This story, from Uluru (Ayers Rock), in the Northern Territory, is retold with permission, by Francis Firebrace.

AT THE BEGINNING OF TIME, Alinga, the Lizard man, was a great and powerful warrior. Alinga was known and respected throughout the land for his exceptional skill in boomerang throwing.

Such a giant was Alinga and so powerful was his special boomerang, sometimes, when he threw it, the boomerang would take weeks to come back–sometimes even months–that’s how far he could throw the weapon.

Alinga was a very patient man. Whenever the boomerang disappeared out of sight, he would calmly wait for it, knowing it would soon return.

One day, Alinga took his great boomerang from his possum skin belt and decided to throw it as far as he could, just to see how far it could go.

He drew his arm a long way back and threw the boomerang, with such force.

whrrrrrrrrrr….

It disappeared for weeks. The weeks turned into months, the months, into years. Still the boomerang did not return.

Alinga was very attached to his special boomerang. Finally, he couldn’t wait any longer for its return, so he decided to go off and search for it.

To see what happens next, click here to buy Gadi Mirrabooka – part of the World Folklore Series