Balayang — The Black Bat of the Dreaming | Spirits & Folklore Series

Scorched black by the fire of the gods. He shaped the oceans. He found the first women. He became the stars.

In the Dreaming of the Kulin nation — the Aboriginal people of south-eastern Australia — Balayang the bat was the brother of Bunjil the great eaglehawk. They were opposites in all things: Bunjil ruled the dry country, Balayang the wet. When Bunjil asked his brother to come and live with him, Balayang refused. Angered, Bunjil sent his two warrior helpers — Djurt-djurt the nankeen kestrel and Thara the quail hawk — to set fire to Balayang's country. The flames scorched Balayang and his family, turning them permanently, irreversibly black. That is why the bat is black. That is why he belongs to the night.

But Balayang was no victim. He shaped the world. One day, amusing himself by thumping the surface of the water, he caused it to thicken into mud — and from that mud he drew two women: Kunnawarra the black swan and Kururuk the brolga. He brought them to Bunjil, who gave them as wives to the men he had created. Balayang formed the oceans, the rivers, and the creeks. He is represented in the night sky by Antares — the red supergiant heart of the Scorpius constellation, one of the brightest stars visible to the naked eye.

This puzzle captures Balayang at the height of his power — wings of golden filigree bone spread across the night sky, Antares blazing above him, ancient temple cities glowing below, hidden owls and bats woven throughout the darkness. He is sovereign of the night. He is the brother the fire could not destroy.

Assemble the Dreaming. Research the story. Remember what the elders knew.

Product Features

• Multiple sizes: Choose from 252, 500, or 1000-piece configurations to match your challenge level
• High-quality materials: Printed on sturdy chipboard with a satin finish for crisp detail and smooth handling
• Vibrant print: Advanced printing delivers rich, true colors — deep midnight blues, gold filigree, and glowing amber visible in every piece
• Sturdy packaging: Supplied in a thick, rigid matte black cardboard box for safe storage and gifting
• Decorative lid decal: Box top features a printed artwork decal matching the completed puzzle inside

Care Instructions

Wipe gently with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.

Part of the Glowering Nights Spirits & Folklore Series — preserving the stories the world forgot to tell.