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

Byulu minya nyundan. Ngana yalaymbu mukanyakuda


<translate> Many white stars filled the black sky, and the old man named them all for the listening children.

Dawar balbal wubul jiri ngumbu-ba, mukul-dingkar-angka narmba burri dajin karrkay-karrkay milka-janay-nya.


<translate> The old woman said illness is a change that comes upon a person unbidden, for a strong person falls ill overnight, becomes weak, becomes hot with fever, and the healer's whole art is to change that change back, to make the fever cool and the weak strong and the sick well again, so that sickness and healing are two changes running against each other, one pulling the body down and the other lifting it back up.

Wulbumanangka balkan bambay nyulu yindu-manin bama nyubunmuny kunjal-kari, bama junkurr bambay-mal wujurr nyubunba, kala-burra-mal, wumbul-mal, yukil-bungal-bama nyungu binal wubulku yindu yinya bada-bungalka, wumbul kiway-bungalka kala-burra junkurr-bungal bambay yukil-bungal baja, bambay yukil-mal baja, yindu jambul warri-way, nyubun bangkarr bada-bungal yindu wangkar-bungal baja.


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


<translate> The child saw the knife in the bag.


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

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


<translate> The women straightened the tangles out of the children's long hair with their fingers and tied it back so it would not fall in their eyes.

Jalbu-jalbungka karrkay-karrkaymu mungka kalbay marabu yaralbungan, kajan kudamundu, mungka miyilba kari badanyji.


<translate> We saw the jiwal-jiwal kingfisher here.


<translate> You see the black tree there.


<translate> Watch the water all the time while you glean on the reef, the old woman warned, lest the tide come back fast and catch you in the deep channel.

Bana nyaji-nyaji dulngku-ka bangka-nya, mukul-jalbu balkan, yira bila kada-baja yundu bana dajali-ba mani-nyji.


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


<translate> I came from there and turned back.


<translate> The dog followed the man to meet him.


<glossary> mambarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> He turned him over to the police


<translate> You two saw the dalmbal flathead here.


<translate> I saw the bajalji python here.


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


<translate> I saw the sand crab in the water.


<translate> Don't run on the sharp stones — you will cut your foot.

Kari kulji dandi-nga warri — yundu jina yaka-ji.


<translate> The two brothers who always hunt together speared a big kangaroo.

Dingkar-bulal, muru balbil baja, mayarriji yalbay daman.


<translate> You all see the salmon there.


<lexeme> Rattlesnake point - Fritz Creek


<translate> You two see the yinkan ribs here.


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

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


<translate> The young man washed his face.


<translate> The person there is pleasant.


<translate> Food walks a long road from the mouth to the stomach, the old woman taught the children: the teeth cut it small, the tongue turns it, the throat takes it down, and the stomach cooks it slowly like meat on a small fire, so eat slowly and leave each worker to its own work.

Mayi nyulu baral kalbay jilbal ngandalmuny jibaraka, wulbumanangka karrkay-karrkay milbin: dirrabu buban-buban yakal, nyabildu murnil, manubu bada manil, jibarabu wajul buban-buban yala minya baya-bubanba, nuka buban-buban, bawa murni-bama nyubun-nyubun murninka nyungu-nyungu.


<translate> That old hollow tree trunk is where the little grey possum sleeps all through the long day.

Juku mukul dimbirr yinya, yawa buban wungar wubulku wuna-nya.


<translate> Put the hook on the line, and wait quietly for the fish to bite.

Badur wukurr-ba wuna, janka bunda kuyu bayka-nyji.


<translate> When the sun was high, the women dug yams in the ground and filled two dilly bags, laughing and talking the whole time.

Wungar wangkar janan, jalbu-jalbungku wukay bakan bubungu, balji jambul mumban, yajarrinya balkanya.


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


<translate> We, not you, saw the murral tree kangaroo here.


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


<translate> They saw the nyumbirr beeswax there.


<translate> Yours is yours and mine is mine, but the path between the camps belongs to the feet that keep it open.

Yunumuny yunumuny, ngaykumuny ngaykumuny, yambada baral bayan-jambulmuny jinamuny nyulu ngalkal karrbalmuny.


<translate> The man asked the old woman: "What did the dog eat?"

Dingkar mukul-jalbu-ndu babajin: "Wanyu kaya-ngka nukan?"


<translate> The boomerang flew out, went right around, and came back to the thrower's hand; a good boomerang always returns, a bad one falls in the grass.

Wangal dungan, warrin, dingkar-mu mara-nda kada baja; wangal ngulkurr kada baja ngadiku-ngudiku, wangal buyun jikan-ba daran.


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


<translate> You all saw the river there.


<translate> A ghost is not coming; a man is coming.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the kuran case-moth larva here.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> They saw the large round oyster here.


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


<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> The sea was calm and the children trailed their hands in the cool water as the canoe slid along.

Jalun ngulkurr, karrkay-karrkayangka mara bananga yijarrin kiwaymba, marrakan julbarr-warrinya.


<translate> You two see the whip snake here.


<translate> The bark is harder than the clothes.


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


<translate> Do not put the fish in the sun lest it spoil; hang it in the shade instead!

Kuyu kari wungara yijarri, buyun-manyji; wabarrba walngka!


<translate> You two see the smooth rock here.


<translate> That stockwhip bird is there.


<translate> I saw the dalmbal flathead there.


<translate> You saw the dalmbal flathead there.


<translate> You and I saw the kujuway pigeon here.


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

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


<translate> The man's new spear is sharp.


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


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

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


<translate> Father built the camp; meanwhile we gathered firewood.

Nganjan-angka bayan ngaran, ngana baya manin-kuda.


<translate> The old woman said a widow and a widower each had their own hard road and their own name, and the bereaved father was called yuyku, a word heavy with sorrow, and the old people did not expect a grieving spouse to simply carry on but gave them time, and duties among the wider kin, so that the loss was carried by the whole family together and not left to crush one person alone in an empty camp.

Wulbumanangka balkan biwar-wula dunyu-wula jambul nyungu-nyungu baral dandi nyungu-nyungu kuku baja, nganjan wawu-mumbu yuyku kunjal, kuku wawu-mumbu-ji junkurr, bama mukul kari wawu-manin wawu-mumbu-bama nganga jilbanka yambada dayan wungar, yamba-yukil baja jawun-karra-nga, wawu-mumbu nyulu jawun-karra wubulku nyubunji karrban kari nyubun bama nganga kajan bayan-nganganga.


<translate> You all see the black bream here.


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

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


<translate> You two built a good camp; I saw your fire from far off; I came to you two at dusk; and you shared your food with me.

Yubal bayan ngulkurr ngaran; ngayu yubalanga baya kala-kalbay-muny nyajin; ngayu yubalanda kadan wungar bada-nya; yubal ngaykunji mayi daji-way.


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

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


<translate> The child saw the paperbark tree.


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

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


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


<translate> The flying foxes hung in the fruiting trees in their thousands, and their noise filled the whole valley in the evening like a great wind.

Kambi wubul juku mayijinga janay, jana kuku bubu wubulku nandan yilay-yilay yala muyar yalbay.


<translate> The rain has gone; the sun is out; the clothes will get dry.

Kaba dungan; wungar wandin; kambi marralmal.


<translate> Mother took the boomerang from the ground.


<translate> In the morning the two families shared a big meal, and all the children played together.

Wunkuwingku jawunkarra jambul mayi yalbay nukan, karrkay-karrkay wubulku kinkan baja.


<translate> You two saw the grasshopper there.


<translate> You all see the fighting spear there.


<translate> The dry wind came early that year and the grass dried out.


<translate> They see the bamboo spear stick here.


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

Bula minya wali-yindu walu-yindu kalkabu mungkin


<translate> The two of them saw the yikari hardened beeswax here.


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


<translate> You two saw the mayfly there.


<translate> Mother washed the young man's arm.


<translate> I am running because of the vicious dog.


<translate> The good singer sang a song.


<translate> You two see the bamboo spear stick here.


<translate> The base of that tree is hard.


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

Jana nyunguwunbu bayanba walan nyungungunbu ngambanga


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


<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> They two see the spear point here.


<translate> Grandmother said to grandfather: "I do not know."

Babi-ngka kami-nda balkan: "Ngayu kari binal."


<translate> You two saw the kabuljaka snake there.


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


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

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


<translate> The woman saw the white wattle outside.


<translate> The old man's chest was tight and aching from calling out across the wide water for so long in the cold morning wind, the old woman said.

Mukul-dingkar-mu ngamban kaka dandi, bana kala-kalbay-muny yirrka-yirrka-nya wumbul ngiki-bu bulkiji wunkuwingku-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan.


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


<translate> I see the turtle spear point here.


<translate> My grandmother knows every shellfish on this beach by its shell alone.

Ngayku babingka mukirr wubul binal yanyu jukar-a, nyungu milbar-bu nyubun.


<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> You all saw the kurkunbay butcherbird there.


<translate> Burn some ironwood tonight, the old man ordered, lest the thunderstorm come, and take the dry grass away from around the camp lest a small fire walk through it in the dark, for if you act first, the big fire never comes.

Jujubala waju wujurrba, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, jarramali kadanyji, jikan bana-kari mana bayan ngundumuny, baya-buban jilbanyji wujurrburr, kaki yundu murnil ngadiku, baya yalbay kariku kaday.


<translate> The two brothers, who hunted together every day, speared a big fat pig in the deep swamp.

Yaba-bulal-angka bikibiki yalbay wandul daburri-nga daman, bula wungar wubulku muru balbi-nya.


<translate> If the small child cries in the night, its mother comes at once and holds it close by the fire until it sleeps.

