You’re about to hear what may be the oldest story ever told.

In another EarthDate, we talked about how Australian Aboriginals remember star maps using songs. But their oral history has preserved much more in stories that corroborate ancient geological events.

For instance, they tell of a dramatic sea-level rise long ago that inundated areas of the coast. Many tribes, separated by great distance and different languages, tell the same story. And the details match the geological record of 7,000 years ago.

But there’s a far older tale.

A tribe in South Australia tells the creation myth of Budj Bim, a god who took the form of a volcano. His teeth became lava that spat from his mouth and flowed to the sea, creating the land that has sustained the tribe since the beginning of time.

The hill they call Budj Bim is in fact a long-extinct volcano. And its lava did flow to the sea, forming the coastal wetlands that the Aboriginals have used to practice aquaculture for thousands of years.

But the last time it erupted was 37,000 years ago. And no other volcanoes have erupted there since.

Archaeological and DNA testing have confirmed that this tribe has lived in the area for 40,000 years. It seems likely they witnessed the ancient eruption and preserved it in a legend that’s very much alive today.

So, the next time you’re asked for a good story, tell them the 37,000-year-old tale of Budj Bim, the volcano god.