Some Myths And Legends Of The Australian Aborigines

Some Myths And Legends Of The Australian Aborigines

by W. J. Thomas


The Story of the Seven Sisters and the Faithful Lovers

A Legend of the Sacred Bullroarer

Giant Kangaroos

The Great Fight

The Flying Chip

Why the Whale Spouts, the Starfish is Ragged, and the Native Bear has Strong Arms

A Legend of the Great Flood

How the Stars Were Made: Rolla-Mano and the Evening Star

Why the Crow is Black

Why Flying Foxes Hang from Trees: A Legend of the Striped-Tail Lizard

Why Blackfellows Never Travel Alone: A Legend of the Wallaroo and Willy-Wagtail

How the Kangaroo Got a Long Tail, and the Wombat a Flat Forehead

Why the Emu has Short Wings and the Native Companion a Harsh Voice

How the Sun was Made: Dawn, Noontide and Night

Thugine, the Rainbow and the Wandering Boys

Mirragan, the Fisherman: A Tale of the Wollandilly River, Whambeyan and Jenolan Caves

How Fire was Stolen from the Red-Crested Cockatoo

Why the Fish-Hawk was Driven to the Sea

How the Native Bear Lost His Tail 


About the Author:


"William Jenkyn Thomas was the first Head Master of the Aberdare Intermediate School. He was born in Llangywer on the banks of Llyn Tegid, Merionethshire on 5th July 1870 but when he was a child, the family moved a few miles down the lake to Plas Madog, Llanuwchllyn.


He attended Friars School, Bangor (established in 1557, this was one of the ancient endowed Welsh grammar schools), and went up to Cambridge in 1888, having matriculated as a sizar. He graduated with a B.A. in the classical tripos eventually attaining his M.A. in 1896.


He was a lecturer at the university in Bangor from 1891 to 1896, and took up his post in Aberdare in 1896 at the age of 26 which is quite remarkable by present day conventions. In 1905, he was appointed headmaster at Hackney Downs School in London, remaining in this post until his retirement in 1935. He was married to Marian Dixon and had two sons. His wife died in 1936; WJT outlived her by twenty-three years."