A story of fishes

Long ago it was believed that the fishes lived on land and not in water. The fishes did everything that the other animals did on land.

Once a tribe of fishes came back from hunting.

It was hot so the fishes decided to rest under a huge tree near the bank of a river.

Thuggai who was the chief of the fishes along with Biernuga, the bony fish and Kumbal, the bream, cooked the food that they had hunted.

Guddhu was a cod fish and he was always quiet. The other fishes all were looking at the fire that they had created to cook their food. Some fishes were happily dancing around the fire.

After eating their hearts fell the fishes were tired and they all went to sleep.

It so happened that while the fishes were asleep, dark clouds gathered at the place that they were sleeping. The dark clouds started pouring immediately.

Worse, an icy chill wind also blew through the place.

The fishes were huddled miserably in the rain and cold wind because the fire that the fishes had created had been put out because of the rains. Under the direction of Thuggai, the other fishes tried to build the fire again. But none of the fishes could do it. Finally a little young fish told Thuggai that the cod fish had magic in him and he could create a fire.

Guddhu patiently started creating a fire and soon he was successful.

As soon as the fire started burning, Guddhu asked the other fishes to bring more wood. They were about to bring more wood when a gust of wind blew through the place.

The fishes were at the back of a river. So when the gust of wind blew all the fishes were thrown into the water.

The fishes were trembling even worse in the water and that was when the wind blew the fire also inside the water.

Unlike on land the fire is not put out under the water. The warmth of the fire spread throughout and the fishes decided to stay around the fire to keep themselves warm forever.

That is why on the cold surface of water when ice is formed on the surface of the water, underneath the surface, the waters are warm. It is quite pleasant and unlike the fishes you will be sorry that you cannot stay there forever.

Folk Story from Australia

Tiddalick, the Frog

Tiddalick was a huge frog and early one morning the frog was very thirsty. The frog was so thirsty that it went to the fresh water pond in ‘Dreamtime’ and drank the water. But the frog was still thirsty that it drank the fresh water from the next pond too.

Tiddalick did not know it, but it was so thirsty that very soon it drank all the water in the place.

At day break the other animals also woke up and slowly they all came to the pond and they were shocked to see that there was no water in any of the ponds.

The animals all talked to each other and soon they realized what had happened.

“How can Tiddalick drink all the water?” The Echidna demanded looking at the dry river.

“We need the water too!” The Kangaroo said.

“Wait!” The emu said. “I think I know how to solve this. All the water is in Tiddalick’s stomach. So we need to get the water out of Tiddalick’s stomach.”

“How do we do that?” The wombat asked the other animals.

The Gallah and the Kookabura stared at the wombat not able to think up of anything. Nabunum, the Eel was frowning.

The wise old Owl suddenly hit upon a plan. “I have it!” The Owl said, startling the other animals including the Goanna. “We need to make Tiddalick laugh. When Tiddalick laughs, all the water in his stomach will come out.”

Nabunum was still frowning. “How can we make Tiddalik laugh?”

The Owl smiled at all the animals. “Each one of us will have a chance.”

********

The Echidna went first. He rolled himself into a tight ball and rolled down the dry billabong. Some of the animals laughed on seeing this.

But Tiddalick did not laugh.
So the Kookabura tried next. She was sitting on a branch and she told the funniest story that she knew. She fell off the branch of the tree laughing at her own story.

But Tiddalick did not laugh.

The Kangaroo tried many antics and it jumped over the emu in an attempt to amuse the frog.

But Tiddalick still did not laugh.

Nabunum finally tried to dance. The dance became faster and faster and Nabunum tried to put itself in all sorts of weird shapes and finally it went so bad that Nabunum tied itself in a knot and was stuck.

Tiddalick chuckled when he saw that. Unable to stop himself Tiddalick started laughing and all the water in his belly came out and filled up the pond.

The other animals rejoiced on seeing this.

- An Australian Aboriginal Folk Story

(Australian Aboriginal stories generally takes place in a place called “Dreamtime” or “Dreaming”)