<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> I saw the kurrmaja larvae there.


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<translate> A promise spoken at night must be said again in daylight — words need witnesses the way fires need stones.

Kuku-dandi balkanmuny wujurrba balkal baja wungara: kukubu nyaji-bama wawu-manil yala bayabu kulji.


<translate> This five-corner nut is sweet, and the children gather it in the dry time.

Yanyu bijalabay jiba-wula-wula, karrkay-karrkay-angka bangkal wungar wumbul-ba.


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


<translate> The young man saw the snake outside.


<translate> They saw the kalbali tall man there.


<translate> You and I see the mirrki kidney bird there.


<translate> Grandmother saw the bark at camp.


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


<translate> The mother asked: How many fish did you catch, and who carried them all the way back to the camp?

Ngamungka babajin: Yurra kuyu wanjarrinya manin, wanyangka jana wundin bayanka kalbaymuny?


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


<translate> The chicken hawk hangs high and still in the wind, the old man said, then drops like a stone on the little bird in the grass.

Jinabiju karrkan-ba janka bunda muyar-a, mukul-dingkar balkan, yinyamun nangki mudu-ma-l, kulji yala bada daray buyi buban jikan-ba.


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


<translate> You two see the warrabuka yam here.


<translate> Give the fish to us two, and we will cook it for you two.

Kuyu ngalinka daji, ngali waju-l yubalanka.


<translate> The woman saw the scrub turkey outside.


<translate> The woman sees the stingray.


<translate> He sees the mungka-mungka tree there.


<translate> The child pestered his mother for food.

Karrkay ngamu-ndu mayi-ka walngkurrijin.


<translate> You and I see the smoke there.


<translate> That person there is skilled.


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


<translate> The woman saw the fire at camp.


<translate> The woman put wood near the fire.

Jalbu-ngku juku yijarrin baya ngundu-ba.


<translate> They saw the jiljay grub there.


<translate> You two saw the bayil jungle perch there.


<glossary> kidal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Sweep the dirt


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

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


<translate> They saw the small ant bed here.


<translate> The old man carved two clap-sticks, painted them with red ochre, and beat them together to keep the dance; the boys heard them across the camp and came running.

Mukul-dingkarangka jaba jambul yakan, murbuy-bu julngkan, muru kunin wuri-nka; karrkayngku bayan wubul-burr milkabu nyajin, warri kadan.


<translate> The old woman said the sweetest three steps of any journey are the last three, the ones that carry you across your own threshold, and the loneliest three steps are the first, when the camp falls behind and the road ahead is long and empty.

Wulbumanangka balkan: jilbalmu jina ngamu-baja kulur bada bajaku, jina jana yundu nyungu bayan-mundu jarrakulbal, jina jirrbu-jirrbu bajaku ngadiku, bayan bada dungay nganga baral wangkar kalbay yamba-kari.


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


<translate> The man sharpened the knife on the stone, split the log with it, made a good fire, and it burned much of the night.

Dingkarangka naybu kuljibu nyurrban, juku murrngan, baya ngulkurr-bungan, nyulu wujurr wubul wajun.


<translate> A wise camp does the right work in the right season, he said: tools in the wet, hunting in the dry, always looking ahead.

Bayan binal ngulkurr kirrajil yala wungara, nyulu balkan: yamba buluriji, balbi wangariji, yabarrka maku nyajil.


<translate> The old man said the young often ask what should I do with my life, and the old ones answered not with a plan but with better questions: what makes the day pass without your noticing, what would you do even if no one thanked you, whose troubles feel like your own, what will the country need that you could become, for the question what should I do is answered only by the questions that reveal who you already are.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan warru nganga babajil wanyu ngayu murni ngayku wawu-kalbaymuny, mukul jana kuku-yukil-manin kari kuku-yalbaybu yambada kuku yukil-baja: wanyu wungar jilban yundu kari nyajilnya, wanyu yundu murni bama nyubun kari wawu-mini dayanya, wanya nyungu mumbu yundu nyungu-nyungu yala, wanyu bubu wawu-manil yundu bunganmuny, kuku wanyu ngayu murni nyulu kuku-yukil-manil nganga kuku yinya wanya yundu ngadiku janaymuny nyajilmuny.


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


<translate> We see the jadalangka animal leg here.


<translate> Early in the morning the men went down to the river, built a weir of stones across the shallow channel, drove the fish into it, speared them one by one, and then carried the whole catch back up to the camp.

Muduwajungu dingkar-dingkar wawubaja-mundu badan, kulji-makarr bungan bana buban naka-naka, kuyu dukurr-bu yijarrin, nyubun nyubun daman, yalada kuyu wubulku bayan-mundu wangkar jarrakulbanda.


<translate> The black diver bird is there.


<translate> Father put water on the child's foot.

Nganjan-angka bana yijarrin karrkay-anda jina-nga.


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

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


<translate> The azure kingfisher is there.


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


<glossary> muja-muja ; type=adjective ; domain=texture <usage_example> You should dry out your tent; it might get rotten


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


<translate> The dead kangaroo was carried home on the young man's back through the long grass.

Mayarriji wula-nya warru-nda muku-ngu bayan-ka wundi-jin, jikan kalbay-ba.


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


<translate> That snake is far more to be feared than this one, so the children must never go near the long grass.

Yinya jarba jarra-yinil-baja nyiku-ka, karrkay kariku bilanji-kalbay ngundu dunganka.


<translate> The old woman said the inner country was as wide and various as the outer country, with its own seasons and winds, its own storms and its own calm bright days.

Wulbumanangka balkan: wawu bubu yala yalbay yindu-yindu bubu badabadamuny, nyungu wungar, nyungu muyar, nyungu jarramali, nyungu wungar janka balbajil.


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


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


<translate> Grandad went east to the mountain.


<glossary> warmbill ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The people don't believe the Pastor


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


<translate> They two see the sea turtle there.


<translate> I saw the mawul freshwater eel here.


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


<translate> Mother did not wake the baby.


<translate> The old woman felt the boy's hot head and looked into his eyes and knew what sickness had taken him.

Wulbumanangka karrkaymu dukul wumbul nyunjan, miyilba nyajin, binal wanya bambaybu nyungu manin.


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


<translate> They two see the spear barb there.


<translate> You all saw the spring here.


<translate> The man is good with cattle.


<translate> The dogs found an echidna but left it alone.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the biru-biru rainbow bird here.


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

Jana jinbalku dungan, buwunda bana minji-kangan


<translate> The fire is small, but it is hot.


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


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


<translate> The kids chased the chickens around the camp.

Karrkay-karrkayangka jukijuki kangan bayanba.


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


<translate> You two saw the yuray snake there.


<translate> The spear is on the open ground.


<translate> The child cried while the mother was digging, so the grandmother held it and sang out.

Karrkay badin, ngamu baka-nya, babingka karrban, yirrkan.


<translate> We see the black kangaroo there.


<translate> Tomorrow the fish will be put in the sun to dry.

Wunkun kuyu wungara yijarril, marralmanka.


<translate> You all saw the jirabay lizard there.


<translate> The children gathered dry grass and small sticks to start the evening fire quickly.

Karrkay-karrkay jikan marral juku buban bangkan, baya jinbal-baja jakalamba-nka.


<translate> That pheasant cuckoo is there.


<translate> Granny woke them up — time to go home.

Babingka janangan warndimanin — bayanba dunganka!


<translate> I see the white-tailed rat here.


<translate> You two see the lightning there.


<translate> From the rain, the water rose.


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


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> They saw the balmbalka tree there.


<translate> You see the ground lizard here.


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

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


<translate> The friend asked father about the mango.


<translate> The water kept coming and kept coming, the old woman said of the flood year, and the people kept moving up, and the children kept crying until the old man sang, and he sang on and on until they went quiet, for a hard thing is only ever taken by a harder one.

Bana kankaday kankaday, wulbumanangka balkan bana-yalbaymuny, bama jilbal wangkar jilbal wangkar, karrkay-karrkay banbadi yalada mukulungku dingkarangka wulngku badin, nyulu badin yabarrka jana wunbu-manya, yamba dandi nyulu maninmuny yamba dandi-bajabu nganga.


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


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


<translate> We two, not you, see the dukul-barangkal flathead fish here.


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

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


<translate> The old man cut the bark of the fig in one long strip, the child watching, and made a strong dilly-bag string that would not break under a heavy load.

Mukul-dingkarangka dukal dumbul yaba-l nyubun kalbay, karrkay nyaji-nya, karra junkurr bungal yinkar-nka, kari dumbarri mayi kulngkul-muny.


<translate> "What is that big animal moving slowly through the long grass down by the creek there?"

Wanyu yinya minya yalbay jilba buban-buban jikan kalbay-burr wawubaja bada-ba?


<translate> Why did the men leave so very early in the morning, before the sun had even come up?

Wanyurringku dingkar wunkuwingku-baja dungan, wungar wandi-nyjiku?


<translate> After that great flood, the old man said, the country was never quite the same again for the old people, and the river ran in a new course to the sea.

Wawu-yinya-muny jalungkarr yalbay, mukul-dingkar balkan, bubu kari yindu-baja mukul-bama-nka, bana-jandu jina jirakal-ba dunga jalun-ka.


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


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


<translate> You see the deep water there.


<translate> How many bones hold a person upright? a boy asked, and the old woman said: very many, more than the fingers of both hands, and each one stands close-fitting against its neighbour, for the body is a house of bones tied together with flesh, and if one small bone goes bad the whole tall house sinks down.

Wanjarrinya bajibay bama karrbal wangkarku? buban babajin, wulbumanangka balkan: wubul bajaku, wubul-baja mara jambulmuny, nyubun-nyubun murrba janay nyubunji, bangkarr nyulu bayan bajibaymuny kajan bangkarrbu, kaki bajibay buban nyubun mumbu-mal bayan yalbay wubulku bada-mal.


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


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


<translate> He threw the spear down hard and true, and struck the stingray behind the head where it could not sting him.

Nyulu kalka bada yilban junkurrku yaral, yawu daman dukul kudamundu, kari nyungu damanka.


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


<translate> The frightened bird flew up into the tall tree and sat there calling in the cold dawn.

Buyi yini-yini juku kalbay wangkar marra-warrin, yinyay bundan yirrka-l wunkuwingku ngiki-ba.


<translate> The kookaburras call out to one another across the valley at the first light of day.

Kururrungka wubul muru yirrka-wa-l bubu-ngu, wungar kada-nya.


<translate> The two men waded out to the reef, speared the green turtles, and came back at sunset.

Dingkar jambul dulngku-ngu dungan, yalnga daman, wungar bada-nya kadan-baja.


<translate> We (not you) are going hunting now; you stay here with the women.

Nganjin niji balbi-ka dunga-y; yundu yaluy bunda jalbu-jalbu-nji.


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


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


<translate> We see the grey March fly there.


<translate> After the meal, the children sleep.


<translate> We saw the bloodwood tree there.


<translate> They saw the charcoal there.


<translate> You two saw the freshwater eel here.


<glossary> junkurr-murubuku ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> He talked earnestly


<translate> They saw the freshwater eel.


<translate> The spoon bill bird is there.


<translate> The child saw the mountain peak.


<translate> Drink in your own turn at the small water, the old man set the thirsty walkers in a line: the children first of all, then the carriers, then the old people, then the hunters, and the dogs after everybody, for thirst is loud but order is older, and the line at the water is the oldest line in the world.

Nuka jinanji yundumuny bana bubanba, mukulungku dingkarangka jilba-bama bana-dakwuy-ji yijarrin jinanga: karrkay-ngurr, yalada wundil-bama, yalada bama mukul, yalada balbi-bama, kaya bama wubulkumuny badaku, bana-dakwuy nyulu kuku yalbay yambada murni-jina nyulu mukul-baja, jina-karra banaba nyulu jina-karra mukul bajaku bubungu.


<glossary> wuybubu kulbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He whipped the horse


<translate> The men carried the canoes down to the sea before dawn and paddled out to the island while the women slept.

Dingkar-dingkarangka marrakan wundin jalunba muduwajuny, burrira dungan, jalbu-jalbu warngku wunanya.


<translate> They came, got food, and then went.


<translate> I want to speak only to you.


<translate> We see the black snake here.


<translate> The flies are bad in the hot season.


<translate> They hear the thunderstorm there.


<translate> Who first found this good country? Our old grandfathers found it, long before the white man came; they followed the honey-birds to the water and never left.

Wanyangka nyiku bubu ngulkurr ngadiku milbin? Ngananga kami-karra milbin, waybala ngadiku kada-nya-muny; jana kawar-buyi wukurrin bana-nka, kariku bawan.


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


<translate> You two see the toadfish there.


<translate> The young men danced until dawn.

Warru-warru wurin. Muduwajuny jana wunanda.


<translate> The night was cold and we were without blankets, so we slept fire-with, dog-with, and close together.

Wujurr kiway-kiway, ngana kararr-kari, yalada ngana wunan baya-ji, kaya-nji, murrba.


<translate> The fish are biting this morning.


<translate> They saw the fire stick here.


<translate> The man put the stick on the road.


<translate> I see the freshwater prawn here.


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


<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> He shaped a new axe handle from hard wood and bound the stone head to it with vine.

Nyulu waymbil kimil jirakal ngaran juku junkurrmuny, kulji dukul kajan kalalbu.


<translate> The Moreton Bay fig tree is dry.


<translate> The two of them saw the julaji freshwater catfish there.


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


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


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

Ngayu kari nyajin, ngurrbalda yalbaynja kanbin


<translate> The old woman said a taste can carry you back across forty years in a single breath: the smell of a certain root roasting, the sweetness of a particular honey, the way her own mother cooked the fish, and this is one way the dead stay with us, in the food we still cook the way they taught us, so cook the old dishes, and they are there at the fire with you.

Wulbumanangka balkan: nganja yundu nyunbanmanil wungar wubulmuny nyubun wangarnga: jarra nyubun wajulmu nganja, wunba nyubunmu jiba-wulay, ngamu nyulu-nyulu yala kuyu wajunmu, yinya nyubun yala bama wula ngananji janji, mayinga ngana yabarrka wajul yala jana milbinmu, waju mayi ngadiku, jana yinya baya ngunduka yundunji.


<translate> When they finally reached the sea after four days in the ranges, the children who had never seen it before ran straight into the waves shouting, and the old man stood on the sand and wept, for he had walked this same last mile as a boy with his own grandfather.

Jana dukul jalunba kadan wungar jambul-jambulmuny yumalngu, karrkay-karrkay jana kariku jalun nyajinmu wangkar warrin dunguru kaya-kaya, mukulungku dingkarangka jukara janay badi, nyulu baral yinya kilba jilban buban janaymuny nyungu kamiji.


<translate> We walked all day across the wide open ground, following the old dry river bed.

Ngana wungar wubulku bubu kalbay-burr jilba-dungan, wawubaja marral kalbay wukurri-l.


<translate> The two old men kept sitting by the fire, talking on and on, and stayed there long after all the others had gone to sleep.

Mukul-dingkar jambul bundanday baya ngundu, balka-balka, jana wuna yinya-ba marri bama narmba warngku wuna-nya-muny.


<translate> We must travel down toward the sea, not up into the high inland country.

Ngana bada jalun-ka dunga-y, kari wangkar jibarr bubu jarra-jarra-ka.


<translate> Today we move camp — pack everything!


<translate> He saw the baliji people there.


<translate> The children laughed and told her all her questions one by one, and the whole family talked together late into the warm night.

Karrkay-karrkay yajarrin, ngamumu babaji wubulku balkan nyubun-nyubun, jawunkarra wubulku balka-wan kunarangkal wumbulba baja.


<translate> The camp was empty of people; there was nothing but the cold ashes of the fire.

Bayan bama-kari; yamba-kari, bajar ngiki baya-mu-baja.


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


<translate> Granny cooked the fish in the coals and gave it to everyone, but she kept the best piece for the old woman who lives alone.

Babingka kuyu wayjun nulungu, jananda dajin wubulku, yambada ngulkurr bajaku kujin wulbumananka nyulurrku bundanday.


<translate> That ground there is not flat.


<translate> I saw the bujil-yiran ibis here.


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


<translate> The grass was wet and the walking was slow.


<translate> You and I see the bandicoot here.


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


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


<translate> He saw the bajabaja lizard there.


<translate> They took the fire stick from the ground.


<translate> Wash your hands first, then come and eat.

Julurri-ka-rr mara, yalada kaday nukanka.


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


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


<translate> What kind of fish did they catch in the net down at the river mouth?

Kuyu wanyunguy jana karrban wawubaja-ngandal-ba?


<translate> The old man walked slowly up the mountain.


<translate> That night the first big storm of the wet season came, but the camp was ready and dry and warm.

Yinya kunarangkal jarramali yalbay kadanyarr buluriji, yambada bayan ngulkurrmanda, marral, wumbul.


<translate> The people hated the cruel wild man and did not want him to come near their quiet camp.

Bama wawu-kari bajaku dingkar kuli buyun-ka, jana kari wawu nyulu kadan bayan janka ngundu.


<translate> They took a net to catch a lot of fish.

Jana makarr wundin kuyu wubul bangka-nka.


<translate> The old man said the change from stranger to friend and from friend to kin can be watched happening over a season of shared work and shared food, for two who arrive as wary strangers, working side by side through a long hunt, sharing the catch, telling their stories by the fire, slowly change into friends, and friends who marry into each other's families change again into kin, so that the whole warm web of belonging is built, thread by thread, out of these small changes.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan yindu ngarrbalmuny jawunku jawunmuny jawun-karra-nka baja nyaji wungar nyubun jawun-karra-yamba mayi-yamba, jambul nyulu kadan ngarrbal yinil-ji, yamba-yukil nyubunji balbil wungar wubulku, mayi kunbal, nyungu-nyungu kuku-jangkar baya ngunduku balkal, buban-buban yindu-mal jawunku, jawun nyulu dunyu-manin nyubun-nyubun jawun-karra-nka yindu-mal jawun-karraku, karra-jawun wumbul wubulku bungan, karra nyubun-nyubun, yindu buban-buban yinyamuny.


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


<translate> Grandmother left the boomerang in the bag.


<translate> The waterholes filled, the grass grew tall, and the animals came back to the good country.

Bana buray mumbajinda, jikan kalbaymanda, minya-minya kadan baja bubungu ngulkurrbu.


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

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


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


<translate> The two of them saw the dukunjulu golden whistler here.


<translate> Everything has a front and a back, the old woman turned the basket: choose which one you show the wind.

Yamba nyubun-nyubun walu-ji muku-ji, wulbumanangka balji murnin: mana wanjaku yundu muyarka milbil.


