“Please give me a hair from your tail,” said Cocky; and ere the monster could grant or refuse the request our hero, by a sudden dexterous movement, had possessed himself of the coveted prize and was speeding away up the mountain-side like a deer, with the clever magpie flying low at his side.
“Now, Jack,” cried the bird, “we must not part again until we have accomplished the release of [[354]]my lady-bird Brown Eyes. Hold fast to that hair of the Bunyip’s tail, for it will prove one of the most powerful weapons in the art of magic. It is a talisman to swear by, and none can resist it, as you will presently discover.”
Then the magpie added a short whisper into Cocky’s ear, and they descended into the dell, where the giant and Old Gruff stood awaiting our hero.
“Tiny mortal, hast thou done thy task? What are the answers?” roared Red Gum menacingly.
“By the hair of the Bunyip’s tail, I command thy obedience,” cried our hero sternly.
Red Gum let fall his huge waddy from his hand. With a loud cry he sank down at our hero’s feet cringingly at the potent words. “Thou art the master! I am thy slave!” he cried in a submissive tone. “What wilt thou, mortal?”
“I have conquered, by jingo! henceforth thou shalt be a dingo.”
Cocky had barely uttered the charm ere the huge bulk of the giant faded beneath his eyes and assumed the form of a wild bush dog. At the same moment the old man of the hut rushed to the assistance of his fallen chief; but our hero held the key, or rather the hair, of the position, and bade him stand. [[355]]
“Dog shalt thou be for thy folly. I will change thee to a collie!” cried Cocky.
Immediately the fated words passed the youth’s lips the old fellow was transformed into a big sheep dog, who, seeing the dingo at hand, sprang upon him at once, and while a battle royal raged between the two our hero mounted Stra fonatsa, and galloped away in company with the magpie, much farther than I could tell you in this little story.