Anjolu Heather Umbagai

Marrirri – Red Wing Parrots From the story How Birds Discovered Fire “ A long time ago the birds were looking for wood to make fire. They decided that a long spindle of wood was needed. The red wing parrot went looking in the bush for a suitable piece of wood. When the piece of wood was found it was twirled and twirled, they placed grass with it and smoke poured out, then fire started. The birds showed the fire to everyone, including the crocodile who stole the stick with the fire burning. Immediately the red wing parrot went after the crocodile and took the burning stick back. The story is told that the red markings on the parrot came from being burnt as he brought the fire stick back and that the red markings inside the crocodile come from when he swallowed the fire”. . Story from taken from Worrorra Lalai, Dreamtime Stories; Kimberley Language Resource Centre 2000, permission Heather Umbagai.