Murray Cod is a Creation map story, from the Murray River basin, on the border of New South Wales and Victoria, retold with permission, by Pauline McLeod.
BACK WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG, a giant Murray cod existed. He was so big that, whenever he moved his body, he would leave deep tracks right across the land. His huge body knocked down trees and caused massive damage to the land around him.
It didn’t take long before such destruction to the land came to the notice of the Great Spirit himself and he decided to stop this monster, the Murray cod.
The Great Spirit called two brothers, who were the best in their field, to track down and get rid of the monster cod. The elder brother could track anything across sand, rock, grass and water, while the younger, could hit anything with his spear and boomerang from great distances.
Together, the brothers started their search for the monster. With his great skill as a tracker, it did not take long for the elder brother to find the tracks of the monster cod. His destructive path was easy to identify and follow.
But, the cunning Murray cod knew he was being hunted and moved west, as quickly as his giant body would let him, leaving a great groove in the ground, which quickly filled up with water.
The chase was relentless, but the brothers would not give up. Days went by and great distances were covered, before the two brothers finally cornered the monster Murray cod in a place known today, as Lake Alexandrina.
The brothers called upon the Great Spirit. “We’ve found him, but, what shall we do with such a monster?”
