The Bat and Crocodile

An Aboriginal Story

This story comes from the Aboriginal people at Warmun (Turkey Creek) in Western Australia. It was told in the Kija language by Jacko Dolumyu and then in English by Hector Jandany.

The illustrations are adapted from paintings of the story done by the children living at Warmun. Eileen Bray, of the Kija Language Group at Warmun, said, "When we talk about the Dreamtime, we think about the beginning. It was that sacred time when the land, water, trees, animals, sacred sites and people came to be. Our ancestors have passed on the Dreamtime to us through our culture - law, language, song and dance. The Dreamtime is that special thing in the hearts of all Aboriginal people."