The Kookaburra has been one of my favourite animals for a long time, i just find them so beautifull, and cheerfull, friendly. I just love that laughing sound they make. And since i've been pretty depressed lately i think a lot of them. anyway, i just wanted to share this or something i don't know, Hope you enjoy, Peace http://home.deds.nl/~neo-hippie/kooka.wav A long time ago before man came, the ancient birds and animals had only the light of the stars and moon. Dinewan the Emo and Brolga the Native Companion spent the time fighting like most animals in this eerie gloom. Dinewan flung Brolga on his back and started clawing the smaller bird with his sharp talons. Wriggling free, Brolga ran away and taking an egg from Dinewan's nest, threw it high into the air. Instead of falling back to the ground, the emo egg kept going, drawn up by the sky spirits who smashed the egg over some burning embers. The yellow yoke spread over the burning embers to become a big fiery ball throwing light and warmth on all the valleys and places where the animals lived. The sky spirits were pleased with the beauty of the world and the rainbow colours over streaming new forests, and they agreed to light such a fire every day. But they were suprised to find that the animals slept in. "We will light a morning star," said the sky spirits, "to wake the animals to let them know the fire is being lit." but still the lazy animals slept in. "Light is not enough, for they have their eyes closed. We need a sound, But who will make the right sounds?" Just then they heard "koo-gour-gagaga!" far below. They flew down to see a kookaburra singing merrily on the bough of a tree. "Koo-gour-gaga, could you wake everybody when the evening star pales?" Otherwise we won't light the big fire every morning." "Of course i will," said Koo-gour-gaga, "I like the sound of my own voice!" And he let an ear piercing shriek of laughter ring out over the forest. "Koo-gour-gaga-gaga!" To this day, the sun fire is kindled at dawn, reaches it's blazing height at midday, dwindles to an ember and is kept aglow wrapped in a fleecy cloud by the sky spirits, to be set alight again by the heralding laughter of " "Koo-gour-gaga-gaga." Source: Fables of the Aborigines A small book i bought in Australia a few years ago containing 15 short Aboriginal stories.
It looks like our Kingfisher. They must be related. http://www.fcps.edu/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/belted_kingfisher.htm
kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, merry merry king of the bush is he....... laugh kookaburra laugh kookaburra, gay your life must be
Perhaps, i thought the same of the "ijsvogel" (i don't know a translations, i'll look into that) but they are way smaller, but you know how things go in the wilds of places like ozz. thanks
Dude! ijsvogel = Alcedo atthis or European Kingfisher or Common Kingfisher. seems we were thinking along the same lines *high five*
I think that, before reading this thread, the last time i heard of, or even thought abou the kookaburra was when we would sing this song in like 2nd grade. I was never even aware that it is a real creature, but i learned shit today!
