Phyllis Thomas spoke about the place where the Moon was diving into the water in her country at Mende-menden, Island Yard. Berrem ngarrgarlem yilag ngagenyen daan, Mende-menden, Mende-menden yilag. Gardiya call em Island Yard. Berrem goorloom,
berrem barlawam. Nginyawoo nyirrega wanemayinde, Garnkiny. Nyirreg-bebe nginiwardjende. Yiligin nginiyinde goorloon. ‘This is a rocky place down at in river in my country, at the place called Mende-menden.
downstream at Mende-menden. White people call it Island Yard. This is the water and this is the flat rock [in the middle of the painting]. This is where the man who became the Moon was bathing. He kept getting in for a bit of a swim. He used to stay under the water.’
Ngenengga dagoorlan, berrema dagoorlan, boorab giniyinde. Yangge benayanyjende melagawoom dam, darndal-ngarrem. Darndal -ngarrem, lalanggarrany, ginyany, dawool, thamboorroogal dan. Berdij-bebe nginiyinde, "Gaboowa jarremendande-gili?"
‘Here [the circles in the middle] are the deep holes in the rocks, the deep holes where he used to come out. He used to ask all the Turtles and that kind. All the Turtles, the Crocodile, the White-faced Heron and his mother-in-law the Black-Headed Snake at that place. He used to climb up [out of the water and say] "What did you all say?"’
"Ngoorrinya ngoorrinya, jarloongoorroonyi wany-wany nginiyi, goorlangge yiligin yiligin.
‘"That one, that one is a handsome one swimming under the water poor thing," [they told him].’
Ngoowana berra wayina woomberramande-ningi. Roowaj woomberramande. "Mana-ginyi ngoorrinyi ge," wayina naw, woomberramande-ningi.
‘They did not really talk like this about him. They were swearing. "That one has a big back side" that's the kind of thing they were saying about him.’
Nyimoog-jaliny nginiwardjende. Wany-wany-ngarri, boorab ngenengga goorloon, yilag. Dagoorlagbe benema. “Gaboowa jarramanande-ngirri?”
‘He used to keep diving in again. After swimming along he would come out of the water down here. He kept making the deep holes [that are still there in the rocks in the riverbed]. "What were you saying to me?" [he kept asking].’
Ngoowan. "Ngoorrinya jarloongoorroony, gaboowa nginiyi-yarre goorloon? Gaboo, gaboo ngoowoon? Gayigana boorab goowiyayi? Marri nginya boorab giniyinde yilang."
‘“No. That good looking man, where has he gone on us in the water? Where has he gone? When will he come out? Ah there he is coming out from the bottom."’
"Gaboowa jarramanande-ngirri?"
‘"What were you saying to me?"’
"Gaagembi, ngoorrinya nyirrega ngerne, wany-wany nginiyi, thoowoorranyji biya ngerne yiligin goorloon. "
‘"Poor thing, he dived in and is swimming along, looking for something under the water."’
Nyirreg-jaliny nginiwardjende, ngenengga-ngarri nginiyinde, doorloog-nyaliny nginiwardji. Boorab, ngayirrwa, "Gaboowa, gaboowa jarramanande-ngirri?
‘He kept diving in again, and going along here and coming out again. He came up to breathe "What, what did you say to me?" [he asked].’
"Ngoowan, wanyja giningiwoob daniyinnha goorloon yiligin.” Aa, darndal wanemayinde-ningi "Jirrayam. Deg yirramanyande-ngoo yiligin goorloon. Wanyjinawa, giningiwoob daniyinnha goorloon yiligin.
‘"Oh no, we thought you were getting short of breath under the water there." Ah the Turtle told him "It's alright. We were watching for you under the water. Maybe you were getting short of breath there under the water."’
"Ngoowan, menkawoon-nga, nyirrega, miyawa ngelamande-boorroo goorndarrim yiligin. Ngoowana. Well, menkawoon-nga, gaboowa?
‘"No, I'm alright swimming, I was just looking for fish underneath. No. Well I'm alright, what now? [he would say].’
Birriyama wentha daambi, ngageny. Baagoo ngelamande, dana barlalen gendoowa. Gendoowa naw, girli wananyji gendoowa, ngoorrooma Merrewoon boorab giniyin gendoowa. Dama, dama da-ngarri nginini, goorara-ngarri nginini "Wawoo! Ngayina doorloorloog gendayinde, langany-langanybe nandemji-ningi." Ngoorroona gendoowa naw, jarrag wanemayinde.
‘This is really my country then. I used to sleep on the flat rock up there. The Moon went upstream from here then walking along to that place called Merrewoon and came out up over there. Over there at that place he spoke to the country saying "Wawoo! I will keep coming out, and you will all die for good." It was upstream there that he was talking.’
Loonggoong nginiyin gendoowagoo, yilang Mende-mende-biny. Girli wananyjende wanyja gendoowagoo. Ngoorrooma ngela, berrema Garnkiny-ngarrem, awoo,
‘He went upstream from down at this place called Mende-menden. He went walking along upstream. These rock holes in the painting were made over there to the east by the Moon and the others who were bathing.’
Jirrayam naw, gaboowa yarroorn?
‘“Alright now, what will we do?”’
“Ngoowan, dawiyan, dawiyan” thamboorroo-gala-noongoo. He bin wanta ngoolngawoo langa him Nambijinel dal. "Dawiyan, dawiyan."
‘"No, Dawiyan, dawiyan” [he said this word to speak indirectly about his mother-in-law tha Black-Headed Snake]. He wanted to make love to that woman of Nambin skin. "Dawiyan, dawiyan." [he said].’
"Ngayanginy warda jiyinnha Nyawanangel-nga?" ‘"Do you love my daughter of Nyawana skin?"’
"Ng-ng" wayiniya "Ng-ng".
‘"Ng, ng" like that shaking his head saying "Ng-ng::"’
"Goowoo yangoowoo, yangoowoo? Ngelel?"
‘"But who, who? This woman?’
"N-aa" Yirrgawoo wanemayinde-ngooyoo thamboorroo-gal dal Nambinel, dawool, dal dawool. Jarloongoorrool too meni.
‘“No.” He refused her because he wanted Nambin the Black-Headed Snake who was supposed to be his mother-in-law. She was
too beautiful.’
“Nyawanangel-ngoo ngoolnga-goorroolga, deyena barrennha-yoo.” Ngoowan, jirniny wanema.
‘“The woman of Nyawana skin is your wife, you two should stay together. No, he was really offended.’
“Boowawoo! Ngayan boora-boorab gendayinde" wanema naw. "Langanybe nandemji-ningi. Yilwarraya nhang-ngarri nimboowoonnha yilwarrayan. Ngoowan berdij nimbiyannha. Nhang nimboowoonnha yilwarraya. Ngayi-mooowana boora-boorab ginbiyan."
‘“Wawoo! I will keep on coming out" he said then. “You will all die and become white bones. You will all die forever. You will not get up again. You will die for good. I am the only one that will keep coming back."’
Walaji nginini-noongoo thamboorro-gany, dawool dal. Nhawoondi Joowoorroonginy, Nambinngela dala dawoogool. Rooga nginiyin -noongoo naw.
‘He made trouble because of his mother-in-law that Black-Headed Snake. He was Joowoorroo skin and that Black-Headed Snake was Nambin. He was sulking because of that then.’
Damboowa, nhang-ngarri boorroonboo, ngoowan berdij boorroodboo. Garnkiny-noowa, goorara, "Langanybe nanbemji-ningi"
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