Djanbun In Australian mythology, a human being who turned into a platypus. One day a man named Djanbun came out of Washington Creek and was traveling alone across great mountains. He was carrying a fire stick and trying to get it to burst into flame. As he blew and blew on the sparking end, some glowing chars fell from it and turned into gold. But still the stick would not turn to flame. As he blew harder, he felt that his mouth was growing larger. Djanbun threw the stick down to the ground and jumped into the water. As soon as he did, he turned into a platypus. To this day natives warn of blowing too hard on fire sticks for fear that, like Djanbun, one just might turn into a platypus.
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow
Copyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante
