a myth

The rao people, to whom the radon spider is sacred, pass through what is now known as Katherine river atleast once a year. Each time they head to the river banks to pay their respects to their ancestral totem, which are found overhanging the pandanus bordered banks in vast aggregations. Once,in ancient times, one of the rao people was walking along the bank when he heard the crash of breaking branches and sounds of frantic running. He followed the sound, thinking of wallaby, because the banks were also sacred to the wallaby people. But the sounds ended abruptly with a splash and the rao did not know if wallaby could swim, as the river was very deep next to the bank. The rao forgot about the radon spider as he waited anxiously for wallaby to resurface but wallaby had vanished. The rao waited for a long while, but in vain. This spot where rao waited for wallaby is now sacred and is considered as a meeting place by wallaby and spider.