THE STORY OF THE RAINBOW SERPENT – Here is an exciting story of the rainbow serpent with a moral lesson and summary. Many versions of the story have been heard, but here is one. It is a tale from the Australian Indigenous people that have been passed down to generations.
The rainbow serpent is said to be the protector and creator of water and symbolizes rebirth. Depending on the place, the rainbow serpent is either a male or a female, but in this story, it is a male. Let us read the tale about the rainbow serpent and discover how it shaped the earth and created living creatures.
The Story Of The Rainbow Serpent
Long ago, when the entire earth lay sleeping, an enormous rainbow serpent woke and pushed her to the surface. Its name is Goorialla, the great rainbow serpent. Back then, no hills, animals, lakes, or meadows existed. Goorialla felt lonely, so he traveled for a very long time, and as she traveled, her enormous body left tracks. He searched for his tribe and shaped the earth as he moved. Valleys, mountains, cliffs, and riverbeds were formed.
Goorialla went to the southeast, where it was cold in the winter. As the snow fell on Goorialla’s bright scales, it melted and dripped to the ground forming big rivers. He also traveled northwest, where the weather was hot and dry. Cliffs were made as Goorialla shed his skin on the ground. Waves in the sand were formed as they turned and slithered inland, making great sandy deserts. He also dug holes to rest, and it was filled with rainwater.
After traversing around, he came into the confluence of two rivers. He heard people singing. He watched them sing and dance and was greeted warmly. He proclaimed that they were dancing wrong and showed them the proper way of dancing and refined ways to dress.
The rainbow serpent then set rules to be followed by all living creatures.
After the dancing that night, a big storm brewed in the sky. The people panickily ran here and there looking for shelter. Everyone made humpies for riding out the storm to survive.
Two boys asked Goorialla to share the shelter, but there needed to be more room for them. Goorialla opened his mouth and swallowed them.
He was scared that the people would notice the brothers were missing, so he slithered away.
When the tribe woke up in the morning, they noticed the missing boys. They followed the tracks left by Goorialla until they reached the mountaintop and found him. They cut open his stomach, and he was stunned when the boys came out. The two brothers turned into rainbow lorikeet birds and could fly away for safety.
Fearing the retribution of the people, Goorialla fled. He shed his skin into the mountaintop and dived into the east sea. His enormous body became the reefs that exist today.
By then, we can see his rainbow skin that curves over the mountain after every rain. That is the story of Goorialla, the rainbow serpent.
Story Analysis Of The Story of the Rainbow Serpent
The story clearly states that the rainbow serpent could shape the earth with rivers, mountains, and valleys. Goorialla was like the god of the planet that was awakened from the core, providing waterways for living creatures.
Until then, the indigenous people were conscientious not to disturb waterways and paid respect, for they believed that Goorialla lived in the waters. They greatly respect the ancestral being with its immense power to form life on earth.
The Story Of The Rainbow Serpent
- Respect is given to those who deserve it best.
- The aboriginal people respected the rainbow serpent, Goorialla, for he formed the earth for what it is today. They paid tribute and respect to every body of water they saw in honor of him. We should respect these practices of the aboriginal people and never judge what they do.
The Story of the Rainbow Serpent Summary
The tale tells us that a rainbow serpent rose to the earth’s surface as the world was asleep. He was Gooriall, the rainbow serpent who traveled long to look for his tribe. By doing so, mountains, rivers, and lakes were formed with his tracks.
After his long travel, he found a tribe of people singing and dancing. He taught them how to dance appropriately and refined their ways of dressing up. A storm came, and to help the two boys, he opened his mouth and swallowed them. The people noticed that the boys were missing, so they followed the tracks of Goorialla, opened his stomach, and were shocked to see the two brothers become rainbow lorikeet birds. Goorialla fled, dived into the sea, and became the reefs we see today.
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