ST7PEESTITI0:SS AKD TRADITIONS OP AUSTRALIA. 509 



hind legs of the Kangaroo, so much like his own, so long and so 

 strong, used in crawling along like a miserable Opossum or Bandicoot, 

 and he thought the Kangaroos very lazy and very foolish, and so he 

 commenced to talk with them, and demanded why they did not jump 

 with their long legs as he did. The Kangaroos replied that they knew 

 but of one way of using their legs, and that way was as he then saw 

 them doing. The Frog said : Xo, long legs are made for jumping, 

 try and do as I do ; and off he started jump, jump, jump, and jump 

 also went the Kangaroos, then jump, jump, jump, the first jump 

 awkward, but improving as they leapt, until at last away they bounded 

 altogether, Frog and Kangaroos, and the Kangaroo was glad when he 

 jumped away from the Black man ; but the Black man said it was no 

 good, and he was sulky with the Frog." 



It is the Frog accordingly that the Kangaroo has to thank for the 

 first idea of that system of locomotion which he now employs, and it 

 is the Frog too, according to the same native belief, that the. Australian 

 has to blame for having to exert those same powers in order to supply 

 himself with food. 



The following was the purport of the native youth's account of 

 the manner in which fire was diffused over the land, although the 

 language may differ somewhat from his narrative. 



A long long time ago, a little Bandicoot, (a small and sharp nosed 

 animal, not unlike our Gruinea Pig,) was the sole owner of a fire-brand, 

 which he cherished with the greatest jealousy, carrying it about with 

 him wherever he went, and never once laying it aside or allowing it 

 out of his own special care ; so selfish was he in the use of his prize, 

 that he obstinately refused to share it with the other animals, his 

 neighbors ; and so they held a general council, where it was decided 

 that the fire must be obtained from the Bandicoot either by force or 

 strategy. A Hawk and a Pigeon were deputed to carry out this re- 

 solution, who, having formed their plan, awaited their opportunity to 

 accomplish it. 



This Bandicoot lived on the banks of a small stream where he 

 amused himself during the sunny hours of the day in walking and 

 frisking about. It was on one of these occasions that the Hawk and 

 Pigeon ventured to try their chance, and thus went about their work. 

 The Pigeon strolled down the bank of the river where the Bandicoot 

 was walking; the Hawk, at the same time, kept (King about in their 

 vicinity. Coming up with the Bandicoot, the Pigeon entered into 

 conversation with him, and asked him for a portion of the tire he- 

 carried with him. The Bandicoot as usual refused his request. The 

 Pigeon then asked him why he continued so selfish as not to divide 



