A more subtle problem than those so far considered is presented by a courtship custom described by Bulmer (Brough Smyth, 82-84).  The natives are very superstitious in regard to their hair.  They carefully destroy any that has been cut off and would be greatly frightened to know it had fallen into another person’s hands, as that would place their health and life in jeopardy at the other’s will.  Yet a girl who has a lover will not hesitate to give him a lock of her hair.  It seems impossible to deny that this is a touch of true sentiment, of romantic love; and Bulmer accordingly calls this lock of hair a “token of affection.”  But is it a token of affection?  The sequel will show.  In due course of time the couple elope, in the black of the night they take to the bush.  Great excitement prevails in camp when they are found missing.  They are called “long-legged,” “thin-legged,” “squint-eyed,” or “big-headed.”  Search is made, the pair are tracked and caught, and both are cruelly beaten.  They make a promise not to repeat the offence, but do not keep it; another elopement follows, with more beatings.  At last the girl becomes afraid to elope again.  She alters her tactics, feigns a severe illness, and the parents are alarmed.  Then she remembers that her lover has a lock of her hair.  He is made to confess, and another fight follows.  He is half killed, but after that he is allowed to keep the girl.

Thus we see that the lock, instead of being a “token of affection,” as Bulmer would have us believe, and as it would be in our community, is not even a sentimental sign of the girl’s confidence in her lover, but merely a detail of a foolish custom and stupid superstition.

TWO NATIVE STORIES

As a matter of course Australian folk-lore, too, shows no traces of the existence of love.  The nearest approach to such a thing I have been able to find is a quaint story about a man who wanted two wives and of how he got them.  It is taken from Mrs. K. Langloh Parker’s Australian Legendary Tales and the substance of it is as follows: 

Wurrunnah, after a long day’s hunting, came back to the camp tired and hungry.  His mother had nothing for him to eat and no one else would give him anything.  He flew into a rage and said:  “I will go into a far country and live with strangers; my people would starve me.”  He went away and after divers strange adventures with a blind man and emus, who were really black fellows, he came to a camp where there was no one but seven young girls.  They were friendly, gave him food, and allowed him to camp there during the night.  They told him their name was Meamei and their tribe in a far country to which they would soon return.

The next day Wurrunnah went away as if leaving for good; but he determined to hide near and watch what they did, and if he could get a chance he would steal a wife from among