The bushinspired not only stories about outlaws (= fuorilegge) or solitary men who lived far from the cities, but also poets who wrote ballads. These compositions emphasized (= enfatizzavano) simple emotions, and depicted realistically Australian nature. The poets used anecdotes at times crude, at times humorous and witty (= sagaci) enough to avoid total caricature.
Andrew Barton Paterson (Banjo, 1864 – 1941), is still a legend among the community of bush balladeers. He was a Sydney lawyer (= avvocato) who started writing inspired by Rudyard Kipling, author who supported (= sostenne) the British Empire and wrote The Jungle Books, and Kim , novels set (= ambientate) in India
Waltzing Matilda (1903) is the story of a travelling worker who is making some tea and has captured a sheep at a bush camp. The owner (= proprietario) of the sheep comes with three police officers to arrest him, the worker drowns himself (= si affoga) in a small watering hole (= pozza d’acqua) and goes on to haunt (= infestare) the place.
The title refers to the bag (Matilda) carried over one’s back.