THE FRIENDS WHO QUARRELLED This story comes from the Dreaming of the Wiradjuri people of N.S.W. It is a story of two Aboriginal hunters, who lived in the early days of the Dreaming, many centuries ago. Both hunters were fine men, strong and honest. They were good friends who often went hunting together, each sharing whatever he caught or gathered, with the other. Between them they supplied much of the meat for their people. The two agreed on most things, but in just one way they differed. The tallest one liked the open spaces and even at night he refused to shelter in a cave or a gunyah. "I like to be able to see the moon and the stars," he said. "I like to breathe in the cool, fresh air." He constantly laughed at the smaller man, who liked always to be sheltered, most especially at night. Every time the two moved camp, the small one built himself a new shelter out of large logs and bark. The tall one would never help and continue to ridicule his friend. They accepted this difference between them however and somehow they continued to be friends. That is, until one particular night when a terrible storm arose. During this storm there was much thunder and lightning and the rain fell down heavier than it had ever done before. The smaller man, of course, was safe in the very strong shelter which he had earlier built, but the tall man, most certainly was not. The tall man soon became very wet, very cold and consequently, very miserable. "At times like this it would be good to have a shelter," he said to himself. He then hurried to the shelter of his friend. The shelter was, as can be imagined, very small. The tall man tried to squeeze into it regardless of its size. As he did so, the smaller man woke up, realised what was happening, and of course, became very angry. "You were too lazy to build your own shelter," he shouted at the tall man. "This one is not big enough for both of us, so get out and leave me in peace." The tall man would not leave however and the two men began to angrily quarrel. As time passed they both grew more angry. Soon they were both in a terrible rage. They began fiercely fighting, while the storm beat down upon them. Finally the tall one picked up a rock and thumped the small man on the head with it. In response, the smaller one whose forehead had been quite flattened, managed to pick up and hurl his spear at the other. The spear struck the tall man in the back. It stuck there, in his back, dangling and protruding like a tail. By this time, the two men were in such pain and such distress, that their Ancestor Spirits, who had been hovering close by, changed them both into totally new creatures-creatures who would not continue to fight. The small man with his newly flattened forehead was changed to become the animal which we now know as a wombat. He was the first one. The tall man was magically changed to become the animal which we now know as a wallaby - with the protruding spear becoming his tail. He was the first one... * Wallabies and wombats inhabit many sections of the Australian bush today. Ever since that long ago time, however, wombats have liked to hide away from the world (as the small man did) in a cosy, hidden shelter, and wallabies (like the tall man,) have liked to roam free in the wide open spaces. And even to this day the wombat and the wallaby try very hard to avoid each other.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 06:07:37 +0000
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