More Australian Legendary Tales/Glossary

by K. Langloh Parker

 Glossary

Bahloo, moon (masculine).

Bargie, grandmother.

Beereeun, a small grey lizard.

Berai Berai, The Boys (Orion's sword and belt).

Bibbil, shiny-leaved box-tree.

Biggoon, water-rat.

Bilber, a large rat.

Bindeah, prickle or thorn.

Bingahwingul, needle-bush, a flowering shrub with roots from which water can be drained.

Binguie, wooden vessel for holding water.

Birrahgnooloo, woman's name (= face like a hatchet-handle)

Bohrah, kangaroo.

Boolee, whirlwind.

Boondee, club-headed weapon.

Boorah, larger borah ring.

Borah or Boorah, sacred tribal initiation rites.

Boulka, leak.

Brälgah, native companion, large crane.

Bubahlarmay, game played by jumping into the water with a splash.

Bubbur, giant brown and yellow snake.

Budta, rosewood-tree.

Budtah, salt.

Bullah Bullah, butterflies.

Bullai bullai, green parrot.

Bullimah, Byamee's camp (native Elysium).

Bullimehdeehmundi, south-east.

Bungun Bunguu, frog.

Bunna, cannibal.

Byamee, big man (Creator, Culture hero).

Comebee, bag.

Comebeegeeboondarnghealdah, grey moth.

Comeboo, tomahawk.

Coolah, tree with water-holding roots

Corroboree, tribal dance.

Daen, black fellow.

Daendeeghindamaylännah, Venus the laughing star. Lit., "A laughing man."

Dardurr, shelter made of bark.

Dayoorl, magical speaking stone

Deenyi, iron bark.

Deereeree, Willy wagtail.

Dheal, sacred tree.

Dindee, pointed stick

Dinewan, emu.

Dinjerrah, west

Dooloomai, thunder.

Doongairah, lightning

Doowee, dream-spirit.

Dourandouran, north wind

Dulloorah, small grey birds.

Dullaymullaylunnah, feud, vendetta.

Dumerh, brown pigeon.

Durrie, bread made from grass seed.

Durroon, the night heron.

Eehu, rain.

Eer-dher, mirage.

Euahlayi, language of Narrin blacks.

Euloowirree, rainbow.

Eurah, a drooping shrub.

Gahreemay, camp.

Garahgah, crane.

Gayanday, man's name for voice of borah spirit.

Gayardaree, platypus.

Gheeger Gheeger, the cold west wind.

Gidya, tree of acacia species, which gives forth a sickening smell in damp weather, or if in bloom.

Girrahween, place of flowers.

Goodoo, codfish.

Goolabah, grey-leaved box-tree.

Goolahyool, water-holding tree.

Goolayahlee, pelican.

Goolmai, death dirge

Goombeelgah, bark canoe.

Goomblegubbon, turkey or bustard of the plains.

Goonagullah, the sky.

Goonbean, specks on the leaves of the bibbil

Gooweera, small stick or bone, possessing magical death-dealing power.

Gougourgahgah, laughing jackass.

Gubbah, good.

Gubbee, man's clan name.

Gubberah, sacred wonder-working stone.

Guineeboo, redbreast.

Gummarl, place where some one has died.

Gundooee, solitary emu.

Gunyahnoo, south-east wind.

Gurburreh, north.

Illahwaylayah, good-bye (said by one going).

Innerah, mistress.

Kumbooran, east.

Kurreah, alligator.

Mäh, totem.

Marmbeyah, white devil who carries a green boondee.

May, wind.

Mayamah, stone.

Mayrah, wind.

Meamei, The Girls, Pleiades.

Mil, eye.

Minggah, spirit-haunted tree.

Mirrieh, poligonum.

Moodai, opossum.

Moogaray, hailstones.

Moorillah, pebbly ridge.

Mubboo, beefwood-tree,

Mubboon, small creek running into larger one.

Muggil, stone knife.

Mullayerh, mate, companion.

Mullee Mullee, dream-spirit (of a wirreenun).

Mulloka, water-spirit.

Mundehwaddah, north-west wind.

Munggheewurraywurraymul, sea-gull.

Mungoonyarlee, iguana (largest kind of).

Murgah Muggui, trap-door spider.

Murroomin, bark.

Noongah, kurragong tree.

Noongahburrah, belonging to the Noongah country.

Noorahgogo, orange and blue beetle.

Nooroonooroobin, south wind.

Noorumbah, hunting-ground.

Numbardee, mother.

Nurroolooan, south.

Nyunnoo, grass humpy.

Oobi Oobi, Byamee's mountain dwelling-place in the other world.

Oodoolay, round rain-making stone.

Oolah, red, prickly lizard.

Oonah, give.

Ouyouboolooey, black snake.

Piggiebillah, spiny Echidna.

Purleemil, woman's name (= starry eyes).

Wa-ah, shell.

Wahlerh, manna running down stems of branches

Wahn, crow.