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> Thick smoke rose up from the green wood and drove everyone quickly away from the camp.

Kubu junkurr juku kayal-muny wandin, bama wubul jinbal-baja dungan.


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

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


<translate> The two of them see the jungka wild cherry tree there.


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


<translate> The old woman said a garden of yams tended and a patch left untended diverge quickly, for the tended ground gives back tenfold what is put in while the neglected ground returns to scrub, and this is the deepest law she knew of all living things, people and plants and country alike: what is cared-for grows, and what is care-less withers, and there is no third way.

Wulbumanangka balkan juwal-bubu kuji-ji bubu kuji-kari warri janji, kuji-ji bubu dayal wubul-baja wanya bada yijarrinmuny yambada kuji-kari bubu majaji-mundu nyunbal, yinya kuku bada bajaku nyulu binalmuny yamba wula-mabi wubulku, bama mayi bubu baja yala: yamba kujin jarral, yamba kuji-kari yinil-manda, kari kulur baral.


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


<translate> The old woman sat in the shade twisting long strands of bark into strong string for a new dilly bag.

Wulbumanangka wabarrba bundandan, dubal kalbay murnin karra junkurrku, ngunyin jirakalka.


<translate> The old man had told the story before the children fell asleep.

Mukul-dingkar balkan, karrkay warngku-wuna-nyjiku.


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


<translate> Grandmother sees the swamp there.


<glossary> wuyarr ; type=adjective ; domain=perception <usage_example> He can't see him well, hes too far away

Nyulu wuyarr nbajaku nyajiji, kala-kalbay bajakunda


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

Jana warruwarru milka-daran milka-daran mayi ngakinka shopmunmun


<translate> Show it with your hand in the sand first of all; some words are only believed with a face.

Milbi marabu jukara ngadiku-ngurr: kuku nyubun-nyubun walu-ji nganga manubaja-bunganmuny.


<translate> The mud was deep and cold, and the men felt for the crabs with their feet, very quietly.

Kambal-kambal bada kiway, dingkar-dingkarangka kiju jina nyunjan, wunbu bajaku.


<translate> You see the posterior there.


<translate> Mother saw the child's body.


<translate> Granny threw them a piece of damper.


<translate> Grandmother said to the girl: "Come to the fire!"

Babi-ngka jalbu-karrkay-anda balkan: "Baya-ngundu kada-y!"


<translate> I saw the kakaji mangrove tree here.


<translate> Mother put the lawyer-cane top in the bag.


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


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

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


<translate> The child came out of the house.


<translate> You all saw the jurriyan satin bower bird there.


<translate> The old woman's ear is sore.


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


<translate> We saw the wooden sword here.


<translate> They saw the barrbal black bream there.


<translate> The big waves break on the reef, but the water is calm behind it.

Mulngku yalbay dulngku-ngu dumbarri, yambada bana janka kudamundu.


<translate> The grandmother said the worst thing a person can do is turn against their own brother or sister, for it breaks the bond that holds them both, and a person who will betray their own blood can be trusted by no one.

Babingka balkan: yamba mumbu bajaku bamamu nyulu nyungu yaba babarr kudamundu murninka, yinya kaji jambulku karrbal kaka-manil, bama nyulu nyungu jawun-karra kilbamanil kari bamabu manu-baja-bunganka.


<translate> Do you want to eat now, or shall we two wait for the others to come back?

Yundu wawu nuka-nka, ngali karrbal jana kada-nka?


<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> We two, not you, saw the birinjil centipede here.


<translate> The old woman is chatting with her younger sister.


<translate> The little gecko clings to the bark wall of the shelter and eats small insects at night.

Bilbil-bilbil buban bayan-ba karrba-l, minya buban wujurr-ba nuka-l.


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


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


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


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


<translate> I watched the old man making the spear, the old man said, and by watching I learned how to bind the sharp point to the spear.

Ngayu mukul-dingkar nyaji-l-nyaji-n, kalka bunga-l-bunga-nya, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyaji-nya-bu ngayu binalman jalbu junkurr kaja-nka kalka-ka.


<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> We two, not you, saw the kurranday seagull here.


<translate> I see the wurrul shellfish here.


<translate> They saw the large bat there.


<glossary> kumbir ; type=adjective ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> I'm better now, after being sick


<translate> That blue mountain parakeet is there.


<translate> The old man asked the young boys how many kangaroos they had caught in the thick scrub.

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru babajin, wanjarrinya mayarriji jana madja-nga karrban.


<translate> One old word walks on two legs, the old man laughed: hand-loose names a generous person, from whose hand things come fast to other people, and it names another person too, from whose hand things just fall down, so when you hear it, look at the speaker's face, for the face gives the word its meaning.

Kuku mukul nyubun jilbal jandal jambulbu, mukulungku dingkarangka yajarr-man: mara-jalajala nyulu kunjal bama jaway, maramuny nyungu yamba bamanka yindu warri kaday, nyulu kunjal bama yindu baja, maramuny nyungu yamba nganga bada kaday, kaki yundu yinya milka-janay, nyaji walu balkal-bamamuny, walubu kuku dayal.


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


<translate> They see the freshwater turtle.


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

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


<translate> With his sharp ears the child heard the dingo far away in the night.

Karrkayangka milka dandi-bu murramu ngaran kalbay-mba wujurr-ba.


<translate> The woman saw the black crow.


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


<translate> They saw the ngadil hickory tree here.


<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> I see the jungka wild cherry tree here.


<translate> If a snake is close by, the children stay in the house.

Kaki jarba ngundu janay, karrkay-karrkay bayan-ba bundanday.


<translate> You all saw the karrmbil parakeet here.


<translate> The old woman brought the boomerang from the house.

Wulbuman-angka wangal bayan-muny wundin.


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

Yundu badur wundil, nguba kuyu-ngku baykal.


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

Ngayu nyunguny nyajin yilayku, nyulu bambay bajaku.


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


<translate> Sea-turtle meat is much softer than the meat of the big scrub-hen, the old man always said.

Minya ngawiya jarra-kima minya jarruka-ka, mukul-dingkar-angka wungar wubulku balkan.


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


<translate> The old man shouted loudly across the wide river to call the two hunters home before the dark.

Mukul-dingkar yirrkan yalbay-bu wawubaja kalbay-burr, balbi-bama jambul bayan-ka yirrka-nka wujurr kariku.


<glossary> damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> I made the dress


<translate> You two see the flathead there.


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


<translate> We see the boxwood tree here.


<translate> He sees the black-tip shark here.


<translate> This periwinkle is small but sweet; the children love to gather them.

Yanyu kunkun buban yambada jiba-wula-wula; karrkay-karrkay-angka wawu bangkal.


<translate> That old man is deaf now; he no longer hears the words of the young people at all.

Yinya mukul-dingkar niji milka-kari, kuku warru-mu nyulu kari nyaji-l wubulku.


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


<translate> He saw the jirimandi coconut tree here.


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


<translate> I see the murral tree kangaroo there.


<glossary> yalayayku ; type=demonstrative ; domain=manner <usage_example> Get this kind of food


<translate> You all see the coral there.


<translate> We see the knight fish there.


<translate> The old man said this is the great difference between our way and the lonely way of the newcomers: they raise a child in a single house with two people, but we raise a child in a whole country with a hundred.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: yinya murni yalbay nganamu yala yindu bamamu nganga yala baja: jana karrkay kambaman nyubun bayanba bama jambulji, ngana karrkay kambaman bubu wubulba bama wubulji.


<translate> The scrub turkey is standing there.


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


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


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


<translate> You and I saw the spear point here.


<translate> We see the yawarr palm here.


<translate> The moon is behind the clouds.


<translate> "Sit," someone said, "you two sit there!"

"Bunda-y," yalaman, "yubal, yinyay bunda-y!"


<translate> We see the giant herring here.


<translate> He saw the karrandal tree here.


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

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


<translate> You saw the bajabaja lizard there.


<translate> The children are hiding in the grass — find them!


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

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


<translate> Do not be ashamed of tears, the old woman told a boy crying on a day of grief: the eye makes water for sorrow the way the body sweats while working, both carry the heat out, and a person who bursts into tears and leaves them to run empties the flood, lest it break the deep bank inside.

Kari murru-kaday ngirraymuny, wulbumanangka buban badinya milbin wungar wawu-mumbuba: miyilbu bana murnil wawu-mumbuka yala bangkarr jila-warri murninya, jambulbu wumbul manil ngalkalku, bama nyulu ngirray-warri jana bawal warrinka, nyulu bana-yalbay nganga-bungal, jalkar dukurrba nyulu dumbarrinyji.


<translate> They saw the dingki tree there.


<translate> The child went into the house.


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

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


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


<translate> You and I see the fire there.


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

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


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

Jarramalingka juku mukul dakandin kunarangkal.


<translate> The old man planted no trees at all; the rainforest itself gave the people everything they needed.

Mukul-dingkar-angka juku kari yijarrin; madja nyulu-nyulu yamba wubulku bama-nka dajin.


<glossary> kanyil ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> to sing a curse song


<translate> The old man went up to get the spear.

Mukul-dingkar wangkar dungan kalka mani-nka.


<translate> In one dry season the fish went far away and the camp lived on yams and patience, and when the rains turned the river over, the first catch tasted like a story with a good ending.

Marralba nyubunba kuyu dungan kala-kalbay, bayan juran juwalbu wawu-karrbabu, kaki kababu wawubaja murnin baja, kuyu ngadiku-maninmuny nganja nyungu yala kuku-jangkar bada yukil-ji.


