kalbay-baja dunga-y, muyar ngiki-ka.


<translate> Grandfather's stories grew a little every year, and the true parts grew strongest — a good story feeds its bones first.

Kuku-jangkar kamimuny yalbay-man buban wawu nyubun-nyubunba, daji manubajamuny junkurr-man bajaku: kuku-jangkar yukilbu bajibay nyungu mayi-dayal ngadiku-ngurr.


<translate> The little child would not sit still, but kept jumping up and running around the big warm fire.

Karrkay buban kari bundal janka, jalama-l-jalaman wandi, wanarri baya wumbul murru-murru.