Kaki karrkay buban wujurr-ba banbadi, nyungu ngamu nyiku-nyiku kaday karrba buri-ngka, wuna-nyjiku.


<translate> "When did the old man die, and when did the people go from that river country forever?"

Wanjawanja mukul-dingkar wulan, wanjawanja bama bubu wawubaja-muny dungan wubulku-ku?


<translate> The children learned which fruit is good to eat and which seed will make you very sick.

Karrkay-karrkay-angka binalman, wanjinya mayi ngulkurr nuka-nka, wanjinya diburr bama bambay-bunga-l.


<translate> If a strong wind comes, we will not go to the sea.

Kaki muyar junkurrji kaday, ngana jalun-ba kari dungay.


<translate> You and I see the swamp here.


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


<translate> The old woman taught the three doors of knowing: I saw it, someone told me, and maybe — and she made the children name the door before every story.

Wulbumanangka baral-ngandal kulur binalmuny milbin: ngayu nyajin, bamabu ngaykunka milbin, nguba: karrkay-karrkaybu baral-ngandal kunjal kuku-jangkar ngadiku nyubun-nyubunbu.


<translate> If he has a cough, he breaks up green ants and eats them.

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


<translate> They saw the cockatoo crest here.


<translate> Remember to fill the big water-bag right up before you cross the dry stony country, the old woman told the young man, or you will go thirsty.

Binalku bana-ngunyin yalbay narmba warmba-nka bubu marral kulji-jirr jilba-nyjiku, mukul-jalbu-ngku warru-nka balkan, yundu wawu-wulay-ma-l-nyji.


<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.


<glossary> damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> the pastor baptised him


<translate> You two see the crocodile here.


<translate> The little child badly wanted the sweet ripe fruit, but he could not get it from the tall tree.

Karrkay buban wawu jirray mayi kulbul jiba-wulay-ka, yamba nyulu kari mani-l juku kalbay-muny.


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


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

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


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


<translate> The cassowary's kick opens what arguments cannot — stand far away when you must disagree with one.

Kurranjibu jina-jurrngabu ngalkal-bungal wanyu kuku-balka-way kari: janay kala-kalbay kaki yundu balkal muku yinyanka.


<translate> The old man said this yam is rather big, but that one is very big, the biggest I have dug in this ground for many years.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: yinya bambayal jarra-yalbay, yamba yinya yalbay-baja-ku, yalbay wubulku-muny ngayu bubu yinya-ba baka wungar wubul-muny.


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


<translate> The old woman told the girl to look after the baby.

Wulbumanangka maral balkan, ngawa kujinka.


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


<translate> The old man said knowing the number is good but knowing the weight is better, for two small fish and one big fish may weigh the same but never make the same meal.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: wubul binal ngulkurr, dandi binal ngulkurr-baja, kuyu buban jambul kuyu yalbay nyubunji dandi nyubun, yambada mayi kari nyubun.


<translate> The old man went to the sea with the baby.


<translate> The big rain has not come yet, so the dry creeks are still empty and the country waits.

Kaba yalbay kariku kadan, wawubaja marral janka bana-kari, bubu maku-jana-l.


<translate> How do you cook the freshwater eel so that it becomes soft and good?

Yurra wanjarr-ku minya kubarr wajul, nyulu kima-ma-nka ngulkurr?


<translate> You all saw the freshwater eel there.


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


<translate> Grandmother left the fish net in the bag.


<translate> He saw the makirr yellow ochre there.


<translate> Put the baby down on the far side of you from the fire, the old woman moved the young mother's arms without a word, lest the small sleeper go onto the coals in the night, for the mother's body is the oldest wall, and it stands always between the child and the fire.

Ngawa yijarrika kala-kalbay bayamuny, wulbumanangka mara jalbu-bubanmuny murnin kuku-kari, karrkay-buban ngunjilku dunganyji wujurrba, bangkarr ngamumuny nyulu bayan dandi mukul bajaku, nyulu janay karrkay-buban bayamuny yabarrka.


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


<translate> We saw the morning star there.


<translate> The small patch of scrub is here.


<translate> A pair of two young fellows went walking.


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


<translate> The grandfather named the new grandchild after his own long-dead father, the old man said, in the old way of the people, so the name would live on.

Kami-ngku kaminjarr jirakal nyungu nganjan wula-nya kalbay-muny-mu burri-mani, mukul-dingkar balkan, yalaku kalbay-muny-mu, burri wuna-nka.


<translate> The old man followed the honey-bird to the hollow tree and read the small dark bees going in and out, then made a smoky fire below to quiet them, climbed to the hollow, and took out the dark wild honey and the wax comb, leaving some behind so the nest would live and give again another season.

Mukulungku dingkarangka wunba-jujubala wukurrin juku dimbirr-mundu nyajin minya-buban wujurr dandi walanya dunganya, yalada baya kubu bada bungan jana janka-bungalka, dimbirr-mundu dakan, wunba wujurr mandi-mandi baja manin, buban bawan juku-bayan wula nyulu daji baja wungar yindungu.


<translate> The old man made fire with two dry sticks, rubbing them fast and hard together in the morning.

Mukul-dingkar-angka baya bungal juku marral jambul-bu, buyun-buyun junkurr murnin wunkuwingku.


<translate> The young man came with a stick from the house.


<translate> The two mothers went to camp.


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


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


<translate> You two see the murrkul tree there.


<translate> The old woman knows the season by the birds, the old man said: when the black cockatoo calls the wet is coming, and when the bower bird displays the cold time is near.

Mukul-jalbu wungar-jarra buyi-bu binal, mukul-dingkar balkan: kadanji yirrka-nya kaba kada-nya, jurriyan yanyul-nya bulur-iji ngundu-nya.


<translate> The native companion steps high through the shallow water at the edge of the swamp.

Kurrbal bana buban-ba wangkar-a jina karrba-l, wawubaja karangkal dunga-y.


<translate> His mother was afraid and carried him to the old woman, who knew the healing plants of the country.

Nyungu ngamu yinil, karrkay jarra-kulban wulbumanda, nyulu binal mayi ngulkurr-bungalmu bubumu.


<translate> I see the small conical shellfish here.


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


<glossary> bibi ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> The baby is crying, he wants to feed


<translate> Uncle made a song about the big water that same season.

Kalngangka wulngku balkan banaka yalbayka.


<translate> The two of them see the kangaroo rat there.


<translate> He sees the grasshopper there.


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


<translate> That short cut over the hill is quick, the old man said, but the long track by the river is safer, and I take the long one.

Yinya jina buban jamba wangkar-burr bila, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba jina kalbay wawubaja ngundu ngulkurr bajaku, ngayu jina kalbay mani-l.


<translate> The rain did not come, and the ground stayed hard and cracked.

Kaba kari kadan, bubu dandi-baja wunay dumbarri-nya.


<translate> The rain today is very cold, so everyone stays close to the fire in the camp.

Kaba nyiku wungar ngiki-baja-ku, bama wubul baya ngundu wunay bayan-ba.


<translate> You and I see the rainbow here.


<translate> We see the milbarkal tree there.


<translate> You saw the jangkan swift there.


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


<translate> The old man said the bond between an older and younger brother is the model for all bonds in the world: the older leads and protects, the younger follows and honors, and each becomes, in the other, more than they could be alone.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: yaba yabaju jambulku kaji yala kaji wubulku bubungu: yaba ngundu jilbay kujil, yabaju kudamundu jilbay wawu-yukil, jambulku nyubun-nyubunba yalbay-manda nyubun jananmuny.


<translate> The old man said a question can be a greater gift than any answer, for when you ask a young person what they think, and truly listen, you tell them their mind matters, and when you ask a lonely person about their life, and truly listen, you tell them they matter, so he taught the boys that learning to ask good questions and then to be quiet and listen is one of the deepest ways one person can honor another.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku nyulu daji yalbay kuku-yukil wubulmuny, yundu babajinnya warru wanyu jana milka-manil, kuku-yukil ngara, yundu jananka balkan jana milka yamba-yukil, yundu babajin nganga-bama nyungu wawu-kalbaymuny, kuku-yukil ngara, yundu jananka balkan jana yamba-yukil, nyulu warru-warru milbin babajinka kuku yukil yalada dandi-manda ngaranka nyulu nyubun dukurr-baja bama nyubun bama yindu yulmbarril-manilmuny.


<translate> They saw the bayil jungle perch here.


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

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


<translate> They saw the morning star there.


<translate> The old man said the mark of a spear-master is not how hard they can throw but how well they can hold back, for a spear once loosed obeys no one, and a word once spoken is a spear.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: mala-kalkamu milbil kari nyulu junkurr yilbanka, yambada nyulu ngulkurr karrbanka, kalka bawanmuny kari bamanka ngaral, kuku balkanmuny kalka janay.


<translate> Mother saw the dog at the camp.


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> The young man's legs were strong and fast, and he ran down the kangaroo.

Warru-mu jandal junkurr bila, nyulu mayarriji wukurrin warri-bu karrban.


<translate> You all see the deep water there.


<glossary> nguba ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Maybe he'll go, maybe not


<translate> You and I saw the mali small bat there.


<translate> The mother's clean clothes were hanging to dry on the branch near the warm fire.

Kambi ngamu-mu jinbal dakil-ba marral-ma-nka nandan, baya wumbul ngundu.


<translate> The old woman carried the heavy load on her back and her shoulder all the way to the camp.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku kulngkul muku binda-ba wundin bayan-ka wubulku.


<translate> Those two found the honey, so those two share it out — the finding hand, the sharing law.

Bula wunba manin, yalada bula wambajil: mara maninmuny, kuku wambajinmuny.


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


<translate> The old woman caught the little bandicoot in the long grass and carried it back to the camp.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku kulngu buban manin jikan kalbay-mba, bayan-ka wundin.


