this is a story form long, long ago. It was a time to wander and explore in peace.In these ancient times there were rules, un-written codes and forbidden things that were never done. There were also consequences for actions and the choices you made. In this time if something went wrong, there was no one to blame but yourself. The rules were known and respected by all the animals and creatures. Small, large, long or thin all obeyed and respected the un-written codes.
All creatures lived together in harmony.
Have a listen or read on
This story has been modified from a story told to me by my Grandmother, Nelly O'Chin.
The mighty red kangaroo bounded through the desert along long forgotten paths towards water and green patches of grass.
The humble wombat wandered freely and dug his home from the same earth that we to call home.
The goannas moved through the trees without a sound, whispering to each other, searching for eggs to eat in the unguarded nests of lazy birds.
The kookaburra flew from across the sea with great wisdom, laughing as they carried their message across the land.
"Laughter is good" said the Kookaburra, "it makes us free to travel to a place without worries where good thoughts lie."
"Nothing's wrong with that" said the wise old wallaby, "but be warned, too much will take you away to be lost forever, too much will spoil you. Too much and you will slide away to become lazy and complacent. The rules, laws and ways of the bush will slip your mind and steal you away so you're left with nothing."
Goom-buk-car and Buba-la-coom were two frog brothers young, strong and brave. They lived in a huge billabong, a pond to which no other could compare.
The water was always fed fresh by an underwater spring that came from deep under the ground keeping water in the billabong all year round. In the rainy season the billabong would flow into the great Maroochy River close by.
The frog brothers lived with their mum and dad with family all around.
"That old wallaby is silly mum, what would he know. Good times won't leave you with nothing, good times set you free to be happy and do what you want. I would love to have that. Wouldn't you Goom-buk-car?" he exclaimed to his brother.
Goom-buk-car and Buba-la-coom played around the rocks next to the billabong jumping into the cool water from the tall trees on the bank dodging water lilies, water boatmen and fish. The frogs brothers chased one another playing their favourite games, leap frog and hide and seek. Some days they would talk with their friends for hours on end.
As time went by Goom-buk-car and Buba-la-coom noticed that things were changing. They realised they were growing up, getting bigger. The rocks seamed smaller and the tall trees weren't scary any more. They could now hold their breath all the way across the pond, and even touch the bottom.
All the games they played with their friends became boring. Their favourite game, hide and seek just didn't give them the same feeling. I mean, Goom-buk-car, he always hid in the same spot!
Things that were difficult to them before now became easy.
Then the stories about the river came. The pond overflowed into the mighty river in the rainy season. The stories told of the river sounded so great. They told of fast running water to float downstream on a log through the rapids in the bubbles. The rocks were as tall as houses and there was even a swing to fly through the air. It sounded like a place of wonder, joy, fun and adventure
They had a burning desire to go.
So Buba-la-coom asked his parents if they could go and have a look.
But Mum and Dad said: No,
"You must never go over there it's the home of JUNDARNOO."
"Jundarnoo is the great snake that lives by the river, he is bigger than our house, and he is sly and slithers on his belly waiting for food to come to him" said dad. "He also hunts for food to satisfy his great hunger and he will eat you" mum explained.
He has eaten many of our people. All that have travelled to the river land have never come back. The people from that land, the lizards, birds and fish all live in fear of him. He is greedy and never satisfied.
So Goom-buk-car and Buba-la-coom promised they would not go over to the river.
Soon all their friends were talking about the river and how good it was, they all talked about how exciting it would be and how they had to go.
They laughed at the stories of Jundarnoo and scoffed how he could never catch them as they were too quick for HIM. He sits on his belly waiting for his food, one of the youngsters said.
"He is old and can't hold his breath the whole way across the pond" said another. "It's the same old stories that are older than our grandparents so he must be gone by now".
"Let's go" said: Goom-buk-car.
"What about what our parents said? He will catch us and he will eat us" said Buba-la-coom.
But Goom-buk-car said:
"Oh come on he's not there and if he is we're too quick for the silly old snake". "He must be old by now, too old to catch us" said Buba-la-coom.
"Ok, but don't tell anyone, not even our friends as Mum and Dad will get angry, they will punish us, we can't tell anyone" Goom-buk-car said in a devious voice.
So the frog brothers crossed the pond and walked over to the river. It was just as the people said, the swing was very long and the water was fast and white with bubbles, the brothers soon realised that the river was so much bigger than the pond.
So the brothers jumped in the water and the bubbles tickled their bellies and they laughed.
A log floated past and Buba-la-coom grabbed and called out to his brother:
"Goom-buk-car, Goom-buk-car, Goom-buk-car look at me I'm floating down the river on a log" he shouted.
Just then they heard a noise in the grass beside the river, sssss sssssss sssssssss.
It was sound that chilled their very bones
ssssss ssssssssss sssssssssss they heard it again.
It was Jundarnoo. Jundarnoo lifted his head and asked,
"Are you the frog brothers from over in the pond?"
"Yes" the brothers replied .
"Didn't your parents tell you not to come to this place?"
"Yes, they said you would eat us."
"They were right" said Jundarnoo.
BOOM and without another word Jundarnoo struck out with his fangs and bit Buba-La-coom!
Buba-la-coom tried to get away but he couldn't, he was trapped.
Trapped in the grip of the great snake Jundarnoo.
Jundarnoo's teeth were too strong and Buba-la-coom screamed out to his brother.
"Goom-buk-car run, run Goom-buk-car run" cried Buba-la-coom.
So Goom-Buk-car ran, he ran and ran and did not look back to see his brother because he knew, he new he was gone, the snake had eaten him.
So he cried and cried. Goom-buk-car was alone and his heart was broken.
Goom-buk-car was empty inside. His Mum and Dad returned and found him crying so they asked him, "What's wrong Goom-buk-car?"
"We went down to the river and only I came back, Buba-la-coom is gone forever".
So, we must always remember to listen to our parents.
"There are many snakes by the river of life."
This story is a modification of a story my grandmother told me
