Barlay!

Barlay! — page 1 — Chapter One Nan s Story Sarah and her brothers Jay and Rene lived with their parents and Nan in a white house with a red roof The house sat high in the hills on the Darling scarp nestled amongst the tall white gum trees Many birds made their homes in the trees and Sarah loved to listen to them and watch the bush animals eat and play She was a Noongar girl so for her family the bush was a spiritual

Barlay! — page 2 — place where people could learn many special things One hot summer’s night just as the sun was setting Nan called Sarah and her brothers out onto the back porch to tell them a story Sarah had a feeling the story was going to be scary and important and she was right Nan’s twinkling brown eyes grew serious as the shadows deepened in the yard This is the story of the woordatj she said softly Nan why are you whispering Sarah asked The woordatj doesn’t like to be disturbed I don’t want to wake him up in case he gets angry Now sit still and listen carefully

Barlay! — page 3 — Chapter Two The Woordatj The woordatj is short but he has a long chin long arms with long fingers and long legs too only he walks bent over like an old man He is really hairy hairy from his fingers and his toes all the way up to his head and his nose The woordatj doesn’t like to show himself off to people but that doesn’t mean he’s not watching If he’s close by you might just see the red of his eyes Is he close by now Sarah

Barlay! — page 4 — wondered staring nervously into the dark garden She glanced at Rene who was frowning She thought Rene wouldn’t like to see him either But Jay who was the oldest just grinned and tried to look tough The woordatj is always around us He is part of nature so he is in contact with all living things He talks with the trees animals and birds like chitty chitty willy wagtail koolbardi magpie djakal ngakal galah and doornart parrot But he likes to stay hidden Where does the woordatj live Nan asked Sarah There is a cave at Rocky Pool tucked away next to a big shady old wornt gum tree The inside of the cave is a little wet so it’s a chilly dark place The woordatj camps there

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