|
Long ago, the Garriya terrorised
the local people around Boobera Lagoon. Garriya had travelled
down to the Boobera Lagoon from up near Yetman, his tracks
making the watercourses past Toomelah. Garriya prevented the
people from hunting and gathering food. No-one could paddle
a canoe, or even fish from the bank, because Garriya had developed
a taste for human flesh.
The people asked Dhulala to attempt
to kill Garriya so that they could live and hunt in peace.
Dhulala was a headman of Noona on the Barwon and was known
as a great warrior. Dhulala went to the lagoon early one morning
and stood on the bank, peering through the mists for Garriya.
After some time he saw a ripple on the water, then Garriyas
dark shape emerged from a hole, his fiery eyes glaring.
Dhulala hurled his spear but
it only glanced off Garriyas skin. He threw several spears
and clubs with all his force, but they had no effect on Garriya.
He took up another, then another and kept throwing spears
till he had no more. Garriya charged Dhulala, mouth open and
fangs flashing. Dhulala fled across the plain with Garriya
sliding after him. Garriya gave chase, the earth piling up
against his chest, like the bow-wave before a canoe, winding
about like a huge snake and travelling at a great pace.
In the distance Dhulala caught
sight of a Bambul treethe mother-in-law of Garriya and the
only living thing that Garriya feared. Reaching the tree with
Garriya still hard on his heels, Dhulala threw himself at
it and clung to its trunk. When Garriya saw that Dhulala had
reached the Bambul tree, he skidded to a halt and returned
to the Lagoon along the channels he had made. The channels
which he had carved in the land in pursuit of Dhulala remained,
empty in the dry times and filling up with water when it rained.
Today the Garriya is still in
Boobera Lagoon. Local Aboriginal people still keep the law
that no-one should go into the Lagoon or stay close to the
banks after sundown.
Adapted from
A W Reed, Aboriginal Fables (Sydney: A H & A W
Reed, 1965)
The National
Library of Australia acknowledges the kind assistance of the
Gamilaraay Aboriginal nation.
|