<translate> They see the black cockatoo here.


<translate> The two of them saw the kurmba-kurmba lizard there.


<translate> You two saw the jangkan swift here.


<translate> I saw the kujuway pigeon there.


<translate> You two see the milmarr cane here.


<translate> They found Leichhardt-tree fruit.


<translate> The turning of each season told the people where to go and what to gather, so no one who read the country well ever went hungry.

Wungar wubulku murninya bama milbin wanjaka dungay, wanya bangkal, kari bama dakwuy nyulu bubu ngulkurr nyajil.


<translate> They crossed the river where the water is shallow.

Jana wawubajanga marijin, bana buban yinyay.


<translate> One night in the cold season a hard wind came down from the hills and the cold crept into every humpy.

Nyubun kunarangkal bulurijinga muyar junkurr bada kadan manjalmuny, kiway walan wurun wubulku.


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


<translate> The woman saw sand on the ground.


<translate> He came from the other side of the river.


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

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


<translate> Grandmother went to the shade with a friend.


<translate> How many teeth on the pronged spear? — Four, like the fingers of a closed hand.

Wanjarrinya dirra yirrmbanga? Jambul-jambul, yala birri maramuny nandajinmuny.


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


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


<translate> Whom did the old man send north, and with whom? He sent my brother, and my brother went with two other young men; they carry the message-stick to the clans.

Wanya mukul-dingkarangka kuwa-nka yungan, wanyanji? Nyulu ngayku yaba yungan, ngayku yaba warru jambul yindu-ji dungan; jana duburan-jaba bama-nka wundil.


<translate> We, not you, saw the bayil jungle perch here.


<translate> The old woman said the young man is strong, but the old man is stronger still, for his strength is in his knowing, not his arm.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: warru junkurr, yamba mukul-dingkar junkurr bajaku, nyungu junkurr bangkarr-ba kari, binal-ba.


<translate> Out on the water the wind came up fast and hard, and the waves grew tall and the raft began to break apart.

Bananga muyar kadan jinbalku junkurrku, mulngku kalbaymanda, marrakan dumbarrijin.


<translate> On top of the ridge you own your eyes; down in the gully you borrow your ears.

Wuyara yundu miyil yundumuny karrbal: bada-badaba yundu milka manil.


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

Yundu juma ngangkay, ngayu yunundu junjuy milbil


<translate> The old man said: What you do every day, that is what you become, and a person who washes and heals and cares every day becomes a clean, whole, caring person for life.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Yundu wanyu wungar wubulku ngaral, yinya yundu janay, bama nyulu wungar wubulku julurri-ji, kakawarri-ji, nyajil, nyulu janay bama dayirr nyubun nyajilji wawu kalbay.


<translate> If you happen to see mangoes, take them.


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


<translate> I wanted to sleep, but the mosquitoes kept on biting me all through the dark night.

Ngayu wawu wuna-nka, kari kamu-ngka nganya bayka-l-bayka-l wujurr wubulku.


<translate> You see the bloodwood tree here.


<translate> The old man's back is bent and sore now, and he cannot stand up straight or walk up the hill.

Mukul-dingkar muku kaka niji, nyulu jinbal janay kari, jamba wangkar jilba kari.


<translate> Mother cooked food; meanwhile grandmother washed clothes.

Ngamu-ngku mayi wajun, babi-ngka kambi julurrin-kuda.


<translate> People called out from down there.


<translate> You saw the jadi goanna here.


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


<translate> The little child said proudly: I did not swim, because the water was too deep, but I watched the fish and I minded the fire!

Karrkay bubanangka balkan wawu-yalbay: Ngayu kari marajin, bana bada bajaku, yambada ngayu kuyu nyajin, ngayu baya kujin!


<translate> The old woman brought the dog's food from the house.

Wulbuman-angka mayi kaya-nga bayan-muny wundin.


<translate> We hunted all day long and caught many animals, and everyone ate well that night.

Ngana wungar wubulku balbin, minya wubul karrban, bama wubul ngulkurr nukan wujurr-ba.


<translate> They saw the makarra streaky yellow ochre there.


<translate> The magpie sings its beautiful song in the cool morning beside the sleeping camp.

Dawa-dawa wulngku ngulkurr yirrka-y wunkuwingku ngiki-nga, bayan karangkal.


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


<translate> The two men were silent a while, and slowly their anger cooled like coals going grey, and when they spoke again their words were quiet and they saw the ground could be shared.

Dingkar jambul wunbu janay kanbalka, buban-buban jana dukul-wuri kiwaymanda yala ngunjil ngungulmanda, jana balkanda baja kuku wunbu, jana nyajin bubu daji-wa-nka.


<translate> They ate fruit from the tree.


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

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


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


<glossary> wungka ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> She's swearing another woman (because she's wronged)


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


<translate> He saw the bulnja frogmouth there.


<translate> The snake crawled through the scrub.


<translate> They see the kakaji mangrove tree there.


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


<translate> The hunter's two dogs waited quietly in the shade beside the deep water hole.

Balbi-bama-mu kaya jambul wabarr-ba janka bundan, bana janku dukurr ngundu.


<lexeme> smoke the inside of a house after the owner dies


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


<translate> With his strong teeth the young man cracked the hard nut open.

Warruangka dirra junkurr-bu darka dandi dumbarrin.


<translate> The woman with the little child and the camp dog walked slowly along the sandy beach.

Jalbu karrkay buban-ji, kaya-ji baja, jukar-a jilba-dungan.


<translate> You two see the kurrburrubun magpie here.


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


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


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


<glossary> yungal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> We hit the ball a long way


<translate> The rhinoceros beetle is there.


<translate> You see the tiger shark here.


<translate> He saw the warkal bailer shell there.


<translate> I saw the munungkul ground pigeon here.


<translate> Mother sent a message with grandmother.


<translate> That small conical shellfish is there.


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


<translate> You two see the shield there.


<translate> The old woman took the meat and blessed the boy with the old words, and the whole camp saw that he had become a hunter.

Wulbumanangka minya manin, karrkay ngulkurr-bungan kuku ngadikubu, bayan wubulku nyajin: nyulu balbibamamanda.


<translate> That marsupial native cat is there.


<translate> They saw the dijarr freshwater perch there.


<translate> The women's dance is tonight; the men's dance is tomorrow.


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


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

Yundu balnhi wunay, bayan ngara bubunga balanbalanba


<translate> The 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> The old woman said the same knowledge of plants that feeds a person can heal them, and that heals them can, in the wrong hand or the wrong dose, kill them, so the plant lore was always given with the warnings bound tightly to it, never the food-use without the poison-warning, never the medicine without the dose, for knowledge of plants without knowledge of their dangers is not knowledge but a loaded trap.

Wulbumanangka balkan mayi-binal nyubun bama dayal nyulu baja kalbal, nyulu kalbal nyulu baja, mara mumbungu yambada wubul mumbungu, kunil, mayi-kuku yabarrka yinil-kuku junkurr karra-ji dayan, kariku mayi-nukal wula-kuku-kari, kari kalbal wubul-kari, mayi-binal wula-binal-kari nyulu kari binal yambada jina yijarrin-ji.


<translate> You two saw the marril ti tree there.


<translate> You and I saw the sand there.


<translate> Mosquitoes bit the children.


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


<translate> You all see the waterfall here.


<lexeme> upper reaches of the Bloomfield River


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


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


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


<translate> You and I saw the star here.


<translate> Always remember the names of the old people and the name of your own country, the old man said, for a person who forgets those is lost.

Binalku marri mukul-bama-mu burri bubu yunu burri-jirr, mukul-dingkar balkan, bama yinya milka-wula-nya nyulu wula-nya yala.


<translate> The old woman is not angry with the children; she only speaks quietly and tells them the true story.

Mukul-jalbu karrkay-karrkay-nka kari kuli-ma-l; nyulu janka balka-l kuku yukil dajin.


<translate> They saw the shovelnose ray there.


<translate> That stockwhip bird is there.


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


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


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


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

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


<translate> That star comes up before the sun.


<translate> You see the dark cloud there.


<translate> The children do not know the language today.

Karrkay-karrkay nyiku binal-kari kuku-ku.


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

Karrkayangka kuyu kari nukan, bambayal-baja nukan.


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

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


<translate> We, not you, saw the barrbal black bream here.


<translate> You saw the julurr-julurr moomoo bird here.


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


<translate> This is your mother, she said, ngamu, the one who carried you and fed you; and this is your father, nganjan, the one who hunts for you and will teach you the country.

Yinya yundu ngamu, nyulu balkan, ngamu, nyulu yundu wundinmuny nukamaninmuny; yinya yundu nganjan, nganjan, nyulu yunduka balbil, bubu yundu milbil.


<translate> Long, long ago the moon made the very first women at Roaring Meg Falls, the old people say.

Kalbay-muny kija jalbu nyubun-nyubun bungal Kijandaku-ngu, mukul-bama-ngka yala balka-l.


<translate> One duck, many uses — nothing from a good catch walks away wasted.

Nili-nili nyubun, murni wubulku: yamba nyubun kari kala-kalbay dungay kuyu-maninmuny yukilmuny.


<translate> He saw the yalnga turtle 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 child slept in the night.


<translate> The sun went down over the mountain.


<translate> The fruit is low and within reach.


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


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


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


<translate> Her long black hair fell down over her shoulders and covered her whole thin back.

