Baiame, with one of his sons, was fishing on the Barwon River in a large body of water called Virri-billa. They caught a huge Guda cod in a net, pulled it ashore, gutted it and lit a fire. The liver and fat were placed on the fire to fry, and the fish was hung on a large eucalyptus tree, near which they sat. When the liver was fried, Baiame began to eat it, while his son sat and looked at him, hoping to get some for himself. But the father did not give him anything, and although the son was hungry, he did not dare to ask.
Finally he decided to remind his father about himself and said:
- I'll go drink some water.
There was no answer, and he went down the steep bank of the river; he was very angry.
Some time passed, and Baiame began to wonder why his son had not returned for so long. What could have delayed him? Baiame followed him to the river bank. The son was not there, but the water flowed much faster than before, and the fish rushed about in it, as if something extraordinary was happening.
Baiame immediately understood what was happening. His son was angry and, being a great virinun himself, decided to empty a large fish pool, forcing all the water, and with it the fish, to leave through an underground channel.
Baiame saw that the water flowed faster and faster until there was noticeably less of it. He became very angry with his son, left the cod hanging on the tree and followed his son. He walked along the bends of the river, all the time trying to keep the water in front of him, because he knew that his son should be where the water was. Having reached Brewarrina, Baiame had not yet caught up with him and saw that the water was still flowing quickly. He knew that there was an underground channel below Brewarrina, and, approaching it, he shouted:
- Go underground with the water! His son appeared here and answered:
- Continue. You will turn to stone.
Although Baiame's son was a great Virinun, he was unable to resist his father and entered the underground passage. Baiame blinded him so that he could not escape the passage. When the young man found himself there, Baiame pressed down on the ground, trapping his son there forever. He then stopped the water and returned to Wirribilla.
The cod continued to hang where he had left it. To this day there is a huge dark piece of bark from the tree on which she hung. It is shaped like a fish and is known to the tribes as Gudu of Wirribilla.
When tribes tell their legends they say:
- Baiame's son deserved to die, he laughed at his father. But his last words were justified, since Baiame was partially turned into stone in his heavenly camp of Bullima.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru