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Australian - Baiame's Anger
In the beginning, the Nurungali were a happy, peaceful people, and were a fine example to other tribes, so Baiame, the Great Spirit, made them his own special people.
He placed them upon a fertile plain where there was an abundance of water and always plenty of game for them to hunt, and their tribe prospered.
As time passed they became conceited, because knowing that they were his special people, they became discontented and believed they deserved more.
This arrogance so disappointed The Great Spirit that he was tempted to deny the ungrateful tribe his bounty and allow them to live as other tribes. However, he forgave them and allowed them the opportunity to justify his faith in them. So, that night, he entered the dreams of the tribal elders and warned them that unless they changed their attitude, he would be very angry.
The elders called the tribe together and told them of their dreams, then warned them of the consequences should they fail to heed The Great Spirit's words.
For many generations the tribe followed the elder's advice, and were once more content, but, sadly, this did not last, and again they began to complain.
Then they committed the unforgivable when they entered another tribe's land and began to hunt and take sticks for spears, and clay for ceremonial adornment.
That night, Baiame caused a terrible storm to descend upon the tribe with winds so powerful that they lay bare the trees and sucked the water from the land leaving it dry and dusty. Then he caused the wind to lift the whole tribe high into the sky and deposit them upon the sun to perform a non-stop corroboree until such time that he was satisfied that they were truly sorry and would never be so foolish again.
From Tales of the Dreamtime, by Reed, A. W, Publisher: Reed, Chatswood, Australia;
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