"Oh
how wonderful!", said the Creature. "I see... there's a
painting of Marlu, and there's one of Winingarli!"The Creature and his new friends entered the cave to find a very strange animal. The animal was touching the wall with something wet on his fingers and leaving pretty patterns behind.
"That's very beautiful", said the Creature. "What is it?"
"It's a painting,", said the strange animal. "I am Nintilumarta, a human. I paint the rocks to tell stories."
"Oh
how wonderful!", said the Creature. "I see... there's a
painting of Marlu, and there's one of Winingarli!"
The animals crowded close to the wall, pointing and whispering with wonder. They all complimented Nintilumarta on his work.
"I do love stories!", said the Creature. "Perhaps I am a human."
"Hahaha", laughed Nintilumarta. "You're not a human. Don't you know what you are?"
"He's a platypus", said Kapi-kapi.
"He's an echidna", said Kirtkirtpa.
"Actually", said Nintilumarta, "You're a bunyip!"
"A bunyip!", they all exclaimed.
"Oh thank you!", said Bunyip. "Now I know what I am! But, if I am a bunyip, then why is it that I have legs like Marlu's, a nose like Kirtkirtpa's, a laugh like Winingarli's, skin like Purruku's, and can swim like Kapi-kapi?"
Nintilumarta smiled. "We all have something in common," he said. "If you look closer you'll find lots of similarities between you all."
"He's right!", said Bunyip. "We may all look different, but inside we're all the same. That's why we have become such good friends."
The animals all started talking at once. Marlu saw that she had fur like Kapi-kapi. Purruku and Kirtkirtpa realised they both loved eating insects for dinner. Winingarli and Nintilumarta started laughing together, and soon everyone joined in.
"Let's all go back to the billabong together", said Bunyip. "We can sing songs together while I boil us some tea." And that's just what they did.