<translate> The old woman said never rob a bird of all its young, but take only one or two and leave the rest, so there will be birds again next season.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: buyi-mu karrkay narmba baluda mani, nyubun jambul-bu mani kanbal wuna, buyi kada-baja wungar-jarra yindu-ngu.


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


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


<translate> You all see the queenfish there.


<translate> Why does shame come hardest to good people? — Because they open the door for it themselves.

Wanyurrinku murru-kaday kadal bamanka yukilanka dandi bajaku? Jana baral-ngandal ngalkal-bungal nyulu-nyulubu.


<translate> The flowers are out — the bees are coming.


<glossary> ngangkal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I found him here without expecting him


<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 woman heard the baby cry and came quickly to pick him up.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku ngawa badi-nya nyajin, bila kadan, ngawa manin.


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


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


<translate> Over there, where the sky sits on the hills — that is tomorrow's walk.

Yarra, wanja jiri bundal bubungu wangkara: yinya jilba wunkunymuny.


<translate> The octopus hides in the reef pools and changes its color to match the rock so you can walk right past it, but the old woman taught the girl to watch for the one wrong shape among the stones and the slow curl of an arm, and once you see it you never lose the trick, for the eye learns to catch what does not quite belong.

Kurrija jalun-ba-janku dukurr-bu buyan nyungu nganja-jarray murni-manil kulji yala yundu ngunju jilbanya, wulbumanangka karrkay-jalbu milbin nyajinka yamba nyubun yukil-kari kulji dukurr-bu mara buban-buban murninya, yundu nyajinya kariku binal bawal, miyil binalman maninka yamba nyulu kari yukil janji.


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


<translate> The moon shone on the quiet sea.


<translate> The two children looked at each other and then laughed and ran off together.

Karrkay jambul nyaji-way, yalada jana warri muru dungan.


<translate> The old woman said a marriage with children and a marriage without them are both good and both hard, and she would not let the childless couple be pitied or shamed, for she said they carry the whole camp's children in a different way, as the ones with time and hands to spare, and a wise camp gives its orphans and its extra work to the childless with-love, not with-shame.

Wulbumanangka balkan dunyu karrkay-ji dunyu karrkay-kari jambul yukil jambul dandi, nyulu kari dunyu karrkay-kari mumbu-bungal bikirr-bungal baja, nyulu balkan jana bayan wubulku karrkay karrbal yindu yala, bama wungar mara-ji buban baja, bayan binal karrkay-ngamu-kari kirraji yindu baja karrkay-karinka dayal wawu-jirray-ji, kari bikirr-ji.


<translate> Grandmother sent a message with mother.


<translate> The old man showed the boy the high bank where the flood water always reaches.

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru jalkar milban, bana yalbay wangkar-a kada-nya.


<translate> You all saw the kungkun snake there.


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


<translate> The boy carefully sharpened the barbs of his spear with a sharp stone knife.

Warru-ngku nyungu kalka jinil naybu kulji-bu jinbal-manin.


<translate> Father was the first to see the pig.

Nganjan-angka nyulu-ngurr bikibiki nyajin.


<translate> The lorikeets fill the flowering tree, eating and calling all at once, and the noise carries far across the country.

Birrbirr juku-nganka-nga wubul, nukan yirrkan wubul muru, kuku-yalbay bubu kalbay-mba dungan.


<translate> Bright lightning flashes up over the mountain and lights up the whole dark night sky.

Balbay jiri wangkar-a jinbal-baja daka-l, jiri wujurr wubulku ngulkurr nyaji-ji.


<translate> You all see the outrigger canoe here.


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


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

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


<translate> 'Do not go near the deep water where the big crocodile lives,' the old woman said to the frightened children.

'Kari kada-y bana dajali ngundu, bilngkumu yalbay yinya wunay,' mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay yini-yini-nka yalaman.


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


<glossary> mulkal-mulkal ; type=noun ; domain=spirit-mythical-being <usage_example> They're fighting for no reason. Someone will have a baby.

Bula mulkal-mulkal; somebodyngka baby haveim-bungal


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


<translate> The young man asked grandfather about the mango.


<translate> You and I saw the baringkan small bird here.


<translate> He sees the queenfish there.


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


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


<translate> The woman swept the ground clean before she set up the camp.

Jalbungku bubu kidan, bayan ngara-nyjiku.


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


<translate> The old woman's shin is dry.


<translate> They knew: the water here never dries up.


<translate> The woman washed her shoulder.


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


<translate> The old woman said there are three kinds of travellers: the one who walks to get somewhere, the one who walks to get away from somewhere, and the one who walks because walking is what they are, and only the third ever truly rests, because for them the walking and the resting are the same thing.

Wulbumanangka balkan: jilba-bama kulur yala: nyubun nyulu jilbay bubungu kadanka, nyubun nyulu jilbay bubumuny dunganka, nyubun nyulu jilbay nyulu jilbal nyungu bangkarr yala, kulurmu nyubun yabarrka yukil mara-kunbay, jananka jilbal mara-kunbay baja nyubun yamba.


<translate> The old man said the word bama, which the whitefellas heard as just the name of the people, really means a human being, a person tied into the kin-web, and it stands against the word for a stranger or an outsider who has no known place in the relations, for to be bama was not a matter of blood alone but of belonging, of having a mother and a father and a moiety and a place that everyone could name.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku bama, waybala ngaran nyulu nganga kuku bamamuny, nyulu bajaku bama-nyubun jani-mabi, bama jawun-karra-nji janan, nyulu janan kuku bama-yindumuny nyulu karra-nga yamba-kari, bama nyulu kari mula-daji nganga yambada bayan-karra, ngamu nganjan bama-jambul yamba baja karrbal bama wubulku kunjalmuny.


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

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


<translate> The two of them went to the sea, and we two followed them.

Bula jalun-ka dungan, ngali bulangan wukurrin.


<translate> Which story is true? — Walk to the place and look with your own eyes; the country will judge both tellers.

Wanjaku kuku-jangkar manubaja? Jilba bubuku, nyaji miyilbu yundumunybu: bububu balkal-bama jambul nyajil.


<translate> We see the karrandal tree there.


<translate> The base of the tree is hard.


<translate> The girl wants to go with her mother to dig the yams in the soft ground by the river, the old woman said.

Jalbu buban wawu ngamu-jirr dunga-nka bambayal baka-nka bubu kima-ba bana-jandu-ngka, mukul-jalbu balkan.


<translate> The hunters shared the meat, and the old man was given the liver, the best part.

Balbi-bama minya daji-way, mukul-dingkar-nka jiba dajin, ngulkurr-baja.


<translate> The messenger night bird came to the camp to tell of a stranger coming from far away.

Jiway bayan-ka kadan, bama yindu kalbay-muny kada-nya balka-nka.


<translate> We see the large round oyster here.


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

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


<translate> The elder brother told his younger sister to run home quickly along the beach.

Yaba-ngka jinkurr-undu yalaman, bayan-ka warri-nka jinbal-baja jukar-a.


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


<translate> The duck swims on the still water of the swamp with its little ones behind it, and goes under when a shadow passes.

Nili-nili daburri bana-nga maraji, karrkay buban nyungu banda-nga, bana bada-bada dungan ngurrban dunganya.


<translate> He is very tired now from swimming all day long in the cold sea.

Nyulu bajaburray-baja niji, janji-nya wungar wubulku jalun ngiki-nga.


<translate> In the morning the men built up the fire and the women made damper.

Wunkuwingku dingkar-dingkarangka baya ngaran, jalbu-jalbungku damba balkan.


<translate> They judged the visitor wrongly: he arrived things-with and language-without, and by the wet season he was digging-with, sharing-with, and joke-with — the country reads more slowly than the eye, the old man said, let it finish.

Jana ngarrbal nyajin mumbu: nyulu kadan yamba-ji wubul-ji kuku-kari, bana-wungarbu nyulu bakal-ji, wambaji-ji, yajarr-ji, bubu nyajil buban-buban miyilmuny, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, bawa nyulu kunbay-manilka.


<translate> The old man said: You will spend your whole life learning to live inside your own heart and you will never fully master it, but the trying is itself the good life, and the person who stops trying is already half dead.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Yundu wawu kalbay wubulku binalmal nyungu wawu dukurr bundanka, yundu murruji yukil kujil, yambada kirrajil nyulu-nyulu wawu ngulkurr, bama nyulu kirrajil bawal wulay buban baja.


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


<translate> You see the umbrella palm here.


<translate> He saw the balarri queenfish here.


<translate> The child is staying outside with the baby.


<translate> You all see the grass wallaby here.


<translate> Hook or spear for this water? — Hook; the fish here have already seen too many shadows.

Badur yambada kalka bananka yanyanka? Badur: kuyubu wabarr wubulku nyajin ngadiku.


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


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


<translate> The old woman said a woman moving to her husband's country at marriage carried her own kin and country inside her always, and taught her children about their mother's people and mother's places even while they grew up on their father's land, so that a child of a proper marriage inherited two countries, two lines of kin, and two sets of stories, and was the richer for standing with a foot in each.

Wulbumanangka balkan jalbu dunyu nyungu bubungu jilban dunyu-manilba nyulu karrbal nyungu-nyungu karra bubu wawungu yabarrka, milbin nyungu karrkay-warra ngamu nyungu bama ngamu nyungu yamba-warra jana nganjan nyungu bubungu warru-mandanya, karrkay dunyu-manin yukilmuny nyulu manin bubu jambul, karra-jina jambul, kuku-jangkar jambul baja, nyulu yamba-yukil-baja janan jina nyubun-nyubunba.


<translate> That blue mountain parakeet is there.


<translate> You see the casuarina pine there.


<translate> The young man is always angry.


