9. THE GWINEEBOOS THE REDBREASTS



Gwineeboo and Goomai, the water rat, were down at the creek one day,
getting mussels for food, when, to their astonishment, a kangaroo
hopped right into the water beside them. Well they knew that he must be
escaping from hunters, who were probably pressing him close. So
Gwineeboo quickly seized her yam stick, and knocked the kangaroo on the
head; he was caught fast in the weeds in the creek, so could not
escape. When the two old women had killed the kangaroo they hid its
body under the weeds in the creek, fearing to take it out and cook it
straight away, lest the hunters should come up and claim it. The little
son of Gwineeboo watched them from the bank. After having hidden the
kangaroo, the women picked up their mussels and started for their camp,
when up came the hunters, Quarrian and Gidgereegah, who had tracked the
kangaroo right to the creek.

Seeing the women they said: "Did you see a kangaroo?"

The women answered: "No. We saw no kangaroo."

"That is strange, for we have tracked it right up to here."

"We have seen no kangaroo. See, we have been digging out mussels for
food. Come to our camp, and we will give you some when they are
cooked."