Chapter 21

Tessa mocked Sam for several days.

“She wore you out! And she’s about two-thirds your size!”

“You think its so funny. I ought to get Zeke to join me and wear you sore!”

But, in the afternoon, Sam told the children:

After Baiami, the Great Spirit, came down to the earth, he made all the animals and the birds. He gave them all their names. He also made man and woman.

One day, the man told the woman that he was going out hunting. He went out hunting kangaroos and emus, while the woman stayed home and gathered bush tucker. She was waiting and waiting, but he never came home.

She started worrying. Then she started crying and as the tears ran down her face, they became the rivers and creeks that come down the mountains.

She waited all day for him to return with the food, but he never came back.

When he was out there hunting, he chucked a spear and got a kangaroo. Then he walked a bit further and he looked up and saw Baiami, the Great Spirit, up the sky, watching him. He chucked a spear up to the sky, up to hit Baiami, but Baiami caught it, bent it and chucked it back. And as it came back it turned into a boomerang. That’s how we got boomerangs.

He was out hunting and he was still angry with Baiami, so Baiami took him away and put him in the moon. When the moon was coming up, she was still crying. But as she saw the moon coming up over the horizon, she looked up into the full moon and there she saw her man.

So she went to the mountain and she laid down. She said to herself that if ever he should come back, she’d leave her heart on the mountain for him to find. So today, her heart is the beautiful red flower called the Waratah, which is the symbol of New South Wales.

“Thank you,” said Tela, and the other children thanked him, too.

“That was a good telling. I have heard several other versions.”

“As have I,” Sam responded to Luke. “I first heard it when I was along the Murray.”

“May I speak?”

“Of course.”

“I want a wife. But I am not interested in the young girls. I asked a granny about Amy, who is a widow. I was told she had been dedicated to you. So I am here.”

“I am honored. Amy was, indeed, mentioned to me. But I have not taken her; I have not even spoken to her. You go and speak to her. Tell her you have spoken to me.”

“Thank you. I will speak.”

That night Sam’s voice instructed him: “You shall drive to Timber Creek. Badbong, the rock wallaby, has two women for you. One tomorrow, one the next morning. Do not return here, but go to Mirima Village and spend the night with boobook, who will have a gift for you. Then return here with your gift. Your father the python will deliver the next duties to you. One night in Timber Creek, two nights in Mirima. Then you can rest with your waratah.”

When Sam told Tessa, she said: “Two in Timber Creek and then a night in Mirima! Did Bunjil say two women in Mirima, too?”

“No. Just that I should spend a night there and bring home a gift.”

“Don’t assume. But it’s a good thing you’ve handed Amy to Luke.”

“If she’s interested in him.”

“She’ll be interested. Marriage to Luke will increase her status.”

“And that’s important?”

“Of course! Why else would I remain with you?”

“Just wait! In but a few months I’ll make you pregnant again! Want to try for triplets?”

“Not at all. One at a time. When will you leave?”

“It’s just under two hours to Timber Creek from here. After lunch?”

“Shower first!”

“Is that supposed to be subtle?”

“No. Subtle would be wasted on you!” She laughed and went to check the twins.