<translate> You two see the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree there.


<translate> That mass of vines is there.


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


<translate> The men speared fish in the shallow water at the mouth of the river.

Dingkar-angka kuyu daman bana buban wawubaja ngandal-ba.


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

Warru-ngku kalka balkan juku junkurr-muny.


<translate> The two of them saw the maral-maral young girls here.


<translate> He saw the walkarr goanna here.


<translate> The grandmother wrapped the baby in soft paperbark and laid it in a bark cradle; the wind rocked the bark cradle, and the baby slept while she wove.

Babingka ngawa buyku kima-bu karrban, dumbul-bu wunan; muyar-bu dumbul-buwa yungan, ngawa wunan, babi wukurrin.


<glossary> durru ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> I stubbed my toe on a stone


<translate> The old woman said the trees teach the deepest patience of all, for a person plants a nut knowing they will never sit in its shade, that the shade is for the grandchildren of their grandchildren, and yet the old people planted anyway, generation after generation, and this is why the country was full of great old trees, because a thousand generations chose to give a gift they would never receive.

Wulbumanangka balkan juku milbil maku-janal bada bajaku wubulmuny, bama barka jarral binal nyulu kariku nyungu wabarrba bundal, wabarr nyungu jija-jija nyungu jija-jijamu, yambada bama mukul jarran yambada, wungar-kadal wungar-kadal baja, yinya bubu buwan juku yalbay mukul-mabibu, wubul wungar-kadal manin dayanka daji jana kariku manilmuny.


<translate> The younger brother cut open the log with his axe while the older one held the dogs, so it could not get away.

Yabajungku juku yakan waymbilda, yaba kaya-kaya karrbanya, kulngu murruji warri.


<translate> Grandmother put the fish net in the shade.


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


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jayju kangaroo rat here.


<translate> The children learned that precaution is not fear but knowing: you do not cover the fire because you are afraid of it, but because you understand it, and understanding is the truest safety there is.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman nyaji-ngarr kari yinil, yambada binal: yundu baya kari nanda yundu yinilmuny, yambada yundu binalmuny, binal yinil-kari bajaku yukil.


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

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


<translate> I saw the bujabay tree here.


<translate> You all see the bikarrakal fruit there.


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


<translate> Check your feet before you set out and again at every rest, for a small blister ignored in the morning becomes a crippling wound by nightfall.

Jina nyaji-ngarr dunganyjiku, nyaji baja yundu maku-jananya wubulku, jina kaka buban wunkuwingku milka-wulanmuny yalbay-manda kunarangkalka.


<translate> You should never travel through the dry country without water and without fire.

Yundu kari jilba-dunga-y bubu marral-burr bana-mundu baya-mundu!


<translate> The hunter has very sharp eyes; he sees the small bird high up in the far tall tree.

Balbi-bama miyil jinbal-baja-ku; nyulu buyi buban juku kalbay wangkar-a nyaji-l.


<translate> We saw the freshwater eel here.


<translate> The old woman knows every rock-pool and every oyster-bed on the whole reef, the people said, and her dilly-bag is never empty at low tide.

Mukul-jalbu binal bana-mabi kulji-jirr julul-bubu wubulku dulngku narmba-ba, bama balkan, nyungu ngunyin kari yamba ngajal-ba.


<translate> He sees the kookaburra there.


<translate> The little wallaby is there.


<translate> You see the sea turtle there.


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


<translate> You two see the barracuda here.


<translate> Why did they choose her to speak? — Because she is ears-with, patience-with, and hurry-without.

Wanyurrinku jana nyulu manin balkanka? Nyulu milka-ji, wawu-karrba-ji, warri-warri-kari.


<translate> You two saw the kabuljaka snake there.


<translate> The child burned itself on the hot coals by mistake right beside the camp fire.

Karrkay kanban baya wumbul-bu waju-jin, baya karangkal.


<translate> You saw the barinkan scrub bird there.


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

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


<translate> The two of them see the kurrija octopus there.


<translate> The seashell headband is there.


<translate> The women dug a ground oven near the camp.

Jalbu-jalbu-ngku kurrma bakan bayan ngundu-ba.


<translate> The two of them saw the makirr yellow ochre here.


<translate> Father laughed at the woman.


<translate> You all see the toadfish here.


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


<translate> The dog followed the man to meet him.


<translate> The one without a dog found no pigs in the scrub that day.

Kaya-kari-ngka biki kari milbin madja-nga wungar-a.


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


<translate> They saw the older sister here.


<translate> I see the light-coloured hair.


<translate> I see the dirrmbay seagull there.


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


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


<translate> He sees the kangaroo rat there.


<translate> The base of the tree is big.


<translate> We see the black-tip shark there.


<translate> I saw the marril ti tree here.


<translate> The honey has gone all over his body! Wash the little one in the creek before it dries hard.

Wunba dungan bangkarrburr! Buban julurrika wawubajanga, wunba marral-manyjiku.


<translate> They see the jajikal screw palm there.


<translate> The children asked how you could know a person's heart, and the old woman said: You cannot know it in a day; you know it over many seasons, the way you know the weather.

Karrkay-karrkayangka babajin yala yundu bamamu wawu binalka, wulbumanangka balkan: Yundu murruji wungar nyubunba binal; yundu binal wungar wubul kudamundu, yala yundu wungar binal.


<translate> Granny made soup from the mullet.


<translate> The two of them saw the ngarkay waterhen there.


<translate> The breadfruit is big and heavy and green, the old man said, and you must roast it long in the coals before its hard flesh turns soft and good.

Burrin-burrin yalbay kulngkul nganjil, mukul-dingkar balkan, yundu waju kalbay baya-ba nyungu minya junkurr ngulkurr-ma-nya kariku.


<glossary> nginja ; type=noun ; domain=perception <usage_example> That man is always grunting (in his sleep)


<translate> Tomorrow wind will come from the sea.


<translate> The old woman said the oak and the other hard-wood trees give the wood for everything that must be strong and last: the digging stick, the fighting club, the boomerang, the woomera, the good spear, and she taught the girls to know these trees too, not only the food plants, for a woman who can choose and shape hard wood is never dependent on a man to make her tools.

Wulbumanangka balkan dalban juku-junkurr yindu baja dayal juku yamba wubulku junkurr kalbay bajaku: jaba, durray, wangal, kalka-yamba, kalka yukil, nyulu jalbu-buban milbin juku yinya binalka baja, kari nganga mayi-juku, jalbu nyulu juku junkurr manil murnil nyulu kariku dingkarmuny nyungu kalka bunganka.


<translate> The woman found the bag in the house.

Jalbu-ngku balji warrmba-bungan bayan-ba.


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

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


<translate> They see the miyilabu mangrove tree there.


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

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


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

yundu workmunbu kalkandijika, kari kulbajika


<glossary> janay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> The children are standing in front of the school

Jana kaykay-kaykay janjanay jakalba school


<translate> You see the dingki tree there.


<translate> Mother saw the child after he had entered.

Ngamu-ngku karrkay nyajin, wawu-wala-nya-muny.


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


<translate> The young man was tall and strong, firm in the back and quick on his feet.

Warru kalbay junkurr, nyungu muku dandi, jina-nga bila.


<translate> The old man said the making of a good decision is itself a slow change worth waiting for, for a question thrown at a tired mind at night gives one answer, and the same question held quietly through a night's sleep and asked again at dawn gives often a wiser one, so the old people would say let us sleep on it, trusting that the mind changes and settles overnight, and that a thing seen clearly in the morning was often clouded the night before by the day's heat.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku-manin yukil nyulu-nyulu yindu buban-buban nganga maku-janalmuny, kuku yilbal milka baja-burray-mba wujurrba nyulu dayal kuku-yukil nyubun, kuku nyubun wunbu-ji karrbal wujurr warngku-burr babajil baja muduwajuny nyulu dayal wawu-yukil nyubun, bama mukul balkan ngana wunay yinyanga, kuku-junkurr milka yindu-mal wunbu-mal wujurr-burr, yamba nyaji yukil muduwajuny nyulu nganga ngurrban-ji-man wujurr ngadiku wungar wumbul-bu.


<translate> You saw the dijarr freshwater perch there.


<translate> The old man said: The country will feed you forever if you treat it as a mother, but it will turn its face away if you treat it as a thing to be used up and thrown down.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Bububu yundu nukamanil yabarrka, kaki yundu ngamu yala nyajil, yambada nyungu walu murnil kudamundu, kaki yundu yamba yala nyajil kilbanka yilbanka.


<translate> The frill-necked lizard stood up tall on its back legs and frightened the barking dog away.

Binanjal wangkar-a janay jina jambul-bu, kaya yinil-mani-l.


<translate> The two of them saw the kaya-kaya dogs there.


<translate> That night they told the story of the two dogs.

Kunarangkal jana kuku balkan kayanka jambulka.


<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.


<translate> You and I see the wulku fig there.


<translate> You two see the red bream here.


<translate> The old man put water on the child's shin.

Mukul-dingkar-angka bana yijarrin karrkay-anda bibar-a.


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


<translate> The little wallaby with its joey stayed close to the thick scrub, ready to run from any danger.

Kadar buban karrkay-jirr madja junkurr karangkal bundan, warri-nyaku buyun-muny.


<translate> Whose good hunting dog is that, chasing the kangaroo into the thick dark scrub?

Wanya-mba kaya ngulkurr yinya, mayarriji madja junkurr-ka kanga-nya?


<translate> The man got meat, cooked it, and then ate it.

Dingkar-ngku minya manin, wajun, nukan-da.


<translate> The women gave the little baby a name.


<translate> The right hand of the river is rocky; the left is kind to canoes — rivers are handed like people.