Nyungu mungka ngungul-ngungul kalbay binda-nga bada wunay, nyungu muku wubulku nandan.


<translate> Move the camp to the high ground before the first big rain comes, the old people never argued about that one, get the nets before the river talks, and go before the wet ground makes the walking hard, for the person who moves early chooses the new camp, and the person who moves late takes what was left.

Bayan wundi bubu wangkarku bana yalbay ngadiku kadanyjiku, bama mukulungku yinyaka kariku balka-way, makarr mana wawubaja balkanyjiku, dungay bubu bana-ji jilba dandi-bunganyjiku, bama nyulu warri dungay nyulu bayan jirakal wawu-manil, bama nyulu badaku dungay nyulu manil yamba bawanmuny.


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


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


<translate> You see the barramundi there.


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


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

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


<translate> I saw the jurriyan satin bower bird here.


<translate> The old man said this new road and the old walking-track go to the very same place, only one is quick and one is slow.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: jina jirakal wulman-jirr yala-rrku bubu nyubun-ka dunga, nyubun bila, nyubun buban-buban.


<translate> I speared the fish; the old man saw me; he gave the meat to me; and I carried it back to my camp.

Ngayu kuyu daman; mukul-dingkarangka nganya nyajin; nyulu minya ngaykunku dayan; ngayu ngayku bayanka wundinda.


<glossary> kunukunu ; type=adjective ; domain=food <usage_example> That soup is too fatty


<translate> Rope is patience you can hold, the old woman rolled the bark on her thigh: one strand is a wish, two strands twisted together are a firm word, and a net of firm words feeds the whole camp.

Karra nyulu wawu-karrba yundu karrbalmuny, wulbumanangka warrur murnin wabanga: karra nyubun nyulu wawu, karra jambul kajanmuny nyulu kuku-dandi, makarr kuku-dandi-muny nyulu bayan wubulku mayi-dayal.


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


<translate> The old man said that a person who does not treat their own body well will not treat the country well either, for the body is the first country each person is given.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bama nyulu nyungu bangkarr kari ngulkurr nyajil, bubu baja kari ngulkurr nyajil, bangkarr bubu ngadiku yala bama wubulku dajilmuny.


<translate> The two of them saw the dalmbal flathead there.


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


<glossary> kandarr ; type=noun ; domain=bodily-function <usage_example> The child finished eating, then the mother burped him

Nyulu karrkaymayi kunban ngamungku kandarrda dakay-manin


<translate> They see the kalburiji bee here.


<translate> The moon is the camp's clock and calendar, said the old man, marking the passing of the nights and the turning of the seasons.

Kija bayanmu wungar milbil, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, kunarangkal dunganya milbil, wungar murninya milbil.


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


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


<translate> The old woman said the last and best lesson of the road is this: that no journey is ever really made alone, even the one you walk by yourself, for you carry your people in your feet and your dead in your memory and your children in your hopes, and the whole of a life is just learning to walk well in that company.

Wulbumanangka balkan: baralmu milbil bada yukil bajaku yinya: jilbal nyubun kari nganga bungal, baja nyulu yundu nganga jilbal, yundu nyungu bama jinanga karrbal nyungu wula milkanga nyungu karrkay wawungu, wawu wubulku nyulu binalka yukil jilbanka yinya nyubun-nyubunji.


<translate> The woman put leaves in the bag.


<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> I saw the kurmba-kurmba lizard there.


<translate> You two saw the kurrmaja larvae here.


<translate> The girl laughed at the child.


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

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


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


<translate> He saw the kalbali tall man there.


<translate> He does not bathe in the river lest he drown.

Nyulu kari janji-l wawubaja-nga, bujil-janji-nyji.


<translate> The stick is longer than the spear.


<translate> The old woman crushed the seeds to a paste on the grinding-stone, mixed in water, and shaped the small cakes to cook slow in the ashes.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku diburr murni kulji-ba, bana kaja, mayi buban bungal waju kubu-ba buban-buban.


<translate> Everyone worked hard and the camp looked good.

Jana wubulku kirrajin, bayan ngulkurr nyajijin.


<translate> Auntie is teaching the girls to weave dilly bags.

Bimayngka maral-maral binal-bungal, balji wukurrinka.


<translate> I see the bujabay tree here.


<translate> The old woman's tongue and mouth are dry, and she asked the child for the cool sweet water.

Mukul-jalbu nyabil ngandal marral, nyulu karrkay bana ngiki jiba-wulay-ka babajin.


<translate> With his strong teeth the young man cracked the hard nut open.

Warruangka dirra junkurr-bu darka dandi dumbarrin.


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


<translate> The baby is tooth-with now! Two little white ones.

Ngawa dirra-ji nyiku! Jambul buban kambar.


<translate> He sees the kalkuri tree there.


<translate> Yes, I know where the water is.


<translate> You see the older brother here.


<translate> When did your father die? He died two wet seasons ago, in the time of the big flood. And where is he buried? He lies on the high ground of his own country, where his father lies too.

Wanja-wanja yunu nganjan wulan? Nyulu bana-wungar jambul ngadiku wulan, jalungkarr yalbay-mba. Wanjabu nyulu wunay? Nyulu nyungu bubu-mu wuyar-a wunay, nyungu nganjan baja yinyabu wunay.


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


<translate> Mother put water on grandmother's hand.

Ngamu-ngku bana yijarrin babi-nda mara-nga.


<translate> My camp is on this side of the creek, and yours is on the other side.

Ngayku bayan yanyu ngundu wawubaja-mu, yunu yindu-ngu ngundu.


<translate> In the cold season the people rubbed charcoal and fat on their skin to keep warm and to stop the skin cracking in the wind.

Bulurijinga bama ngunjil wandul bangkarra yijarrin wumbuljinka, bangkarr muyarbu kari yika-damanyji.


<translate> You two saw the boomerang there.


<translate> He saw the running water here.


<translate> They saw the marubu species of oyster here.


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


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


<translate> The doves and the pigeons ate the fallen seeds together on the open ground, and none of them fought.

Kuludu bakamu diburr daran nukan muru bubu-yaral-ba, jana kari kuli-ma nyubun baja.


<translate> "Where did you all go yesterday, and where will you go hunting tomorrow in the early morning?"

Yurra wanjabu dungan yilayku, yurra wanjabu balbi-ka dunga-y wungar kada-nya wunkuwingku?


<translate> Everything in this good country belongs to the people, to care for and keep forever.

Yamba wubulku bubu yinya-nga bama-mu, karrba-nka wungar wubulku.


<translate> You all see the dalngarri flames there.


<glossary> ngangkal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The stranger doesn't know the road

Nyulu ngarrbal ngangkal-ngangkal baralka


<translate> The child's two front teeth fell out, and now she cannot bite the hard dry wallaby meat.

Karrkay dirra jambul ngandal-muny dara-n, niji nyulu kari minya marral junkurr bayka-l.


<translate> That is what the old people give, the old man said: not cattle, not stone, but the knowing of the country.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: yanyu kamba-kambangka dajil, kari bulki kari kulji, yambada bubu binal.


<translate> You all see the mawal bee here.


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


<translate> You saw the karkunbay stockwhip bird there.


<translate> I saw the wurrbu hornet there.


<translate> The child fell from the tree and cried.


<translate> The children fell asleep close together.


<translate> The old woman said a death with witnesses and a death alone are grieved differently by those left behind, for when the family is there at the end the passing is held and honored and carried well, but a death alone in the bush leaves a wound that never fully closes, so the old people moved mountains to be present at a passing, and counted it a sacred duty never to let one of their own die unwitnessed and alone.

Wulbumanangka balkan wula bama-nyaji-ji wula nganga yindu-yindu yala wawu-mumbu-manil jana bawanmunymuny, jawun-karra ngunduku bada bajaku wula karrban yukil-bungal jarrakulbal yukil, yambada wula nganga majaji-nga bawan buyun nyulu kariku bajaku karra, bama mukul yumal murni-manin wula ngunduku jananka, karrban kuku junkurr kariku nyubun jana-muny wula bama-nyaji-kari nganga baja.


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


<translate> The old man said the most important question a person can learn to ask is not what or where but why, for a child who only asks what a thing is stays a child, but a child who asks why the thing is so, why it must be done this way, why the old law holds, is a child already becoming an elder, so he welcomed the endless why-questions and never told a child to stop asking.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku yukil bajaku bama binalman babajinka nyulu kari wanyu wanja yambada wanyurrinku, karrkay nyulu nganga babajil wanyu yamba nyubun nyulu karrkay janan, yambada karrkay nyulu babajil wanyurrinku yamba yala, wanyurrinku yala bungal, wanyurrinku kuku ngadiku karrbal, nyulu karrkay ngadiku mukul-manda, nyulu wawu-minibu wanyurrinku-kuku bada-kari karrban kariku karrkay balkan babajil bawanka.


<translate> The old woman wove a strong dilly bag from the lawyer cane to carry the yams and the sweet fruit.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku ngunyin junkurr bungal kaku-muny, wukay mayi jiba-wulay wundi-nka.


<translate> Who first found this good country? Our old grandfathers found it, long before the white man came; they followed the honey-birds to the water and never left.

Wanyangka nyiku bubu ngulkurr ngadiku milbin? Ngananga kami-karra milbin, waybala ngadiku kada-nya-muny; jana kawar-buyi wukurrin bana-nka, kariku bawan.


<translate> You hear the clap sound there.


