486 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 
tales, mostly of personal experiences (mostly imaginary). 
The art is apparently hereditary here, being handed from 
father to son. 
The following will serve as examples of some of these 
stories :— 
Small Things—even Fect—are not always to be Despised. 
—The kangaroo-rat took his quartz-spear with him, and 
went to look for a sweetheart. He met a dugong—for in 
those days dugongs lived on land—and asked her to be his 
wife. But she said, “No, your hands and feet are too 
small.’”’ Indeed, she was that tickled at what she considered 
so unimportant an individual’s impertinence that she ridi- 
culed him to her friends, who, on the very same evening, 
introduced the subject into their corroboree by singing 
aloud, “ Kangaroo-rat! Kangaroo-rat! Only fancy! He 
wants to marry one of us. Look at his small hands! And 
what small feet!” Naturally enough, the rat resented such 
treatment, and let fly his spear into the very midst of the 
singers, wounding the particular dugong who had refused 
his offer. Some of her mates, taking fright, fled down into 
the salt water; others, more courageous, turned on tbeir 
assailant, but never succeeded in catching him. His tiny 
feet, about which he had been so much taunted, gave the rat 
his loophole for escape. 
The Lady Scored (Pr. Charlotte Bay)—Mother Tortoise, 
one hot afternoon, feeling very thirsty, went to get some 
water, but, not being able to find any, asked her lord and 
‘master where it was. He was a selfish beast, and told her 
he had drunk it all. This, however, was a lie, for he was 
keeping it safe under each armpit in store for the dry season. 
She also had her suspicions, and threw a lighted fire-stick at 
him. This made him raise his arms in astonishment, when 
down fell the water, and she quenched her thirst. 
Realistic Games (Animals)—Captured animals may be 
preserved alive, though, with few exceptions, unless able to 
feed themselves, they soon perish of hunger. Thus, the 
Bloomfield blacks are very fond of playing with young rats, 
bandicoots, wallabies, &c., as pets, which they will tie up at 
night; but they never think of feeding them, with the 
result that it is not long before they are released by death. 
At Cape Bedford, young birds, rats, frogs, &c., tied with a 
string, are given to the children to play with; but any 
thought of supplying them with food is quite out of the 
question. So again, in the Cairns district, to amuse the 
children, and to give them a plaything, frogs are tied by the 