Jurrubiji wawubajamuny kulji-ji: jakuji kima marrakannka: wawubaja mara-ji yala bama.


<translate> The children learned which yam is good to eat and which one makes you sick.

Karrkay binalman wanya bambayal ngulkurr nuka-nka, wanya nyulu bama bambay-bungal.


<translate> I went into the scrub, dug the roots, gathered the ripe figs, carried them home, and then my mother cooked them for us.

Ngayu madjanga dungan, bangkan bakan, binanji kulbul munjan, bayanka wundin, ngamungku ngananda wajunda.


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


<translate> They saw the murral tree kangaroo here.


<translate> The mother watched her little child bathing at the edge of the shallow water, the old woman said, never once taking her eyes away from him.

Ngamu-ngku karrkay buban nyaji-l-nyaji-n, janji-janji-nya bana buban-ba ngandal-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan, miyil kari nyubun-bu nyungu-muny mani.


<translate> They saw the seashell headband there.


<translate> You saw the barramundi there.


<translate> You all see the bush fire there.


<translate> The turtle laid eggs in the sand.


<glossary> ngura-ngura ngal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The carpenters got the house ready to build (leveled the foundations measured to see where the walls wouuld be etc)

Jana carpenter-carpenterangka bayan ngurangurangan


<translate> They saw the bujabay tree here.


<translate> The father's sister is there.


<translate> The old man said do not pity the old for what they have lost, but envy them for what they have had, for every wrinkle is a summer survived and every grey hair a winter come through, and a very old person is simply someone who has been very lucky for a very long time.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kari mukul dukul-kulnkul jana yamba kilbanmuny, yambada ngujan jana yamba karrbanmuny, murru-murru wubulku wungar nyubun kudamundu janan, bingaji wubulku wungar nyubun kudamundu janan, mukul bajaku bama nyulu ngulkurr yabarrka kalbay wungarmuny.


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

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


<translate> The old woman said: this is your country; hold it close, and there your ancestors are always watching.

Kamba-ngka balkan: yanyu yunu bubu; karrba ngundu, yinyay yunu mukul-bama nyajil baja.


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


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


<translate> You hear the whistle sound here.


<translate> We see the daughter's child there.


<translate> He is my elder brother; I saw him down at the river yesterday.

Nyulu ngayku yaba; ngayu nyunguny nyajin wawubaja-nga yilayku.


<translate> The striped water snake is there.


<translate> The child brought the school words home, and grandmother traded one old word for each of them — both bags went home full.

Karrkaybu kuku school-muny wundin bayanka, babingka kuku mukul nyubun dayan nyubun-nyubunka: balji jambul dungan bayanka jakal-ji.


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


<translate> Mother said to the child: "Eat the food!"

Ngamu-ngku karrkay-anda balkan: "Mayi nuka!"


<translate> Those bright stars there are two brothers who hunt across the sky forever, chasing a great emu of dark and stars.

Yinya dawar balbajinya jambul yaba, jiri wubulku balbil yabarrka, kurranji yalbay wujurr dawarji jirrkumanya.


<translate> The little orphan child was left motherless and fatherless, so the whole camp raised him.

Karrkay buban ngamu-kari nganjan-kari baja bawan, bayan wubul-angka nyunguny buban-manin.


<translate> When the men came back from hunting, the children ran to see whose wallaby was the biggest, and they laid them on the ground and compared them one against another.

Dingkar-dingkar balbilmuny kadanda, karrkay-karrkay warrin nyajinka wanyamba darrba yalbay bajaku, jana bubungu yijarrin nyubun-nyubunji nyajin.


<translate> Grandfather asked, the child answered, and then they laughed.

Kami babajin, karrkay balkan, bula yajarrin-da.


<translate> The echidna rolled into a tight ball and pushed its sharp back up, so no dog could bite it.

Ngangkin jungkarrijin, muku wangkar yilban, kaya murruji nyungu baykanka.


<translate> If the road is bad, we will stay at the camp.

Kaki baral buyun, ngana bayan-ba bundanday.


<translate> The child asked grandmother about the old song.

Karrkay babi-nda wulngku mukul-ku babajin.


<translate> The two of them saw the dakwurr-dakwun hammer bird there.


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

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


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


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


<translate> He saw the wuba red ochre there.


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


<translate> You saw the bamboo stick there.


<translate> Mother saw the freshwater turtle.


<translate> I saw the bayil jungle perch here.


<translate> The old man kept his good knife wrapped in soft paperbark inside the woven dilly bag.

Mukul-dingkar-angka nyungu naybu ngulkurr warrur kima-ba kajan, ngunyin-ba karrban.


<translate> They see the ghost crab there.


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


<translate> The old woman said the arrival of a new baby rearranged the whole kin-web a little, for the newborn made a woman into a mother or a grandmother, a man into a father or an uncle or a grandfather, an older child into a big brother or big sister with new duties, so that a single birth sent a small change rippling out along every thread of the family, and everyone shifted a little to make the new one its place.

Wulbumanangka balkan ngawa jirakal kadan jawun-karra wubulku yindu-manin buban, ngawa-buban bungan jalbu ngamu-mabi babi-mabi baja, dingkar nganjan-mabi kalnga-mabi kami-mabi baja, karrkay-yalbay yaba-yalbay babarr-yalbay yamba-yukil jirakal-ji, ngawa nyubun wandinya nyulu yindu buban jilba-manin karra wubulku jawun-karra nyubun-nyubunba, bama wubulku yindu buban janan ngawa jirakal nyungu jarray bunganka.


<translate> I climbed the tall tree to cut out the honey, and I filled the coolamon with sweet honey for the children.

Ngayu juku kalbay dakan, wunba yakanka; ngayu dubal wunbabu yajin-bungan karrkay-karrkayka.


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


<translate> You see the jingajalka tree there.


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


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


<translate> You and I see the perch there.


<glossary> balbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> The sun shone brightly


<translate> After the evening meal the whole camp gathered at the big fire, and the old man began the night's stories.

Mayi yilay-yilaymu nukanmuny, bayan wubulku baya yalbaymba bangkan, mukulungku dingkarangka kuku kunarangkalmu badinyarr.


<translate> The children learned that day that the truth is easier to carry than a heavy, hard lie.

Karrkay-karrkay yinya wungar binalman, manubaja ngulkurr wundi-nka, jurril kulngkul junkurr-muny.


<translate> The child does not know the language nowadays.


<glossary> dajay ; type=noun ; domain=spirit-mythical-being <usage_example> The woman died, that's why they want to find her spirit

Nyulu jalbu wulan, yinyayanka jana nyungu dajay warrmba-bunganka


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


<translate> The knife is there in the bag.


<translate> You and I saw the bamboo stick there.


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


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


<translate> We see the cloudless sky there.


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


<translate> You two see the smouldering log here.


<translate> The old woman knew every plant of the scrub, the bush, and the open grassland.

Mukul-jalbu-ngka mayi wubul madja duduy jikan-bubu baja binal.


<translate> The girls washed the yams in the river and put them in the bags.

Maral-maralangka wukay julurrin wawubajanga, mumbanda baljinga.


<translate> We see the willie wagtail there.


<translate> We hear the trade wind there.


<translate> You all see the lizard here.


<translate> That clothing is not folded.


<glossary> bama-ngaykunku ; type=interjection ; domain=interjection <usage_example> my word, I was almost hit


<translate> You see the wangay vine here.


<translate> We see the ngurrkul fig tree there.


<translate> It's going to rain — look at those clouds.


<translate> The child hit the dog, and the mother scolded him.

Kangkal-da kaya kunin, ngamungku nyunguny murru-kangan.


<translate> "Alright," mother said, "you go."

"Yalada," ngamu-ngku balkan, "yundu dunga-y."


<translate> I see the jingajalka tree here.


<translate> I saw the ngurrkul fig tree there.


<translate> You and I saw the fish there.


<translate> You saw the mali small bat there.


<translate> Granny poured tea for everyone and we sat by the fire.

Babingka diyi nyangarrin jananka, ngana bayanga bundarinda.


<translate> The child asked father: "Did the dog come?" Father said: "No."

Karrkay nganjan-anda babajin: "Kaya kadan?" Nganjan-angka balkan: "Kari."


<translate> I see the son or daughter there.


<translate> The mudcrab hides deep in its hole in the mangrove mud, the old man said, and you must reach in with a careful hand, or the crab will bite it hard.

Kiju kajul jukul-ba nyungu bubu-mabi dajali-ba wawan, mukul-dingkar balkan, yundu mara janka-bu daka, kari kiju mara bayka.


<translate> Match the with to its company, the old woman kept the grammar straight: things take ji, people and dogs take nji, and after a trilled tail it is iji — walarr-iji, the bearded one — for even with must dress for its company.

Kaja '-ji' jawunka nyunguka, wulbumanangka kuku-jina dandi karrban: yambabu manil '-ji', bamabu kayabu manil '-nji', badaba 'rr'-muny nyulu '-iji', 'walarr-iji', kuku '-ji' baja nyulu kambi yindu-yindu manil.


<translate> The green fruit slowly became ripe, fell to the ground, and the pigeons ate it there.

Mayi kulbul-kari kulbul-man, bubungu daran, wabul yinyabu nukan.


<translate> You two see the posterior there.


<translate> I see the balmbalka tree here.


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

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


<translate> The dingo is sleeping by the fire.


<translate> The old man said even the fallen dead tree keeps giving for many years, feeding the grubs the children love, growing the mushrooms after rain, sheltering the small creatures, softening slowly into the soil that feeds the next tree, so he taught the boys never to see a fallen tree as rubbish to be cleared but as a slow feast the country lays out across a whole generation.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan juku wula-mabi badanmuny nganga dayal wungar wubulku, jambun karrkay-karrkay wawu-minimuny dayal, mayi jirakal jarral bana ngadiku, minya buban wabarr-manil, buban-buban kima-manda bubu-mundu nyulu juku yindu dayal, nyulu warru-warru milbin kariku juku badanmuny nyaji yamba-mumbu janga-manilku yambada mayi buban-buban bubu buwal wungar-kadal wubulku.


