Nura-ward-ubununa ( carpet snake) uncurled his large, beautifully patterned body from the mighty gumtree branch. He spied a young Binda ( kangaroo) nibbling on sweet grass and saw the slight movement in her pouch.

"Hmm, looks like I have a nice dinner tonight." He grinned from above

Noo-rumbaas were the hunting ground for the young mandurras (hunters) The youths had to prove to the elders they could bring home food for the tribe.

"Shh, walk quietly Naroo, she will smell you and your large feet make so much noise." Elder brother Roonga whispered.

The brothers were loaded down with many spears and great hope they would take home tasty meat for their tribe.

Meanwhile, Bili-yara circled the skies above the boys. His keen eyesight had spotted the carpet snake.
"A feast for me, this will feed me for days." He called as he rode the thermals.

"Which one shall we kill first? " Roonga smiled at the Bindar.
"No, she is too easy and not enough meat for the two of us to take home." Grimaced Naroo.
"We are manduraas, hunters of food!" Naroo was anxious to start showing his prowess at spear throwing.

The argueing went on for what seemed an eternity. The boys were young and thought only about which animal to take home.

Suddenly, an earth spirit called Bullimo rose from the ground. He had been listening to the boys for too long.

"You stupid Koolyangarra (children) talk too much and give me a headache. You must have a plan when you are hunting. For all the time you are arguing about which animal to kill first, you will have grown old!"

"First you must kill the kangaroo, then the snake will come down to take the baby from her pouch. Then, when the eagle swoops to take the snake, you kill the bird. Of course, if you think you can carry the snake, kill it also. You will have much kooka (meat) to take home."

The boys didn't understand the wisdom of Bullimo.

"We are not greedy, we could just take the kangaroo home." Naroo was confused at the three-way wisdom of the earth spirit.

"Please, don't kill me, my Joey will die," Binda pleaded with the hunters.

"I can't kill you mother Binda," Naroo felt sorry for her. "Besides, I would have to ask for your spirit first, I have never killed before." Naroo sat down in total confusion.

Nura-warddy-bunyba slithered to the ground, he was after his dinner in Binda's pouch. Before he could wind his coils around mother Binda, there came a mighty rush of flapping wings. Bilyara's sharp beak and talons cut through the snake's diamond-patterned skin.

The huge bird tried to lift off with the body of the snake and all at once, Roonga put a spear through its body, killing it instantly.

"Bah! You had three chances at killing those animals. I told you how to go about it. Now, the Binda sits and looks at you with doe-like eyes." Bullimo sank back into the earth, disgusted.

Mother Binda hopped towards Naroo and Roonga, her baby was too small to see over her bulging pouch.

"Do you wish to take my spirit?" Her head drooped towards her Joey.

"No, mother Binda, we have enough kooka to cut up and take home to our tribal elders."
"My Joey is a buck, he will grow as you grow and he will be a good adversary when you become men. Thank you both for sparing my life." She bounded away.

Bullimo was still listening below the ground, he smiled to himself and said, "perhaps the maduraas have learnt wisdom today. They have killed only what they needed. Wisdom comes with the years and yet, these two have learnt a lesson today. Take only what you need."

Away from where the boys were butchering the snake and plucking the bird, Binda smiled as she turned into a beautiful earth spirit, her son beside her.

"They were kind enough not to take my spirit, my son, now you and I can watch over them as they grow to manhood."

"Will they chase me and kill me when I am grown?"
"No, you will stay as you are, a spirit of the land.