374 R, H. MATHEWS. 



so that both he and they could get a share of the water. 

 When the hunter and his dogs got into the dyattyar, the 

 Brambambults by their enchantments made the entrance 

 to the recess close up, shutting them all inside. The 

 brothers journeyed on, and left them there. 



After a time, during which Gartuk had eaten his dogs to 

 sustain his own life, Babim'bal, a bird like the wattle-bird, 

 and his brother Bimbin, the woodpecker, came wandering 

 about the tree and heard Gartuk calling out for help. 

 Babimbal was anxious to release his friend from his con- 

 finement, but wished to exercise sufficient care not to 

 injure him by a chop of his tomahawk. Tapping the outside 

 ol* the tree at a certain place, he asked Gartuk if he should 

 chop a hole there. Gartuk replied, " No, that is my belly." 

 Babimbal tapped on another part of the bole and enquired 

 if it would be safe to chop at that spot, and got the answer, 

 " No, that is my eyes." Other interrogations elicited the 

 replies "That is my back," "That is my knees," and 

 similar warnings. 



By this time the patience of the rescuers was exhausted. 

 Bimbin chopped into the tree and accidentally cut Gartuk 

 on the stomach, the scar of which accounts for the white 

 place on the Mopoke's belly to this day. At the same time 

 Babimbal, who was a very strong fellow, split the tree 

 down from above with heavy chops of his hatchet, so that 

 all the rotten wood, and earthy matter inside of the bole 

 rolled down on Gartuk's head. The large bunch of feathers 

 on the Mopoke's head is due to the mass of rubbish which 

 fell upon his skull on that occasion. 



When Gartuk recovered, he pondered over how he should 

 be revenged upon the Brambambults. Some days after this 

 event he saw a cyclone coming. He ran to his camp and 

 got a large bag, made of kangaroo skin, into which he let 

 the cyclone rush, and tied it up securely. Another cyclone 