<translate> You and I saw the mountain here.


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


<translate> The black spotted dart is there.


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

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


<translate> You all saw the bajabaja lizard here.


<translate> The young man asked mother about meat.


<translate> They saw the kalmbangarr black diver bird here.


<translate> You see the sand whiting here.


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


<translate> The old woman knew which yams were good to eat straight away and which had to be soaked and roasted a long time to make them safe.

Wulbumanangka binal kawu wanya nukanka ngulkurr, wanya bananga yijarrinka wayjunka kalbay ngulkurr-manka nukanka.


<translate> The man saw the humpy at camp.


<translate> The old woman said watch the fire, not the food, when you cook, for the fire tells you everything: too much flame and the outside burns before the inside cooks, too little and the food sits raw and cold, but a steady bed of coals with no flame at all is the secret of good cooking, and learning to make and hold that bed is half the skill.

Wulbumanangka balkan: baya nyaji, kari mayi, yundu wajunya, baya yundunka yamba wubulku milbil: wula wubul ngalanga jirra dukurr-bu wajul ngadiku, wula buban mayi nganja kiway-kiway janji, ngunjil birra wula-kari junkurr nyulu waju-yukilmu kuku, birra yinya bunganka karrbanka baja kirraji buban.


<translate> You and I see the kookaburra there.


<translate> You two see the nyumbil coolibah tree there.


<lexeme> First bay south of Bloomfield River along coast


<translate> You two saw the jangkan swift there.


<glossary> babaji ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> I asked him, Who is he?


<translate> The Leichhardt tree is here.


<translate> Did the children eat all the damper?


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


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


<translate> I see the dulmbi umbrella palm there.


<glossary> wulman ; type=noun ; domain=weapon <usage_example> the old horse


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


<glossary> babal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> I want to go fishing to try the place out

ngayu baduriji dungaka, yinya bubu babanka


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


<translate> We see the exposed place there.


<translate> The woman saw the water there.


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


<translate> You two see the coral there.


<translate> The wild bees make their honey in a hollow high up inside the old ironbark tree.

Dabu-ngka wunba juku mali dukurr-ba wangkar-a bunga-l.


<translate> The two women set up camp by the river.

Bula jalbubulalangka bayan ngaran wawubajanga.


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


<translate> The women gathered oysters from the rocks at the low tide in the cold morning.

Jalbu-jalbu-ngka julul bangkan kulji-muny ngajal-ba wunkuwingku ngiki-nga.


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


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


<translate> We see the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> Don't believe the river in the wet season; believe the old crossing stones.

Kari manubaja-bunga wawubaja bana-wungara: manubaja-bunga kulji mukul bana-baralmuny.


<translate> Grandmother was the first to cook food.


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


<translate> They saw the pumice stone here.


<translate> You two see the jellyfish here.


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


<translate> They saw the burnt patch of grass there.


<translate> You see the kurrija octopus there.


<translate> The yellow March fly is there.


<glossary> jiba-yararri ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> He's frightened because people are fighting


<translate> The old man said: You cannot look after your family if you do not first look after yourself, for a sick hunter feeds no one and a tired mother cannot carry her child.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Yundu murruji jawunkarra nyajil, kaki yundu nyulu-nyulu kari nyajil ngadiku, balbibama bambay kari bama nukamanil, ngamu baja-burray karrkay murruji wundil.


<translate> The old woman is teaching the girls the women's dances.

Wulbumanangka maral-maral binal-bungal jurbuka.


<translate> The wallaby came to the road.


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


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

Kaki jawun kaday, ngayu mayi wajul, bayan kidal.


<translate> Eel is the best food of the wet season, said grandad, and the creek gives it freely to those who know it.

Kamingka balkan: kubarr mayi ngulkurr bajaku buluriji, wawubajabu dajil jananka binalka.


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

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


<translate> That is a bad place; the old people never camp there in the night.

Yinya bubu bambay; mukul-bama kariku yinyay bundal wujurr-ba.


<translate> He sees the freshwater eel here.


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


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

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


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


<translate> We dug yams all morning, and now the dilly bag is full of food and heavy.

Ngana bambayal bakan wunkuwingku wubulku, niji ngunyin mayi-nji yajin kulngkul.


<translate> He saw the bayil jungle perch here.


<translate> The narrow paths were wet and slippery after the big rain had fallen all through the night.

Jina-jina duna julbarr, kaba yalbay dara-nya-muny wujurr wubulku.


<translate> Quiet anger is fishing with no hook: you sit by the water a long time and catch nothing.

Kuli wunbu nyulu kuyu-mani badur-kari: yundu bundal banaba kalbayku, yamba-kari manil.


<translate> The whole family slept close together under one big blanket, sharing their warmth against the long cold night.

Jawunkarra wubulku warngku wunan jambulku, bilangkurr yalbay nyubun badabada, wumbul dajiwanya kunarangkal kiway kalbaymuny.


<translate> They saw the yuray snake here.


<translate> We, not you, saw the yalnga turtle here.


<translate> We see the newly cleared scrub there.


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


<translate> One clever boy asked how the first people ever learned which plants were safe, when there was no one to teach them.

Karrkay binal nyubungku babajin: bama ngadiku wanjabu binalman mayi ngulkurr, wanya jana milbin kari?


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


<glossary> julbarr-warri ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> I slipped in the mud


<translate> The bird is sitting in the tree.


<translate> The black bean tree is standing at camp.


<glossary> dajay ; type=noun ; domain=spirit-mythical-being <usage_example> The woman died, that's why they want to find her spirit

Nyulu jalbu wulan, yinyayanka jana nyungu dajay warrmba-bunganka


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

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


<translate> They saw the big clam shell there.


<translate> The old woman said the country was once a garden tended by countless hands across countless years, that the useful plants clustered near the old camps because the people carried and dropped and planted their seeds, that the fruit trees grew where the people ate and discarded, so that the wild country was never truly wild but a vast slow garden shaped by the people who belonged to it.

Wulbumanangka balkan bubu ngadiku bubu-mayi kuji-mabi mara kulur-kari-bu wungar kulur-kari-mundu, mayi-juku yukil bayan mukul ngunduku bangkan bama nyungu diburr jarrakulban badan jarran ngadiku, mayi-juku jarran wanja bama nukan bawan, bubu majaji nyulu kari bajaku majaji yambada bubu-mayi yalbay buban-buban bama nyungu-mundu kajanmuny murninmuny.


<translate> The man cried out to the young man: "The dog came!"

Dingkar warru-nda yirrkan: "Kaya kadan!"


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


<translate> You all saw the jirabay lizard here.


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


<translate> Here, he said. My father showed me this place when I was small.

Yaluy, nyulu balkan. Ngayku nganjanangka nganya milbin, ngayu buban.


<translate> The young man asked grandfather about meat.


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


<translate> You all see the ridge pole there.


<translate> The old woman said never rob a bird of all its young, but take only one or two and leave the rest, so there will be birds again next season.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: buyi-mu karrkay narmba baluda mani, nyubun jambul-bu mani kanbal wuna, buyi kada-baja wungar-jarra yindu-ngu.


<translate> The wet-season river is far wider and faster than the dry-season one, and it carries whole trees to the sea.

Bana-wungar wawubaja jarra-yalbay jarra-jinbal-baja ngiki-wungar-mu-ka, nyulu juku wubul jalun-ka wundil.


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


<translate> That lady apple tree is there.


<translate> I see the karrandal tree here.


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


<translate> The best thing, the old man said, is the thing that fits the task and the person, and a wise man owns few things but each one is the right one.

Yamba ngulkurr bajaku, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, yamba nyulu kirrajika bamaka yukil, dingkar binal yamba buban karrbal, yambada wubulku yukil.


<translate> They heard the whistle sound here.


<translate> Yesterday it rained all day, but today the sky is clear and the warm sun shines on the still water.

Yilayku kaba wungar wubulku, yamba niji jiri balbal, wungar wumbul bana-ba balbal-mani.


<translate> This wide country belonged to my old grandfather, and now at last it belongs to me.

Bubu kalbay yinya ngayku kami-mu-muny, niji nyulu ngayku.


<translate> You and I see the ngarkay waterhen there.


<translate> I saw the jimalili lizard there.


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


<translate> You and I see the freshwater eel there.


<translate> The old man said: the strongest rope is kinship — it holds the living to the dead, the child to the country, one person to all the others, and it never breaks if you honour it.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: mula-mula yala dandi bajaku — nyulu juran-bama wula-bama-ji karrbal, kangkal bubu-ji, nyubun-bama bama wubul-ji; nyulu kariku murrnga-ji yundu dandi karrba-nya.


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


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


<translate> Feelings are visitors, the old man said: feed them, hear their news, and walk them to the door.

Wawu-yamba jana ngarrbal, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: mayi-daya jana, kuku janamuny milka-janay, jilba-bunga jana baral-ngandalka.


<translate> The baby's mother was glad and thanked the old people, and there was a big meal that night.

Ngawamu ngamu wawu-mini, kamba-kamba ngulkurr balkan, mayi yalbay yinya kunarangkal.


<translate> We see the black palm there.


<translate> The friend is staying at camp.


<translate> The husbands went out hunting at first light while the wives stayed to mind the children.

Dunyu-karra balbi dungan wunkuwingku, manyarr-karra karrkay-karrkay karrba bayan-ba bundan.


<translate> We see the light bellied black snake there.


