PAULINE E. MCLEOD, Francis Firebrace Jones, and June E. Barker, are respected Aboriginal Cultural Educators and Story Custodians. es /f Francis /i Firebrace /r retold ker /f June /i E. /r retold HELEN F. MCKAY is a founder and life member of the Australian Storytelling Guild (NSW) and editor of the guild newsletter, as well as the co-author of two other books, About Storytelling and Riotous Riddles.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroductionPart 1: Australia and the Aboriginal PeopleOverview of AustraliaGeography: The LandThe Geographic RegionsHow Climate Affected the AboriginesThe MegafaunaThe FaunaThe FloraThe Aboriginal PeopleThe People and the LandWalkaboutThe CorroboreeCeremonial WalkaboutsTradeTransportationCustoms: The Totemic SystemThe ArtsAboriginal ArtStorytellingMusicOther InstrumentsDanceEducationLanguageImpact of Europeans on the LanguageRecent HistoryEarly VisitorsEuropean Invasion and ColonizationStory of a Removed ChildReconciliationPart 2: The Tales1. Mirrabooka: A Story About the Southern Cross2. The Beginning Island: A Creation Story from the First Time, When Tasmania Was Born3. Lumerai, the Mother Snake: A Rainbow Serpent Creation Story from the Northern Territory4. The Murray Cod: A Creation Map Story from the Murray River Basin on the Border of New South Wales and Victoria5. Boomerang: Alinga, the Lizard Man: A Story from Uluru (Ayers Rock) in the Northern Territory6. The Birth of the Butterflies: A Story of When Death First Came to the Land, from the Murray River, New South Wales7. Why the Kookaburra Laughs: A Wiradjuri Creation Story from New South Wales8. The Whale Man and His Canoe: A Story from the Northern Territory9. How the Birds Got Their Colors: A Wiradjuri Story from New South Wales10. First Platypus, Gaygar—The Little Mother Duck: A Creation Story from the Top End of the Darling River Region, Northern New South Wales11. How the Kangaroo Got Her Pouch: A Wiradjuri Story from New South Wales12. The Little Flying Fox: A Creation Story from New South Wales North Coast13. How Koolah the Koala Lost His Tail: A Story from Northwestern New South Wales14. Pikkuw, the Crocodile: A Story from the Cape York Area of Northern Queensland15. Goolbree—How the Emu Lost Its Wings: A Story from Northwestern New South Wales16. The Story of the Didgeridoo: A Story from the Gulf Country of the Northern Territory17. How the Night Owl Came To Be: A Story from Northwest New South Wales18. Myee, the Bogong Moth Woman: A Story from the Albury Region of New South Wales19. Frog and the Lyrebird: A Story from the People of the Blue Mountains20. The Special Platypus: A Story from New South Wales Central Coast21. Tidalick: A Story from the Murray River Region of New South Wales22. Wayambah, the Turtle: A Story from Northwestern New South Wales23. Brolga, the Dancing Bird: A Story from the Mutti Mutti People of Lake Mungo and the Darling Basin24. The Bunyip in the Forest: An Original Scary Story from Victoria25. The Little Koala and the Bunyip: A Story from Queensland26. The Min Min Light: A Space Story from Northwestern New South Wales27. Djididjidi and Kuburi: A Story from the Kimberley, a Region of Western Australia28. Marmoo and Biamee: A Creation Story from New South Wales29. Belah, the Sun Woman: A Story from the Flinders Ranges of South Australia30. The Sturt Desert Pea: A Story from Around Lake Eyre in South Australia31. The Fire Keeper: A Story from the Northern Territory Area32. The First Waratah: A Love Story from the Illawarra Region of the South Coast of New South Wales33. Girilambone, Place of Falling Stars: A Story from Northern New South WalesGlossaryBibliographyAbout the Editor and ContributorsIndex