Day 279: What’s A Bunyip?

What’s a Bunyip?
by
Matt Zurbo

“Dad, what is a bunyip?” asked Bluey.
“Well, a bunyip is an Australian mythical being,” Dad replied.
(Father and son talking. White background. Dad wisely raising pointer finger.)

Stories of bunyips can be found in indigenous culture, dating back tens of thousands of years!
(Father and son standing in front of cave wall painting. Son looking intently at it as Dad talks.)

A bunyip is our very own Loch Ness Monster, Big Foot, Yeti, Mermaid, or Leprechaun, or Chinese Sleeping Dragon…
(Dad and son walking along line-up of said creatures. Dad explaining, boy watching them.)

It lives in swamps and billabongs
(Dad dangling from billabong tree, legs in air. Son in gumboots/water, watching him.)
“What does it look like?” Bluey asked.

“Ahh. So many different indigenous tribes had different versions, nobody really knows,” said Dad.
(A line-up of various bunyips of different shapes and sizes. Kid hugging Dad with caution as they walk.)
“Oh.”
“Many tribes said a bunyip is made from bits of other animals…”

I think a bunyip has a possums ears!
And a kangaroos legs
and an emus chest
and a goannas tail
and a wombats head
an echidnas back
and a giant kookaburra’s beak,
a wedge tailed eagle’s wings…
(Dad pointing to the bits of his bunyip, that is just standing there. Son watching from behind a rock.)

And a crocodiles arms!
“Wow…” gasped Bluey.
“What does your bunyip look like?” Dad asked.
(Dad’s hands clawed in front of him, his face looking content/smug, kid in awe.)

“Mine…!?”
(Kid, on own, looking puzzled.)

Okay, my bunyip has a big nose!
(Close-up of a nose just like Dad’s)

And silly big ears…
(Close-up of ears just like Dad’s)

A dopey mouth and chin…
(Close-up of Dad’s mouth and chin.)

And farts a lot!
(Dad’s bum, in jeans, letting off fart cloud.)

And black hair!
(Top of Dad’s head.)

And weird, pink arms and legs…
(Dad, in sleeveless top and shorts, looking startled at his own arms and legs.)
“Hey!” said Dad. 

And a possum on its head!
(Dad raising eyebrow, looking coyly at possum curled up on his head. Kid laughing.)

“Now lets go scare someone!” Bluey said.
“Okay…!” agreed Dad.
(Kid and Dad clawing their fingers, hunching their backs, lumbering off. A real bunyip is poking out from behind a tree to watch them go.)

(Bunyip standing their, watching where they went, scratching its head.)

 

 

 

 

The End