<translate> Mother got water first and then cooked food.

Ngamu-ngku bana-ngarr manin, mayi wajun-da.


<translate> Sharpen the axe before the work asks for it, mend the net before the torn place grows big, tie the spear-point before the hunt tests it, the old man said the one lesson three ways, for the mend made early is a small word, and the mend made at the end is a long story.

Warrbi junkurr-bunga murni nyulu babajinyjiku, makarr murni yukil dumbarrinmuny yalbay-manyjiku, kalka-murru kaja balbil nyulu nyajinyjiku, mukulungku dingkarangka milbil nyubun balkan kulurbu, murni murninmuny ngadiku nyulu kuku buban, murni murninmuny badaku nyulu kuku-jangkar kalbay.


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

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


<translate> The old man asked grandmother about water.


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

Nyulu ngankuku dungan ngayu letter kariku kunbay-manin


<translate> I saw the baliji people there.


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


<translate> The seasons themselves are told by the creatures, the old woman taught: when the certain bird first calls, the yams are ready; when the flying foxes come to a particular tree, that fruit is ripe; when the fish move up the river, the wet is turning; and a person who ties each creature's sign to the right work will always be gathering the right food at the right time.

Wungar nyulu-nyulu minya balkan, wulbumanangka milbin: buyi nyubun ngadiku balkanya, juwal yukil; kambi juku nyubun-mundu kadanya, mayi yinya kulbul; kuyu wawubaja wangkar marra-warrinya, bana-wungar murninya; bama nyulu minya nyubun wari kirraji yukilbu kajal nyulu yabarrka mayi yukil wungar yukilba bangkal.


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


<glossary> jakal ; type=noun ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> Fill the bucket up with water


<translate> Every morning before the sun was high, the whole family went down to the river to wash themselves in the cool clear water.

Wunkuwingku wubulku wungar wangkar wandinyjiku, jawunkarra wawubajaka bada dungan julurri-jinka bananga kiway dayirr.


<translate> You all saw the jangkan swift there.


<translate> I saw the kurrmaja larvae there.


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


<translate> The spears flew one after another at the running kangaroo, but every one missed and fell in the grass.

Kalka jururr wanarrin mayarriji-ka, yamba narmba kari kuni-l jikan-ba daran.


<translate> When the crocodile makes its low roaring call in the night at the start of the wet, the old woman said, everyone knows the big rains are truly coming now.

Bilngkumu yirrka bada junkurr wujurr-ba kaba-wungar yudal-nya, mukul-jalbu balkan, bama wubulku binal kaba yalbay niji kada-nya nyawa.


<translate> Grandmother spoke to the child.


<translate> You all saw the dilly bag here.


<translate> The elder sister carried the little child on her back.

Babarr-angka karrkay buban muku-ba jarrakulban.


<translate> If you see the sea turtle come up to breathe, stay very still, because if it hears you it will dive and not come back.

Kaki yundu ngawiya nyaji nyulu wangkara kada, yundu dandi bunda, kaki nyulu yundu milkabu nyaji, nyulu bada dungay, kariku kaday baja.


<translate> The old man kept a bailer shell for baling the canoe and a big shell for carrying water; he said a good shell is worth more than a billycan, for it never goes bad.

Mukul-dingkarangka warkal kaljan-nka karrban, milbar yalbay bana-nka; nyulu balkan: milbar ngulkurr jungkalu-ngadiku, kariku buyun-mal.


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

Buluriji mukul dingkar bambayman, murruji wandil dubalmuny wungar wubulku.


<translate> Did the goanna get the eggs? Yes — I should have covered the nest, but I went to get water and the goanna climbed up while I was gone.

Bajuy diburr manin? Yuwu — ngayu bayan nanda-nyaku, yambada ngayu bana maninka dungan, bajuy dakan ngayu dunga-nya.


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


<translate> The dilly bag lay on the road.


<translate> He saw the baringkan small bird here.


<translate> The two of them saw the biru-biru rainbow bird here.


<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 bees put their honey in the hollow tree, and the old man takes it out with his tool.

Dabu wunba juku-janku-ngu wunan, mukul-dingkar kalka-bu manin.


<translate> The blue mountain parakeet is here.


<translate> You two see the grasshopper here.


<translate> They saw the cloudless sky here.


<translate> The man got the stone and put it on the ground.

Dingkar-angka kulji manin, bubu-ngu yijarrin.


<translate> The flies are bad in the hot season.


<translate> The young man took his spear to hunt game in the early morning.

Warru-ngku kalka manin, nyulu minya balbi-nka wunkuwingku.


<translate> Food shared is the oldest word for family.

Mayi wambajinmuny nyulu kuku mukul bajaku jawun-karramuny.


<translate> The old man taught the boys the questions that keep a traveller alive, to be asked at every new place before making camp: where is the nearest water and is it good, which way does the wind come at night, could this dry creek flood in the dark, what animals own this ground, and where is the high safe place if the water rises, for the traveller who asks these five questions every evening grows old on the road.

Mukulungku dingkarangka warru-warru milbin kuku jilba-bama wunay-manilmuny, babajinka bubu jirakal wubulku bayan bungal ngadiku: wanja bana ngundu-baja yinya yukil, wanjaburr muyar kadan wujurrba, bubu-jandu kiway-kiway yinya bana-yalbay-manda wujurr-bu, wanyu minya bubu yinya karrbal, wanja bubu wangkar yukil kaki bana wandinya, jilba-bama nyulu kuku kulur-nganjil yinya nyubun-nyubun kunarangkal babajil nyulu mukul-manda baralba.


<translate> The old man said hardship changes a person the way fire changes wood, and it can go two ways: the same hard year that makes one person bitter and closed makes another person deep and strong, and the difference lies not in the hardship but in how the person meets it, so he taught the young that you cannot always choose what changes come upon you but you can often choose what you let them change you into.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan mumbu-wungar nyulu bama yindu-mal yala baya juku yindu-mal, nyulu dungay jambul-jina: wungar dandi nyubun nyulu bama nyubun wawu-kaka-mal dandi-mal nyulu bama yindu dukurr-mal junkurr-mal, yindu-yindu nyulu kari mumbu-wungara yambada yala bama nyulu yinya nyaji-way, nyulu warru milbin yundu kariku wawu-manil wanyu yindu kadan yundunka yambada yundu nganga wawu-manil wanyu yundu jana yundu yindu-bungalmuny.


<translate> The old people knew the one tree whose hard wood never rots in the wet dark ground.

Mukul-bama-ngka juku nyubun binal, nyungu juku junkurr bubu kima-ba kariku buyun-ma-l.


<translate> He got a stone and placed it.


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

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


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jalil-jalil mudskipper here.


<translate> The women went out in the morning. They gathered pipis on the sand. Then they cooked them on the fire and everyone ate.

Wunkuwingku jalbu-jalbu dungan. Jana bulkiji bangkan jukara. Jana wayjun bayanga, jana wubulku nukanda.


<translate> The two of them are sitting there.


<translate> The old man said the apple-tree by the creek is old, older than any person, and it has fed the people here for longer than the stories tell.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: bulngkar juku bana ngundu wulman, wulman bajaku bama narmba-muny, nyulu bama-nka mayi dajin marri kuku-muny.


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


<translate> Let us all go down to the sea now to catch the big green turtles beyond the reef.

Ngana wubul jalun-ka dunga-y niji, ngawiya yalbay dulngku-ngu karrba-nka!


<translate> You see the corkwood tree here.


<translate> My younger brother is very fast.


<translate> You all see the mountain there.


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

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


<translate> We see the kurrun tree here.


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


<glossary> kari ; type=particle ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I didn't get any meat, the fish didn't bite at all

Ngayu minya kari manin, kuyungku kari bajaku baykan


<translate> The young man jumped down from the high rock into the deep water and swam across to the far bank.

Warru jalaman bada kulji wangkar-muny bana dajali-ka, janjin naka-naka kala-kalbay-ka.


<translate> I gathered firewood before dawn.


<translate> They saw the nyumbil coolibah tree here.


<translate> The men followed the wallaby's tracks, waited near the trees, threw their spears, and then carried the meat home.

Dingkar kadar jina wukurrin, juku ngundu bundan, kalka yilban, minya bayanka wundinda.


<translate> The old man gave one good spear to each of his three strong young sons.

Mukul-dingkar-angka kalka ngulkurr nyubun warru kulur-ka nyubun-nyubun dajin.


<translate> Grandfather put the grass outside.


<translate> That pheasant cuckoo is there.


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


<translate> We saw the murraja stonefish here.


<translate> I see the kunjarri palm here.


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

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


<translate> The mudcrab hides in the mangrove mud, and you must be quick and hold it from behind.

Kiju kajul kambal-kambal-ba ngakijin, yundu bila kudamundu karrban.


<translate> You and I see the flea there.


<translate> To find honey the old man watched a single bee drink at the water then followed the straight line of its heavy flight home to the tree, and he said the bee cannot lie about the way to its own nest, so a patient watcher is always led true, and this is the oldest kind of tracking, following the small one to the sweetness it guards.

Wunba maninka mukulungku dingkarangka dabu nyubun nyajin janga bananga yalada wukurrin nyungu marra-warri junkurr murni bayan-mundu juku-mundu, nyulu balkan dabu kariku balka-kari-bungal baral nyungu janku-mundu, bama maku-janal yabarrka murni jilbaman, yinya jina-binal ngadiku, minya buban wukurril jiba-wulay nyulu karrbalmuny.


