The Greedy Emu

The Greedy Emu is a traditional story that demonstrates that neglect and poor behaviour have consequences.

In the Bininj world, sharing is a fundamental obligation. When obligations are not fulfilled, there is always a price to pay.

This songline runs from Croker Island to the Katherine region and takes in central western Arnhem Land.

It is the story of Emu as an old woman, her greed in not sharing food with her grandchildren and the way they tricked her out of necessity so that they could eat food themselves.

It is also the story of her revenge by hurling a throwing stick at them, the way it comes back to lodge in her throat, precipitating her change into an emu, and the transformations of her children into different birds.