Ngulla ngulla ngeear Yarroweitch meerreng-i.
Leenyoong Pirt Koorroook. Thanampool karrang-kil
Weerreek-nyoong karray-nyoong.
Parta-n-da-ooeeya thingalanaba karray ba thaka-n-tja-ooeeya thingalanaba
karray pangat-tja nhungalanaba ngooytnganoong. Pirt Koorrook-nyoong
yunggama-k-tja nhunglanaba pangatngooyt poorroyn yakeenitj-i.

Translated by Peter and Richard Collopy

English Translation

In Yarroweitch Country there are female devil spirits.
The name of one is Pirt Koorrook who takes the form of a woman,
‘as tall as a gum tree’.
Her companion is the dark coloured bandicoot.
If the bandicoot is killed and eaten by the people, they will have bad luck and
Pirt Koorrook will haunt them every night.

Gadubanud Custodians

More on the story of Pirt Koorrook

There is a legend that she carried off a woman from the mouth of the Hopkins River to
her home on the top of the Cape Otway Ranges, and compelled her to eat raw possums
for six moons.

Various parts of the country are supposed to be haunted by these female devils but
none so celebrated for their great size as those frequenting the Cape Otway Ranges.

Further Information

Sounds of Gadubanud/Keerray woorroong

This story was translated using some Gadubanud and Keerray woorroong, a neighbouring language. There is only a very little recorded Gadubanud at this point in time.

a as in father
e as in bed
i as in feet
o as in pot
oo as on foot
u as in foot
k/g as in kick/goat
l as in look
m as in milk
n as in not
p/b as in pig/big
ny/yn as in onion
ng as in sing
rn ‘n’ sound made but with the tongue curled back behind the gum ridge
rt ‘t’ sound but with the tip of the tongue curled backwards behind the gum ridge
rr as in road
th as in the
tj as in bridge
ty/yt as in itch
y as in you