<translate> The big river runs right down from the high mountains all the way to the salt sea.

Wawubaja yalbay manjal jarra-jarra-muny bada dungan, jalun-ka kalbay-baja.


<translate> They see the black cockatoo here.


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


<translate> The dog licked grandmother's face.


<translate> The old man said, near the end: You learn to care for others by first being cared for, then by caring, and at last by being cared for again — and that circle is the whole of a life.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan ngadiku ngundu: Yundu binalmal bama nyajinka, ngadiku yundu nyajilbu, yalada nyajilbu, baja yundu nyajilbu, yinya murni wawumu wubulku.


<translate> The girl washed all the clothes thoroughly.


<translate> You saw the bajalji python here.


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


<translate> They covered the fire with sand before they left.

Jana baya nandan jukar-bu, dunga-nyjiku.


<translate> The thick fog lies low over the river until the warm morning sun burns it away.

Ngurrbal yalbay wawubaja-nga bada wuna-l, wungar wumbul-angka waju-nka.


<translate> The men carried the heavy things.


<translate> They saw the smouldering log here.


<translate> The old woman said all people are one underneath — the same blood, the same fear, the same love for the little children.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: bama wubulku nyubun bada-bada — mula nyubun, yararri nyubun, kuru nyubun karrkay-karrkay-nka.


<translate> The young man did not come back to the camp last night, and his mother cried in the cold dark.

Warru bayan-ka kari nyunban wujurr-muny, nyungu ngamu badi ngiki ngungul-ba.


<translate> They see the julbal tree here.


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

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


<translate> Uncle went north to see his brother.


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


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


<translate> I saw the dilly bag on the road.


<translate> I asked about the tree with flowers.


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

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


<translate> You two saw the dukul-mukul lizard there.


<translate> The old man said even the animals ask questions in their way, and a hunter must learn to read them: the wallaby that lifts its head and freezes is asking what was that sound, the bird that gives a sharp call is asking is there danger, the whole silent bush that stops at once is asking together where is the hunter, so that the good hunter answers the country's questions before the country can warn its own.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan minya baja babajil nyungu yala, balbi-bama nyulu milbil ngaranka: darrba nyulu muku wangkar-manil janan nyulu babajil wanyu yinya kadil, buyi nyulu kuku jalngkun dayal nyulu babajil yinil ngundu, majaji dandi wubulku kajal nyubunku nyulu babajil nyubunji wanja balbi-bama, balbi-bama yukil kuku-yukil-manil bubu nyungu kuku-babaji ngadiku bubu nyulu jana warri-manilmuny.


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

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


<translate> His mother called and called, but the boy was small and the scrub was big, and soon the sun went down.

Ngamungka yirrkan-yirrkan, yambada karrkay buban, madja yalbay, wungar bada dunganda.


<translate> The liver lay on the ground.


<translate> The children keep eating at the food all day.

Karrkay-karrkay mayi-nga nuka-n-nuka-ji wungar wubulku.


<translate> I went to the scrub, climbed the fig tree, gathered the ripe figs, and brought them back to my mother in the coolamon.

Ngayu madjanga dungan, jarrangkal dakan, binanji kulbul munjan, ngamunka wundin dubalba.


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


<translate> You two saw the mudcrab here.


<translate> Uncle goes with a stick in case the dog bites him.

Kalnga-ngka juku-ji dungay, kunka kaya-ngka nyunguny bayka-nya-mun-ku.


<translate> You saw the kujuway pigeon there.


<translate> Grandfather sees the spear-thrower.


<translate> That old story was told to all the children by the grey-haired woman by the fire.

Yinya kuku mali mukul-jalbu-nda balka-jin karrkay-karrkay-ka, baya karangkal.


<translate> You all see the spear point there.


<translate> You and I saw the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish there.

Ngaliny mangkurr-mangkurr yinyay nyajin.


<translate> After entering, the man sat down.


<translate> They saw the woomera butt here.


<translate> Those stones there are close together.


<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.


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


<translate> You and I see the black cockatoo here.


<translate> I see the jawurraji ant bed there.


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


<translate> They heard the sharp sound here.


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


<translate> Our country is big; its rivers are deep and its scrub is full of food.

Ngananga bubu yalbay; nyungu wawubaja dukurr, nyungu madja mayi-nji yajin.


<translate> She marked the tree with her axe and came back for the men.

Nyulu juku yakan waymbilda, kadan baja dingkar-dingkaranka.


<translate> I see that marngkil ti tree.


<translate> He sees the love handles here.


<translate> The man cut himself with the sharp knife while he was cleaning the fish.

Dingkar yaka-ji naybu dandi-bu, kuyu ngulkurr-bunga-nya.


<translate> Count what you are with, not what you are without, the old woman ended the night: the with-list is always the longer one — you only have to say it out loud.

Kunja yamba yundumuny '-ji', kari '-kari', wulbumanangka wujurr kunbay-manin: kuku '-ji'-muny nyulu kalbay-baja yabarrka, balka nganga nyulu ngalkalbu.


<translate> Push the little ones on ahead — the tide is coming.


<translate> They two saw the barramundi there.


<translate> Grandfather brought news from the house.


<translate> You see the barramundi here.


<translate> We see the freshwater crocodile here.


<translate> You see the nyumbil coolibah tree there.


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

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


<translate> We brought firewood from the house.


<translate> You all saw the binju snake here.


<translate> You two see the tongs there.


<translate> The old woman did not really believe the young man's story of the giant fish.

Wulbumanangka warru-mu kuku kuyu yalbay-mu karirrku binal.


<translate> This dog is rather tame and will not bite the children, but that other one is still wild.

Nyiku kaya jarra-minday, kari karrkay baykanka, yambada yinya yindu kari-baja minday.


<translate> The young men were proud, and the old man told them: a good canoe carries the whole family safely.

Warru-warru wawu-mini, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: marrakan ngulkurr jawunkarra wundil ngulkurrku.


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


<translate> The old man warmed himself by the fire in the cold night.

Mukul-dingkar wumbul-bunga-ji baya-nga wujurr ngiki-nga.


<translate> The old woman said the sweetest food asks the most work: the black-bean must be soaked many days, the seed ground long, the deep yam dug with a sore back.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: mayi jiba-wulay bajaku yukil wubul wawu — baway bana-ba wuna wungar wubul, diburr murni kalbay, bambayal dajali baka muku bambay-jirr.


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


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


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

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


<translate> You all saw the water there.


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

Jana warruwarru milka-daran milka-daran mayi ngakinka shopmunmun


<translate> Who speared this big fish? — My elder brother speared it early this morning.

Wanyangka kuyu yalbay daman? Yaba-ngka daman wunkuwingku.


<translate> Each food is cooked its own way, she told the girls, and a good cook knows them all.

Mayi wubulku yindu-yindu wajul, nyulu balkan, bama ngulkurr wajul binal yambayamba.


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


<translate> There are many flowers on the tree.


<lexeme> First bay south of Bloomfield River along coast


<translate> If you are tired, said the mother, then lie down and rest, for a tired hunter catches nothing and only frightens the game.

Kaki yurra baja-burray, ngamungka karrkay-karrkayka balkan, yurra bada wunay, mara-kunbay, balbibama baja-burray kari yamba manil, minya yinyil-kangal nganga.


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


<translate> You two see the freshwater turtle here.


<translate> You all see the mullet there.


<translate> You saw the kira-kira black ant there.


<translate> They see the mawal bee there.


<translate> You all saw the kalburiji bee there.


<translate> The woman bailed water from the boat.


<translate> By the middle of the day the hunters came back, and the smell of cooking rose from every fire in the camp.

Wungar wangkar jananya, balbibama kadan baja, mayi wajunmu kubu wandin baya wubulkumuny bayanba.


<glossary> karangaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> The man stalked the wallaby


<translate> You and I saw the torch here.


<translate> They left the ground oven in the ground for a long time.

Jana kurrma bawan bubu-ngu wungar kalbay.


<translate> The two women waded into the mangroves, felt in the mud with their feet, and pulled out big mud crabs.

Jalbu jambul kajulbu walan, jina-bu bubungu nyajin, ngalngal yalbay manin.


<glossary> kanyil ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> to sing a curse song


<translate> We saw the kandal maggot here.


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


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

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


<translate> The hunter said the animals tell the seasons: when the grubs are fat, the yams are ready.

Balbi-bamangka balkan minya wungar milbil: jambun yalbay-nya, bambayal kulbul.


<translate> The old man said the kin-web bound the living and the dead and the not-yet-born into one long line, for a person's grandparents had known their own grandparents, and a person's grandchildren would know their grandchildren, so that any living person stood at the middle of a chain reaching seven generations in each direction, and to know your kin was to feel the whole weight and reach of that chain running through you.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan jawun-karra kajan wula-mabi wula-mabi-kari karri-warru-mabi baja karra nyubun kalbaymuny, bama nyungu kami-babi binal jana nyungu-nyungu kami-babi, bama nyungu jija-warra binal jana nyungu-nyungu jija, bama wula-mabi nyulu janan mibarr karra nyubunmuny kadanya wubul wungar-kadal nyubun-nyubun jinanga, karra binalka nyulu ngara karra nyungu junkurr baral baja jilban yundu-mundu.


<translate> You saw the jumper ant there.


<translate> Grandmother washed the child's face with her hand.

Babi-ngka karrkay walu julurrin mara-bu.


