Australian Legendary Tales: Folk-Lore of the Noongahburrahs As Told to the Piccaninnies | Annotated Tale

COMPLETE! Entered into SurLaLune Database in August 2018 with all known ATU Classifications.



Bunnyyarl the Flies and Wurrunnunnah the Bees

THE Bunnyyarl and Wurrunnunnah were relations, and lived in one camp. The Wurrunnunnah were very hardworking, always trying to gather food in a time of plenty, to lay in a store for a time of famine. The Bunnyyarl used to give no heed to the future, but used to waste their time playing round any rubbish, and never thinking even of laying up any provisions. One day the Wurrunnunnah said, "Come out with us and gather honey from flowers. Soon will the winter winds blow the flowers away, and there will be no more honey to gather."

               "No," said the Bunnyyarl, "we have something to look to here." And off they went, turning over some rubbish and wasting their time, knowing whatever the Wurrunnunnah brought they would share with them. The Wurrunnunnah went alone and left the Bunnyyarl to their rubbish. The Wurrunnunnah gathered the flowers and stored the honey, and never more went back to live with the Bunnyyarls, for they were tired of doing all the work.

               As time went on the Wurrunnunnah were changed into little wild bees, and the lazy Bunnyyarls were changed into flies.

Bibliographic Information

Tale Title: Bunnyyarl the Flies and Wurrunnunnah the Bees
Tale Author/Editor: Parker, K. Langloh
Book Title: Australian Legendary Tales: Folk-Lore of the Noongahburrahs As Told to the Piccaninnies
Book Author/Editor: Parker, K. Langloh
Publisher: David Nutt
Publication City: London
Year of Publication: 1896
Country of Origin: Australia
Classification: unclassified








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