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The Secret of Dreaming a tale from indigenous Australia

Once there was nothing. but knew the Dream was not Nothing... finished, but the Spirit-of-All-Life and wanted the Dream to For a long time the Spirit-of-all-Life continue. dwelt in the nothing. So Life was sent into the Dream Then, to make it real, in the mind of the Spirit-of-Life and for Creator Spirits …a Dreaming began. to continue the Dreaming. In the empty darkness So the Spirit-of-All-Life there was a Dreaming of Fire, sent the Secret of Dreaming And the colors of Fire illuminated into the world... the darkness And the Secret of Dreaming within the mind of the Spirit-of-Life. entered Then came a Dreaming of Wind, into the Spirit of Barramundi, and the Fire snapped and snarled, who is the Fish. fed by the blowing of Wind, And Barramundi in the mind of the Spirit-of-Life. descended to the deep, still Then came a Dreaming of Rain, waters, and with it a great struggle. relaxed in the calm For a long time, ...and began to Dream. the battle of Fire-Wind-Rain The Dream took Barramundi raged in the Dreaming. to waves and wet sand. And the Great Spirit liked the But Barramundi Dream, did not understand the Dream, So the Dreaming continued. and wanted to Dream Eventually, the battle waned only of the deep, still waters. between Fire, Wind, and Rain. So Barramundi The calm that followed brought passed the Secret of Dreaming a Dreaming of Earth and Sky, to the Spirit of Currikee, and of Land and Sea. who is the Turtle. For a long time Currikee this Dreaming continued. paddled out of the waves, The Great Spirit began to grow settled onto the wet sand tired …and began to Dream. from the long Dreaming, Currikee Dreamed

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the smoothness of pebbles, who is the Possum. and the warmth of the sun. Coonerang But Currikee scampered into the tallest tree, did not understand the Dream, lost herself in the twinkling of stars and wanted to Dream …and began to Dream. only of the waves and wet sand. The Dream sang Coonerang So Currikee the rustle of yellow grass and wide guided the Secret of Dreaming plains. to the Spirit of Bogai, But Coonerang who is the Lizard. did not understand the Dream, Bogai climbed onto a bed of and wanted to Dream pebbles, only of great trees and the felt the sun's heat upon his back blackness of night. …and began to Dream. So Coonerang The Dreaming flew Bogai allowed the Secret of Dreaming to through the clear sky pass by the lift of the wind. onto the Spirit of Gangurru, But Bogai which is the Kangaroo. did not understand the Dream, Gangurru and wanted to Dream leapt high above the yellow grass, only of the smooth pebbles and contemplated the wide plain sunshine. …and began to Dream. So Bogai ushered the Secret of The Dreaming tickled the ears of Dreaming Gangurru onto the Spirit of Bunjil, with music and song and laughter. who is the Eagle. But Gangurru Bunjil harnessed the wind under her did not understand the Dream, wings, and wanted to Dream soared into the cloudless sky only of the broad plains and …and began to Dream. swaying grass. Bunjil Dreamed So Gangurru of tall trees and the blanket of night handed the Secret of Dreaming sky. to the Spirit of Humanity. But Bunjil And Man and Woman did not understand the Dream, walked across the land and wanted to Dream and saw all the works of Creation, only of the wind and open sky. given life by the Dreaming So Bunjil of the mind of the Spirit-of-All-Life. released the Secret of Dreaming Woman and Man onto the Spirit of Coonerang,

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heard the chorus of birdsong at Then the Great-Spirit-of-Life knew at dawn, last saw the red sun eat the horizon at that the Secret of Dreaming was dusk, safe. …and began to Dream. Being tired from the Dreaming of They Dreamed Creation, of joining in the music of dawnbirds, the Spirit-of-All-Life entered the of dancing with the head-bobbing Land Emu, to rest and recover. and of sinking into ochre with the That is why now, sunset. when the spirits of all creatures They Dreamed also become tired, of the laughter of children. they join the Spirit-of-Life in the And Man and Woman understood Land. the Dream. This is why the Land is Sacred, So They continued to Dream, and Man and Woman must be its and Dreamed again Caretakers, all the Dreams that had come just as They protect the Secret of before. Dreaming. They Dreamed of the deep, tranquil water, Adapted by Rowan Walking Wolf of the waves and damp sand, of the rocks and sunbeams, of the clear sky and breeze, of the trees and the night sky, and of the plains of yellow grass. And Woman and Man learned through the Dreaming that all creatures were their spirit cousins, and that they must protect the Dreaming of all life. And They Dreamed of their Child, who They knew would soon arrive. And They Dreamed of how they would teach these Secrets of Dreaming to this child who was not yet born.