TRANSFORMATION 165 



The distinction for our present purpose is not vital. 

 The Warramunga have a tradition of a man named 

 Murtu-Murtu, or Bullroarer, who lived in mythical 

 times and was torn to pieces by two wild dogs. 

 These had been excited by the continual noise he 

 made, like that of a bullroarer. They threw the 

 pieces of his flesh about in all directions. As these 

 pieces flew through the air they made the sound of 

 the bullroarer, and trees called nanantha sprang up 

 where they fell on the earth. Out of such trees 

 the natives now make their bullroarers. The dogs 

 ran about biting the trees, in the hope that they would 

 thus be able to kill the spirit of the man which had 

 gone into them. 1 The trees were thus a transforma- 

 tion of the unfortunate Murtu-murtu. Dowed and 

 Abmadam,the forefather and foremother of theLarrakia 

 tribe near Port Darwin, when they died turned into 

 trees, which a few years ago were said to be still 

 in existence and much reverenced. 2 



The Wanyamwezi of East Africa " declare that their 

 patriarchal ancestor became after death the first tree 

 and afforded shade to his children and descendants." 3 

 The Bushmen say that "girls who have been taken 

 away by the water [that is, drowned] become like a 

 beautiful water-flower which will not allow itself to be 

 plucked and disappears when approached. Such 

 flowers," we are wisely told, " must be let alone." 4 The 



1 S. and G. North. Tribes, 434. 



2 Curr, i. 253 ; /. A. I. xxiv. 191. 



3 Burton, Lake Regions, ii. 4. Burton goes on to say that 

 " according to the Arabs the people still perform pilgrimage to a 

 holy tree, and believe that the penalty of sacrilege in cutting off a 

 twig would be visited by sudden and mysterious death." But it 

 does not appear that this is the tree in question. 



4 Lloyd, Rep. 25. 