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


<translate> The tide came in, the sand became wet, the crabs came out of their holes, and the children ran to catch them.

Bana kadan, jukar duna-man, ngalngal bubungu-muny dungan, karrkay-karrkay warri karrbanka.


<translate> The bukunjarra tree is there.


<translate> The girl asked grandmother about food.


<translate> We — you included — dug this waterhole, so we — you included — own its care.

Ngana bana-dimbirr yanya bakan, yalada ngana kujil baja.


<translate> We see the fresh water snake there.


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


<lexeme> First bay south of Bloomfield River along coast


<translate> You and I see the oyster there.


<translate> You see the seashell headband there.


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

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


<translate> I saw the old man's upper leg.


<translate> I saw the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> The person here is generous.


<translate> The men pulled the heavy net onto the sand and the whole camp came to help carry the fish.

Dingkar-dingkarangka makarr yalbay kulban jukara, jana wubulku kadan kuyu wundinka.


<translate> The old woman prepared the medicine for the child's fever: she went out at dawn and gathered the right leaves while the dew was still on them, crushed them between two stones, warmed the pulp gently by the fire, laid it on the child's hot forehead and chest, sang the quiet healing over it, and then sat by the child all night until the fever broke near morning.

Wulbumanangka kalbal karrkaynka wumbul-buyunka bungan: nyulu muduwajungu badan birra yukil bangkan jangkarr jananga janay-mba, kulji jambulba dudan, wula ngunduku buban-buban wumbul-manin, karrkay nyungu ngunju wumbul jiba baja daya, kuku-yukil janka nyunga balkan, yalada karrkay ngundu bundan wujurr wubulku dukul wumbul-buyun kakan muduwaju ngundu.


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


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


<translate> I see the nyumbil coolibah tree here.


<translate> I saw the sand crab in the water.


<translate> We ate fish, damper, and honey by the fire.


<translate> The old man said the whole system of kin was really a way of answering one question that every human society must answer, the question of how strangers become people you can trust, and the Kuku Yalanji answer was to make everyone kin, to reach out the web until it covered the whole known world, so that there was, in the end, almost no such thing as a true stranger, only a relative whose exact link you had not yet traced.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan jawun-karra wubulku nyulu bajaku yala kuku nyubun kuku-yukil-manilmuny bama wubulku kuku-yukil-manil junkurr, kuku wanjarr bama-nka bama-karra-mabi janan, Kuku Yalanji nyungu kuku-yukil nyulu bama wubulku kajanka, jawun-karra jilbanka dukul nyulu bubu-karra wubulku karrbanya, bada bajaku, bama-nka kuda bajaku nganga, nganga bama-karra nyungu karra-nyubun yundu ngadiku kari wukurrinmuny.


<translate> The jealous man watched his wife talking with the other young men, and his liver was not good.

Dingkar ngujan nyajin nyungu manyarr balka-wa warru yindu-jirr, nyungu jiba kari ngulkurr.


<translate> You two saw the mawul freshwater eel there.


<translate> You see the bingkajiri tree there.


<translate> The big crocodile watched the canoe.

Bilngkumungku yalbayngku marrakan nyajin.


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


<translate> You see the balmbalka tree there.


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


<translate> The children looked up at the rainbow with wonder and a little fear, and thought about the great snake below the water.

Karrkay-karrkay wangkar yiril nyajin wawu-mini yinil buban, milka-bu baykan jarba yalbay bana badabada.


<translate> The old woman washed herself in the cold water of the creek at dawn.

Wulbuman julurri-ji bana ngiki-nga wawubaja-nga wunkuwingku.


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


<translate> The girls washed the yams in the river and put them in the bags.

Maral-maralangka wukay julurrin wawubajanga, mumbanda baljinga.


<translate> I should have brought more water, but the day was hot and my coolamon was already full.

Ngayu bana wubul wundi-nyaku, yambada wungar wumbul, ngayku dubal yajin baja.


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


<translate> They two saw the fish there.


<translate> The magpie sings a beautiful song in the morning, the old woman said, and it is a bold bird that will chase even the dog away from its nest-tree.

Dawa-dawa wunkuwingku-ba wulngku ngulkurr yirrka, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu buyi junkurr, kaya juku nyungu-mu-muny kanga.


<translate> We see the kangaroo rat here.


<translate> We see the corkwood tree here.


<translate> People do not walk through long grass lest a snake bite them.

Bama kari jikan-ba kalbay-mba dunga-n-dungay, jarba-bu bayka-nyji.


<translate> You see the Leichhardt tree here.


<translate> Walk towards the rising sun in the morning, and you will come to the sea by the middle of the day.

Wungar wandi-nya maku jilba-y wunkuwingku, yundu jalun-ka kadan wungar dindarra-nga.


<translate> That is how a story is born, granny says.


<translate> You all see the pumice stone there.


<translate> Inside the story there is another story, the way the seed sits inside the fruit.

Kana kuku-jangkara kuku-jangkar yindu janay, yala diburr bundal kana junjunba.


<translate> The old man said a hand with generosity and a hand that is closed are known to the whole camp within a season, for nothing a person does is more closely watched than how they share food, and the open-handed one will never go without in old age because the camp remembers, while the tight-fisted one may find themselves strangely alone when they finally need help.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan mara daji-ji mara kajan-kari bayan wubulku binal wungar nyubunba, yamba nyubun bama bungal kari ngulkurr-baja nyajil yala nyulu mayi daji-way, mara-kaja-kari-bama nyulu kariku bajaku yamba-kari mukul-mandanya bayan karrbalmu, mara-kulun-bama nyulu nyaji-manda nganga bajaku nyulu bajaku kalbal wawu-manilnya.


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


<translate> In the cold season the dew lies white on the grass at dawn, the breath stands visible in front of the mouth, and the old people sit long at the fire telling the deep stories, for the cold season is the story season, when the night is long and the snake is sleeping.

Bulur-iji bulur wunay kambar jikanba muduwajuny, wawu janay nyajilmuny ngandal ngadiku, bama mukul bundal kalbay bayanga kuku-jangkar dukurr balkanya, bulur-iji nyulu kuku-jangkar-wungar, wujurr kalbay, jarba wunay.


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


<translate> We took the hook and line from the ground.


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

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


<translate> We came to camp and rested. At daybreak we got up.

Ngana bayan-ka kadan, wunanan-da. Muduwajuny ngana wandin.


<translate> How many children live there?

Wanjarrinya karrkay-karrkay yinyay bundanday?


<translate> The child heard thunder at night.

Karrkay-ngku jarramali wujurr-bu nyajin.


<translate> Grandmother gave green ant to the child.


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


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


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


<translate> The child put the charcoal on the ground.


<translate> They see the black snake here.


<translate> The fish are moving upriver.


<translate> The message stick remembers what the runner forgets.

Jarrjalbu milka nyajil wanyu warri-bamabu milka-wulay.


<translate> The oldest boy's wallaby was bigger than all the others, and he was very proud, but the old man said: A big catch is good, but a wise catch is better.

Karrkay yalbaymu darrba yalbay kanbal wubulmuny, nyulu wawu-yalbay bajaku, yambada mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Minya yalbay ngulkurr, minya binal ngulkurr-baja.


<translate> We see the freshwater prawn here.


<glossary> wanjarrku ; type=interrogative ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> How did you come?


<translate> I saw the makirr yellow ochre there.


<translate> The old man said a boy with a teacher and a boy without one both grow up, but they grow up into very different men, for the taught boy inherits a thousand generations of hard-won knowledge in a few short years while the teacherless boy must reinvent everything from nothing and mostly fails, so the old people counted a good teacher among the greatest gifts a child could be given.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan buban milbil-bama-ji buban milbil-bama-kari jambul warru-manda, yindu-yindu dingkar-manda, milbil-ji buban manil ngadiku-bama wubul-yalbay binal dandibu-maninmuny wungar buban baja, yambada milbil-bama-kari buban nyulu yamba wubulku jambul-bungal nganga-muny nyulu wubul-baja bawal, bama mukul milbil-bama yukil karrban yamba daji yalbay wubulmuny karrkay dayanmuny.


<translate> You see the black kangaroo here.


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


<glossary> badi ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> the dogs were howling because their master left them


<translate> After the cyclone the flood water slowly went down and left wet mud everywhere.

Wadjal-muny jalungkarr bana bada dunga-y, bubu bana-ba nganga wuna-l.


<glossary> nguba ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Maybe he'll go, maybe not


<translate> He saw the jadi goanna there.


<translate> When the strangers arrived the old man greeted them and asked the old questions of hospitality in the proper order: where have you come from, how long is your road, are your people well, do you need water and food and rest, and only much later, when they had eaten and rested, did he ask the last question, what has brought you all this way to us?

Bama-yindu kadanya mukulungku dingkarangka jana yulmbarrilbu babajin kuku ngadiku dayal-yamba yukil-dukurr: wanjamuny yundu kadan, wanja-wanja yundu baral, yundu bama yukil, yundu bana mayi wawu-manil, mara-kunbanka baja, ngadiku-baja bajaku, jana nukan mara-kunban, nyulu babajin kuku bada, wanyu yundu ngananka baral kalbay yinya wubulku kadanmuny?


<translate> You all saw the jadi goanna there.


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


<translate> I see the frill necked lizard there.


<translate> They put up a windbreak of leafy branches against the cold night wind from the south.

Jana bira dakil birra-jirr bungan, muyar ngiki wujurr-mu yindu-mundu.


<translate> We, not you, saw the kujuway pigeon here.


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


<translate> The child saw grandmother up there.

Karrkay-ngku babi nyajin wangkarwangkar.


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


<glossary> karrul ; type=noun ; domain=bodily-function <usage_example> He is drooling


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


<translate> You take a spear before a pig comes.