<glossary> dayirr ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> The sun is bright


<translate> The young man laughed at the child.


<translate> The old man said if you are ever lost in the argument of two people you love, do not ask which one is right, ask instead what each one is afraid of, for under every angry word there is a frightened one, and if you can answer the fear the anger has nothing left to stand on.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki yundu nganga bama jambul yundu wawu-jirray kuni-way-mba, kari babaji wanyu nyubun yukil, babaji wanya bama wubulku yinilmu, dukul-wuri kuku wubulku badanga kuku yinil janay, kaki yundu yinil kuku-yukilka dukul-wuri kari yamba janjilka.


<translate> I saw the julbal tree there.


<translate> The child keeps scratching his hand.


<glossary> yungal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> We hit the ball a long way


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


<translate> The boys tied cane between the trees and the bags hung there.

Dabalangka yibuy kajan jukungu, balji walngkanda yinyay.


<glossary> yiringkurr ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> The sun shines everywhere


<translate> The hunter threw three straight spears, but the fast kangaroo was hit by only one of them.

Balbi-bama kalka jinbal kulur daman, mayarriji jinbal nyubun-bu kunin.


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

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


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


<translate> The women gathered figs, nuts, and yams, and carried a full load back to the camp.

Jalbu binanji darka bambayal bangkan, wubul wundin bayan-ka baja.


<translate> The old woman said if you plant in the wet you will eat in the dry, if you plant nothing you will hunger, and if you eat your seed yams now because you are hungry now, you take food from the mouth of the person you will be next year.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki yundu bana-wungara jarra, yundu bubungu nukal, kaki yundu kari jarra, yundu dakwuy-manda, kaki yundu nyungu jarra-kuka nyiku nukal yundu nyiku dakwuy, yundu mayi manil bama yundu wungar yindungu janaymuny nyungu dayangamuny.


<translate> When the flying foxes argue in the fruit tree, close your eyes and count your own quiet things.

Kaki kambi balka-wal juku-junjunba, miyil nandaji, yamba wunbu yundumuny kunja kimabu.


<translate> The old woman said that a child who hears the old stories carries the whole country inside them forever.

Wulbumanangka balkan: karrkay nyulu kuku ngadiku milka-jananmuny bubu wubulku dukurr wundil yabarrka.


<translate> The man took the shield from the ground.


<translate> The dugong is the best food of all; its meat is sweet and full of fat.

Biwuy minya ngulkurr-baja wubul-muny; nyungu minya jiba-wula-wula-baja.


<translate> I like very much the tree with many big leaves.

Ngayu wawu jirray juku-ku birra-jirr-ka jabajaba-jirr-ka.


<translate> You saw the spear barb there.


<translate> You two saw the milkul soup there.


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


<translate> I saw the kalkamuku snake here.


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


<translate> The old woman said if a child is caught in a lie, do not shame them before others, for shame teaches only better hiding, but take them aside and ask quietly why they were afraid to tell the truth, because every lie is a fear wearing a mask, and you cannot cure what you only punish.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki karrkay warmbilba manil, kari milka-murruji-bunga bama wubulku dukurr-bu, milka-murruji milbil ngulkurr wuninka nganga, yambada nyulu ngundu manil janka babaji wanyu nyulu yinil kuku yukil balkanka, warmbil wubulku yinil nyulu kambi-ji, yundu murruji ngulkurr-bunga nyulu yundu nganga buyun-bungal.


<translate> Grandad said: they will fight again tomorrow night.

Kamingka balkan: jana kuniway baja wunkun.


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


<translate> The fighting stick is there.


<translate> You two see the sandfly here.


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


<translate> The two went right on west and came to the mountain top.

Bula kuwa dungan-arrku, kuwa dungan-arrku, wuburr-bu kadan.


<translate> When the tide went out, the children ran across the wet sand and gathered shells in their dilly bags.

Jalun dunganya, karrkay-karrkay warrin jukar dunanga, bulkiji bangkan baljinga wubulku.


<translate> The old man came back to the camp yesterday, and he will go out hunting again tomorrow morning.

Mukul-dingkar bayan-ka nyunban yilayku, nyulu balbi-ka dunga-y-baja wunkun wunkuwingku.


<translate> You two saw the jiwal-jiwal kingfisher here.


<translate> You and I see the dove here.


<translate> Perhaps the child is only tired from the long day, not sick, the old woman said, so let her sleep now and we will see in the morning.

Nguba karrkay baja-burray nyubun-bu marri-muny, kari bambay, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu niji wuna, ngana wunkuwingku-ba nyaji.


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


<translate> They see the sea turtle here.


<translate> You see the empty box there.


<translate> Mother washed the child's ankle.


<translate> Those people came from far away to dance at the big corroboree.

Yinya-rriny kalbay-muny kadan, malkarri yalbay-ka warrma-ka.


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


<translate> The woman came from down there.


<translate> We see the turtle spear point here.


<translate> The old man cut a straight length of wood for a spear, scraped it smooth with a shell, straightened it over the coals, hardened the point in the fire, bound a stone tip to it with sinew and wax, tested its balance, and then set it aside to be finished the next day.

Mukulungku dingkarangka juku murni kalkanka dakan, kunbir-bu jinbal-manin, ngunjil wangkar murni-manin, wula miyil kajan, kulji-murru jila-bu kajan, nyulu murni-nyajin, yalada bawan yindu wungara dumba-mandanka.


<translate> Is that the big waja or the little waja? — In this language crow and march fly share one name; the size tells you which one is stealing your meat.

Yinya waja yalbay yambada waja buban? Kukungu jambul 'waja': yalbay-bubanbu milbil wanjaku minya yundumuny manil.


<translate> That pig is not afraid any more; it is tame now.

Nyulu bikibiki yinyilji karida, mindayda.


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


<translate> You two saw the spear barb there.


<translate> I saw the bajabaja lizard here.


<translate> That pheasant cuckoo is there.


<translate> The dog carried auntie's bag.


<translate> The kangaroo, the wallaby, and the tree kangaroo all belong to this country and its old stories.

Mayarriji, kadar, jarrabina, narmba yala bubu-mu, kuku mukul-mu.


<translate> In the dry time the small waterholes dried up, and the old woman showed the girl where the hidden water stays.

Marral wungara bana buban marralmanda, wulbumanangka maral milbin bana wanjabu ngakiji.


<translate> Which bark is the strongest? The messmate bark is the strongest.

Wanya dumbul junkurrji? Warka dumbul junkurrji bajaku.


<translate> The children are making little canoes from bark and racing them down the creek.

Karrkay-karrkaybu marrakan buban bungal warrurmuny, jana warri-bungal wawubajaburr.


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


<translate> You see the water gum tree there.


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


<translate> Father sees the morning star there.


<translate> They carried the two wallabies back to the camp on poles, and there was good meat enough for every family for two whole days.

Jana darrba jambul bayanka wundin jukuji, minya ngulkurr janay jawunkarra wubulku wungar jambulka.


<translate> Grandad sang at the corroboree.


<translate> With his strong arm the man speared the fish in the deep water.

Dingkarangka wakuy junkurr-bu kuyu daman bana-dukurr-ba.


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


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


<translate> I want good meat without any bones, and sweet fruit without the bitter, hard skin on it.

Ngayu wawu minya-ka ngulkurr bajibay-kari-ka, mayi jiba-wulay-ka buyun-kari junkurr-kari.


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


<translate> You see the milbarkal tree there.


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


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


<translate> He told the whole camp the good news that the two hunters were coming home with plenty of meat.

Nyulu bayan wubulku kuku ngulkurr balkan, balbi-bama jambul minya jirray-jirr kankaday.


<translate> The old woman said when you gather, never take the last one and never take the mother plant: leave the biggest yam to make the seed, leave enough fruit for the birds who plant tomorrow's trees, and take only from the middle, for the gatherer who empties a place will find it empty forever, and the gatherer who leaves enough will find it full every year of a long life.

Wulbumanangka balkan: yundu bangkanya, kari nganga bada bajaku mani kari ngamu-mayi mani: juwal yalbay bawa jarra-kuka bunganka, mayi wubul bawa jujubalanka jana wungar-kadalmu juku jarranmu, dukurr-bu nganga mani, bangkal-bama nyulu bubu yamba-kari-manil nyulu nyaji yamba-kari yabarrka, bangkal-bama nyulu wubul bawal nyulu nyaji buwun wungar wubulku wawu kalbaymuny.


<translate> The men pulled the dugout canoe on the sand.

Dingkar-dingkar-angka marrakan jukar-a kulban.


<translate> You saw the murrkul tree there.


<translate> "Do you know that old man standing by the fire? Or is he a stranger come from another country?"

Yundu yinya mukul-dingkar binal, janay baya ngundu? Nyulu bama yindu, bubu yindu-muny kadan?


<translate> I saw the dijarr freshwater perch there.


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


<translate> Do not leave the fishing line lest the fish bite.


<translate> The big fish broke the line and got away.

Kuyungku yalbayngku badur dumbarrin, warrinda.


<translate> They saw the shell back snail here.


<translate> The girls danced behind the women.

Maral-maral wurin kudamundu jalbu-jalbunda.


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


<translate> He saw the mackerel sky here.


<translate> I sweep and clean the house in case my friend comes.

Ngayu bayan kidal, dayirr-bungal, kunka ngayku jawun kada-nya-mun-ku.


<translate> Today the children stay at camp.

Nyiku karrkay-karrkay bayan-ba bundanday.