Notes by Howitt on Kulin from Barak

Transcription - Page 61

40

The Kokūm
Long ago the Kokūm was a man.
He was very wicked. He persuaded two young
men to go to sleep and then pegged a
Kangaroo skin over them so that they could
not get out. Then they were imprisoned.
By and bye a terrible smell went
up from them. Bunjil said “Ha!
What is that.” He went to see and looking
about he said “There are two boys in
here?” – “Where are you” – “we are
here father”. – He said “What have
you done that you should be put into
this bag?” – “It is because we speared a
Kangaroo”. Then Bunjil took something
sharp and slit open the skin and
the two young men came out.
Bunjil was very angry and said
“Where is that old man Kokūm?”
Bunjil then took a 'possum and
skinned it and put the skin in
a hole of a stump. He then said
“Kokūm I want a 'possum”
Kokūm was very frightened at
seeing the two boys out of the skin. Bunjil
said to him “get me that possum – I am hungry.
There is a 'possum in that stump – I cannot get
him myself. Kokūm did not like this
- he felt frightened but be went down
into the hole. Then Bunjil got a large
stone and shut up the hole and said
“you shall be Kokūm a bird, and
no more a blackfellow”. _________________

[writte in left side margin]
A small mopoke
– probably the fern owl.