many colours, as a roadway from the earth to the stars, Bibbee went
into his camp to wait. When Deereeree looked up at the sky and saw the
wonderful rainbow, she thought something dreadful must be going to
happen. She was terribly frightened, and called aloud: "Wyah, wyah." In
her fear she gathered her children together, and fled with them to
Bibbee's camp for protection.

Bibbee proudly told her that he had made the rainbow, just to show how
strong he was and how safe she would be if she married him. But if she
would not, she would see what terrible things he would make to come on
the earth, not just a harmless and beautiful roadway across the
heavens, but things that would burst from the earth and destroy it.

So by working on her mixed feelings of fear of his prowess, and
admiration of his skill, Bibbee gained his desire, and Deereeree
married him. And when long afterwards they died, Deereeree was changed
into the little willy wagtail who may be heard through the stillness of
the summer nights, crying her plaintive wail of "Deereeree, wyah, wyah,
Deereeree."

And Bibbee was changed into the woodpecker, or climbing tree bird, who
is always running up trees as if he wanted to be building other ways to
the than the famous roadway of his Euloowirree, the building of which
had won him his wife.




24. MOOREGOO THE MOPOKE, AND MOONINGUGGAHGUL THE MOSQUITO BIRD