Mundiba and the Honey

A long time ago there was a great drought and food became very scarce. All were hungry and worried for the water of the river was very low and few fish could be caught. If hunting and food gathering had been successful the meal was shared and enjoyed by all.

Mundiba was a young hunter who spent most of his time looking for wild bees. He went out every morning soon after sunrise and did not return until sunset and each time he was empty-handed but he greedily ate his share of the food collected by the others. He kept saying that the honey was as scarce as the food they collected however the gubi [Clever Man] of the tribe had his suspicions of Mundiba and instructed his spirit servant to follow Mundiba next morning on one of his hunting expeditions.

The small invisible spirit followed Mundiba the very next day and saw him find a nest and making a hole in the trunk with his tomahawk, remove the nest and eat with relish a considerable amount of this rare sweetness of the bush. The invisible spirit of the gubi followed Mundiba from tree to tree and saw him eating greedily each time. This act of greed outraged the spirit servant and so he began to sing to the tree to persuade the tree to make the hole smaller and smaller and soon Mundiba's arm was stuck in the tree. That is where Mundiba remained and he was found dead hanging by his arm from the tree.

The suffering and death of Mundiba was an example for later generations. His greediness, selfishness and refusal to obey the laws deserved severe punishment. Those who behaved in a similar manner could expect strict discipline which might come in unexpected ways thus you were warned!

Michael J Connolly
Munda-gutta Kulliwari
Dreamtime Kullilla-Art