Yundu kalka wundil, bikibiki kada-nyjiku.


<translate> In the flowering season the whole scrub is bright with red and white and yellow blossoms.

Nganka-wungar-a madja wubulku balbal, nganka wubul yindu-yindu jarra-jarra.


<translate> You see the kalbariji tree there.


<translate> The person there is beautiful.


<translate> You all see the barramundi there.


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


<translate> I saw the yirku-yirku frog here.


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


<translate> These two dogs look quite different: one is dark and big, the other bright and rather small.

Kaya jambul yinya walu-yindu: nyubun ngungul yalbay, yindu balbal jarra-buban.


<translate> He saw the bamboo stick here.


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

Marrkin wundi, nganganjirrka bikibiki kadanyamunku


<translate> The tree gives, and the tree must keep living, she says.

Nyulu balkal: jukubu dajil, juku bundanday yabarrka.


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> The mothers carried the sleeping children to their beds and covered them warm, and the camp grew quiet.

Ngamu-ngamungka karrkay-karrkay warngku wundin dubalka, wumbulbu nandan, bayan wunbumanda.


<translate> The road here is not crooked.


<translate> The old man said the person who prepares well is halfway home before they start, but the person who sets out unready is already lost, however short the journey.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bama nyulu ngulkurr ngaranmuny yaba ngundu bayanka kariku dunganmuny, yambada bama nyulu kariku ngaran dungan nyulu kilba nyiku, kalbay buban baja.


<translate> Mother laughed at grandfather.


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


<translate> You two keep sitting; I will come back.


<translate> The old man's grey hair was thin on top, but his eyebrows were still thick and dark.

Mukul-dingkar dukul mungka ngungul-ngungul buban wangkar-a, yamba nyungu bilirr junkurr ngungul niji.


<translate> My cousin and I are the same age; we grew up together, we learned together, and now we hunt the same country.

Ngayku bangunji ngali nyubun wungar-amu; ngali muru yalbay-man, ngali muru binal-man, ngali nyubun bubu balbil.


<translate> You and I saw the binainyji fig-like fruit there.


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

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


<translate> The next day it was my turn to go to camp to cook food.

Wunkuny yindu ngayu-ji bayan-ba dungan mayi waju-nku.


<translate> When at last they saw the animals, the father whispered: Now be very still; if it looks up, freeze; and if it feeds, we move closer.

Jana minya nyajinda ngadiku, dingkarangka wunbu balkan: Nyiku wunbu janay, kaki nyulu wangkar nyajil, janay, kaki nyulu nukal, ngana ngundu dungay.


<translate> We saw the karrandal tree here.


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


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


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

Kuyungku kari bajaku baykan, ngayu badu bawanda


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

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


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


<translate> The men made the long spears, the boomerangs, the clubs, and the shields, all from the hard wood.

Dingkar-angka kalka kalbay, wangal, mirru, kunjuri narmba bungal juku junkurr-muny.


<translate> We see the king parrot here.


<translate> Father took the charcoal from the ground.


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


<translate> The women called out to each other across the sand as they dug for the sweet white yams.

Jalbu-jalbu yirrka-wa jukar-a, jana wukay jiba-wulay bakal wubulku.


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


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


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


<translate> The child does not know the language nowadays.


<translate> The possum comes out at night and eats the ripe fruit high in the tree.

Yawa wujurr-ba kada-l, mayi kulbul nukal juku wangkar-a.


<translate> Two bright stars sit low in the northern sky, and the old man steers by them walking at night.

Dawar jambul balbal jiri kungkarr-ba bada, mukul-dingkar-angka yinya-mu nyaji-l wujurr-ba jilba-nka.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the jayju kangaroo rat there.


<translate> You two see the marsupial native cat there.


<translate> We, not you, saw the jangkan swift here.


<translate> The old woman said the careless camp feeds the dogs and the ants and the rats and goes hungry itself, while the careful camp eats well and sleeps sound, for the difference is only an hour's work before nightfall.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bayan daki-daki kaya minya nukamanil, minya baja, ngawiya baja, nyulu-nyulu dakwuy janay, yambada bayan nyaji-nyaji ngulkurr nukan warngku ngulkurr wunay, jambulku murni nganga kirraji nyubun kunarangkal ngadiku.


<translate> Father said to the young man: "Go to the house!"

Nganjan-angka warru-nda balkan: "Bayan-ba dunga-y!"


<translate> The child saw a star at night.


<translate> We went from camp through the scrub to the river.

Nganjin bayan-muny madja-burr wawubaja-nga dungan.


<translate> The cross-cousins are the right ones to marry, the old people say.

Kambanmu jana ngulkurr manyarr-bunga-nka, mukul-bama balkal.


<translate> I feel very sorry for the poor blind old man, who has no family left with him now.

Ngayu jiba-badi bajaku dingkar mukul miyil-kari-nka, nyungu jawun-karra kari niji.


<translate> The thunderstorm did not come; only wind came.

Jarramali kari kadan, muyar nganga kadan.


<translate> You see the ngadil hickory tree there.


<translate> The two of them see the diri-diri sandfly here.


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


<translate> On dark nights the young men went out to hunt possums, climbing the tall trees with firesticks to catch the possums' eyes shining in the leaves.

Kunarangkal wujurrbu warru-warrungka yawa balbin, juku kalbay wangkar jilban jidiji, yawamu miyil balbajinya birranga nyajinka.


<translate> The woman asked grandmother: "Where is the water?"


<translate> You and I see the blanket here.


<glossary> kural ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> He swam under water


<translate> The old man would have slept, but the young ones were singing the wrong verse again and again at the far fire, so he rose, walked over in his blanket, sat down without a word, and sang it once correctly, and the wrong verse died that night, for nothing kills an error like one quiet true showing.

Mukul dingkar wunanyaku, yambada warru-warru wulngku mumbu badin baja baja baya kala-kalbaymba, yalada nyulu wandin, jilban kararr-ji, bundan kuku-kari, wulngku badin nyubunbu yukil, wulngku mumbu wulan wujurr yinyanga, kari yambabu kunil kuku-mumbu yala milbil wunbu yukil nyubunbu.


<translate> They saw the young man here.


<translate> We see the yawarr palm there.


<translate> The seeds fell from the flower and grew into small new trees after the rain.

Diburr nganka-muny daray, juku buban yalbay-mal kaba-muny.


<translate> The men speared the kingfish and the queenfish from the rocks all morning, and carried a heavy string of them back to the camp at noon.

Dingkar-dingkar-angka danbal balarri-jirr kulji-muny dama wunkuwingku wubulku, kuyu karra kulngkul bayan-ka jarra-kulba wungar wangkar-wangkar.


<translate> You all see the rainbow here.


<translate> They two saw the mullet there.


<translate> The children ran away from me toward the water in the morning.

Karrkay-karrkay ngaykundumuny warri bana-ka wunkuwingku.


<translate> The camp measures its wealth on cold nights: count the fires, then count who is welcome at every one of them.

Bayanbu yamba-ji nyungu kunjal wujurrba kiway-kiwayba: kunja baya, yalada kunja wanya yulmbarrinmuny baya nyubun-nyubunba.


<translate> So the old man named the whole crawling world for the boy — snake and goanna and frog, ant and grub and sugarbag bee, spider and cicada and the biting fly — every one with its own place in the country.

Yala mukul-dingkarangka minya mara-warri-mu narmba karrkay-nka burri — jarba jadi yirku-yirku-jirr, munjurr mujurr kuja-jirr, malal kurrmbal marra-warri baykal-jirr — nyubun-nyubun nyungu bubu-ba nyubun.


<translate> We could not keep following.


<translate> We see the stony crossing here.


<translate> Old people stayed at the sea.


<translate> Mother took water, cooked food, and then rested.

Ngamu-ngku bana wundin, mayi wajun, wunanan-da.


<translate> Grandad sent the dog around behind the wallaby.

Kamingka kaya yungan kudamundu kadaranda.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> Make the child warm by the fire, make the soup good with more roots, and heal his cough with the green-ant juice!

Karrkay kunjinba wumbul-bunga, wuynkurr ngulkurr-bunga bangkan-ji, nyungu ngiki yangka-bu kakawarri-bunga!


<translate> We see the hickory tree here.


<translate> The big eagle flew high above the hills, turning in wide slow circles as it watched for food.

Buyi yalbay marra-warri wangkar-wangkar jamba, jurrki-l murru-murru buban-buban mayi nyaji-l.


<translate> Wait for me, I am taking water in case there is no water along the road.

Kaku, ngayu bana wundil, kunka bana kari baral-darr.


<glossary> kunil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He hit the dog with a stick


<translate> Come hunting with me tomorrow, and we two will find a big kangaroo.

Kada balbi-ka ngaykunji wunkun, ngali mayarriji yalbay warrmba-bunga-l.


<translate> I see the son or daughter there.


<translate> Where has the wounded wallaby run off to now, the hunter said quietly, reading the small dark drops of blood along the ground.

Kadar dama-nya wanjabu wanarrin niji? balbi-bama janka balkan, mula ngumbu buban jina-bu bubu-ba nyaji-nyaji.


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

Ngaliny mangkurr-mangkurr yinyay nyajil.


<translate> That small conical shellfish is here.


<translate> This is your older brother, yaba, who walks before you and clears the path; and this your younger brother, yabaju, who walks behind and for whom you must clear the path in turn.

Yinya yundu yaba, nyulu yundu ngundu jilbay jina yukil-manil; yinya yundu yabaju, nyulu kudamundu jilbay, yundu nyungunka jina yukil-manil baja.


<translate> You and I see the mullet there.


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


<translate> You and I saw the murma wasp there.


<translate> They see the fighting spear there.


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