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Overview

Gwineeboo and Goomai, identified as a water rat, kill a kangaroo trapped in a creek and conceal it from pursuing hunters. Gwineeboo’s little son repeatedly asks for kangaroo and exposes the lie. Goomai strikes his mouth, staining his breast with blood; the child’s red marking belongs to this quarrel.

Quarrian and Gidgereegah reclaim the carcass and refuse the women and child any meat. The women build a shelter and chant for hail, wind, rain and lightning. When the hunters ask for shelter they are refused, as the women had been refused food. The storm would kill the hunters, but they become birds and then stars, with the kangaroo between them. The story separates the child’s bodily mark from the hunters’ celestial transformations.

Child’s blood-marked breastStorm-calling chantShelter refused
01

Origins & earliest records

K. Langloh Parker, Australian Legendary Tales (London: David Nutt, 1896), The Gwineeboos the Redbreasts, pp. 35–39.

02

Records & interpretation

Complete selected English retelling directly read.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Australian Legendary Tales: The Gwineeboos the Redbreasts, pp. 35–39

    K. Langloh Parker, collector and English reteller; individual storyteller unassigned · 1896

    Complete selected tale inspected.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Primary collected textParker 1896: The Gwineeboos the RedbreastsResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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