How Flying fox divided day and night

In the first corroboree at the beginning of time, birds and animals mixed happily together and joined in the dances. The tribes vied with each other. Cockatoo, who was vain, sidled up to Eagle-hawk, the leader of the birds, and said, "There is no doubt that birds are better performers than animals, is there ?" " No doubt at all," said Eagle-hawk.
Cockatoo bustled off and told all his friends that Eagle-hawk had said that birds were better than animals. Before long Kangaroo, who was the natural leader of the animal tribes, was told what the birds were saying. He went to Eagle-hawk to remonstrate with him, but the bird man was so stubborn that the two began to quarrel. Tempers rose, others joined in the argument, and in a short space of time blows were struck, and a battle began. The animal-men fought against the bird-men; the only ones who were uncertain about the dispute were Flying Fox and Owl. They conferred together."The sensible thing to do is to join the winning side," Owl advised his friend.
"But how do we know who will win?"
"We will not move hastily. Let us wait for a while in the shade of this tree. We can rest, and when we are sure how the battle is going, we will know what to do."
They reclined in comfort, watching the birds and animals swaying backwards and forwards as their fortunes ebbed and flowed. Weapons flashed and were dulled with blood. Gradually the animals were forced backwards. Cheered by their sucess, the birds redoubled their efforts.
"Come on," shouted owl. "We are bird-men. To the defence of our brothers!"
They made themselves conspicuous, and with their support the birds seemed to be overcoming their opponents. But in the rear of the animals Kangaroo was mustering a fresh band of highly-trained warriors. They stole behind the trees and burst unexpectedly into ranks of the birds, who reeled under the shock. The animals who had been so hard-pressed rallied their forces, and in a short time the position was reversed. The birds had to defend themselves against the animals who were bitterly avenging the deaths of their friends.
"You made a mistake," Flying Fox hissed."Don't worry," Owl replied."Everyone makes mistakes. It is a wise person who realise it."
He turned round and belaboured the birds with his nullanulla, and Flying Fox reluctantly followed his example. As the tide of battle raged to and fro, Kangoroo and Eagle-hawk found themselves facing each other. They were so weary that they could hardly raise their clubs. Eagle-hawk dropped his to the ground.
"What are we really fighting about, Kangaroo?" he asked." If I offended you by my boasting i am sorry for it."
"You were boastful," Kangaroo said thoughfully, "But perhaps you had good cause. Certainly it is not worth fighting about. Let us be friends as we were before."
They called to their followers to cease fighting. Once again Flying Fox and Owl found themselves in an awkward position. They had fought for the birds, and then for the animals, and now they knew that no one would trust them. They went off and hid in the bush. The light paled, and presently the darkness became impenetrable.
"This is good," Owl remarked." We can both see in the dark; but the other birds and animals need light. They'll never find us now."
But they were puzzled that it should be so dark when it was many hours till sunset. They did not know that Yhi had been so grieved at the fightining that she had hidden her light from her cretures. The darkness that had broughtrelief to Owl and Flying Fox had brought distress to others. They could not see to gather food, nor even to find their homes, or their dead relatives. They stumbled over stones and blundered into trees, while there seemed to be no end to the all-pervading blackness.
Two dim shapes met with a shock.
"Who are you?" asked one of them." I am Emu"
"I am kangaroo."
"Kangaroo, you are wise, " Emu said. "Tell us what we must do to save ourselves."
"I have been thinking about it. We must light fires - many fires. By their light we shall be able to find food and cook it, and we can warm ourselves, and know that we are men again." Birds and animals scurried about picking up dead wood, and soon the cheerful glow of firelight flickered on the sandy ground among the bushes. It was a strange shadowly world: outside the circles of light the gloom seemed more intense than before. The animals dragged big logs to their encampment, and the smaller birds were kept busy fossicking for chips and dry twigs, but it was not long before the supply of wood exhausted. Kangaroo called everyone together to discuss the matter. No one had any solution to the problem until one of the smaller lizard said," Why don't we ask Owl and Flying fox to tell us what to do? They might have the answer to our problem."
"It would do no harm to ask them, but where are they?" Kangaroo asked."Ever since they proved themselves traitors they have been hiding, and we could never find them now in the darkness ouside firelight."
"I think i know where they have gone," little lizard said."I'll try to find them if you like" "Very well," Kangaroo said with a smile." Off you go."
Lizard scuttled of into the darkness."Where are you, Owl? Where are you, Flying Fox?" he kept calling. Presently there was an answering cry and he saw Owl sitting up on the branch of a tree."What do you want, little lizard?""We want you and Flying fox to come to our meeting and tell us how to get the light back again. Listen!"
In the stillness they heard a dismal wailing. "That is Dingo and Curlew. They go on like that all the time. they are waiting for the sunlight."
"Oh no," Owl said." If we went with you we would be killed. Don't you know that we have offended everybody?"
"No one will touch you," Lizard said earnestly."We are too sad and frightened. All we want is someone to tell us how to get rid of the darkness."
"Very well then, we will take the risk." Owl raised his voice.
"Come, Flying fox," he called. Together the three men, bird animal, and lizard, went back to the main camp, which could be identified only by the dull glow of the dying embers."Is it you, Owl and Flying Fox?"asked Kangaroo."Yes. we have come to see what you want.""Do you know how to dispel the darkness?" "Yes."
"Will you help us, then?" Owl gave an evil chuckle."why should we help you? We have no love for you, and you only want us for what we can give you. Darkness is a good thing -good for hunting, good for living in. You had better get used to it.""But..."began Flying fox."Don't be silly," Owl said quickly."you know very well that the birds and animals wouldn't do anything for us. Let us go at once."
Kangaroo and emu tried to catch them, but like two shadows, they vanished into the darkness. Behind them rose a sad cry, " O uncle, give us back the light. O Uncle..." The voices died away; but as despair settled on the gathering, Flying fox suddenly appeared among them again.
"I cannot leave you like this," he said."I have been influenced by Owl far too much. I am half bird and half animal, so i am kin to everyone. I will help you. can someone lend me a boomerang?""here you are," half a dozen voices said eagerly. Flying fox chose one that the little Lizard held out to him, balanced it carefully, and threw it towards the north. it flew up and over the earth like a streak of light, turned in a wide circle, and came back over their heads from the south. Flying fox caught it deftly and threw it to the east. When it returned from the west, Flying fox prepared to throw it for the third time. emu could tolerate this game no longer. He caught Flying Fox by the shoulder.
"We asked you to bring back the light, Flying fox," he said roughly."Why do you keep throwing the returning boomerang?Anyone could do that." Flying Fox shook himself free."I am doing what i promised. I am cutting the darkness in two. I will give light to you, but I keep the darkness for myself." He threw the boomerang to the west. They watched it speeding like a meteor, curving gently at the end of its flight, circling towards the north, then to the south, and finally to the east. As it came towards them it brought the light with it- light which flooded the plain and shone on their anxious faces."There you are," said Flying Fox."Remember that the darkness came because you hearts were evil, not mine. It was you who fought against each other. It was lizard who braved the terrors of the night to find me, and it was he who gave me the boomerang. For that, he will always carry the sign of the boomerang on his neck. I will take my share now and leave you to enjoy the warm sunshine," and with these words he left them, taking the darkness with him, and hid it in the cave where he had made his home.
The selfishness of Owl has never been forgotten by the birds who have descended from the bird-men. At night he is safe but if he ventures out in the early dusk, he is mobbed by the other birds. But Flying Fox flies out of his cave while it is still light, he knows that he will be safe. No one will molest him because of the memory of how he brought the sun to the world when men had despaired of ever seeing it again.

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