n when I forgot him. My
birrahlee! My birrahlee!"

And away went the mother as fast as she could travel back to the Dunnia
clump in the far country. When she reached the spot she saw the tracks
of her birrablee, first crawling, then standing, then walking, and then
running. Bigger and bigger were the tracks she followed, until she saw
they were the tracks of a man. She followed them until she reached a
camp. No one was in the camp, but a fire was there, so she waited, and
while waiting looked round. She saw her son had made himself many
weapons, and many opossum rugs, which he had painted gaily inside.

Then at last she saw a man coming towards the camp, and she knew he was
her birrahlee, grown into a man. As he drew near she ran out to meet
him, saying:

"Bunbundoolooey, I am your mother. The mother who forgot you as a
birrahlee, and left you. But now I have come to find you, my son. Long
was the journey, my son, and your mother was weary, but now that she
sees once more her birrahlee, who has grown into a man, she is no
longer weary, but glad is her heart, and loud could she sing in her
joy. Ah, Bunbundoolooey, my son! Bunbundoolooey, my son!"

And she ran forward with her arms out, as if to embrace him.

But stern was the face of Bunbundoolooey, the son, and no answer did he
make with his tongue. But he stooped to the ground and picked therefrom
a big stone. This swiftly he threw at his mother, hitting her with such
force that she fell dead to the earth.

Then on strode Bunbundoolooey to his camp.

14. OONGNAIRWAH AND GUINAREY

Oongnairwah, the diver, and Guinarey, the eagle hawk, told all the
pelicans, black swans, cranes, and many others, that they would take
their net to the creek and catch fish, if some of them would go and
beat the fish down towards the net.

Gladly went the pelicans, black swans, and the rest to the creek. In
they jumped, and splashed the water about to scare the fish down
towards where Oongnairwah and Guinarey were stationed with their net.
Presently little Deereeree, the wagtail, and Burreenjin, the peewee,
who were on the bank sitting on a stump, called out, "Look out, we saw
the back of an alligator in the water." The diver and eagle hawk called
back, "Go away, then. The wind blows from you towards him. Go back or
he will smell you."

But Deereeree and Burreenjin were watching the fishing and did not heed
what was said to them. Soon the alligator smelt them, and he lash