it is blocked up. Well, the women in the village took care of her, collected the seeds, pounded them, cooked them and took them to her cave. She was married – at least this is what was told to me by my mother – married to a big snake, a python, who lived in the forest and slithered to her cave at night. That snake entered into her and spoke to her in the dream state. That’s how that woman knew everything and could bring the rain or stop it if she desired. She was what is called a witch, a mangu, but one night a flame appeared on the hilltop above her cave. It was a leopard with some powers of his own. He waited until that snake entered that woman and, when he did so, Leopard bounded down and swallowed them both up. Now Leopard, he had that woman in his belly and she had that snake in her belly. He was one in three. There were those two in him. Now he could dream the future from that snake and control the rain from that woman. That’s how my mother told me it was, though I don’t know about Leopard controlling the rain, but he can dream the future when he puts his mind to it and lets that snake come through to him.’
I nodded as if I understood and Wadawaka smiled sardonically. ‘Come on, enough of stories, there are those kegs to fill.’
The spring was up from the beach and a short distance from the head of the track. We lugged the kegs up. It was a hard scramble in parts and we were tuckered out by the time we had them there. As we rested before filling them, I told Wadawaka about the previous night’s ceremony and proudly described my part in it. ‘And you know what,’ I told him excitedly, ‘that mob of blackfellows are going to put on one of theirs over the next few nights. Father’s very excited and last night he went off with that Crow and hasn’t returned yet. I wanted to go with them, but it’s secret business they’re about. I hope that I get to take part in it.’
‘Yes, it will prove helpful to us during our voyage. Your father is the singer of songs and the performer of ceremonies. He knows much that is valuable, but not at this moment for there is the material as well as the spiritual and so let us finish off these barrels, eh? When the job is done, the singing and dancing begins in good heart, eh?’
We exchanged smiles and put our backs into our work. I tried to think over what Wadawaka had said, but felt too puzzled to continue. It was easier to do the work and get it over with so that we could corroboree.
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