“But now! oh most unfortunate!
The magic of an adverse fate!
The hunters ’gan to disagree,
In the presence of Kupirri.
“Alas! for these two valiant brothers,
They fight, and almost kill each other,
Until at last, their fury spent,
They see their folly and relent.
“’Twas well, for lo! the earth did quake
With the monster’s efforts to awake;
They bravely rush, renew the strife,
Kupirri yields, with groans, his life!
“Terrible was his dying pain,
Agonising his pond’rous frame;
Terrible were his mortal throes,
Horror-struck stood by his foes.
“A blacken’d rent marks the dire place,
Where died the last of Kupirri’s race;
Rarely do men to it repair,
Very rarely go hunting there.
“They leap for joy, and jump, and shout,
And in steps mystic dance about;
Refreshed now from their late affray,
Proceed at once to divide their prey.
“But with incredible surprise
They see—doubting their own eyes,
Their dead companions he had ate
When Kupirri they last had met.
“But skilful they in magic art,
They lay the bodies wide apart,
Then conq’ring in spiritual strife,
They slowly raise the dead to life.
“Round their old foe themselves they seat,
Ready his choicest parts to eat.
And thus their just revenge appease,
And with his fat their bodies grease.
“Laden with prey they homeward bend,
Each talking with his late dead friend,
Chatting of surprise and greeting,
That ’wait their unexpected meeting.