How the Kiwi Lost its Wings

Long, long ago kiwis lived in the top trees. They had brightly coloured feathers. All the other birds admired the kiwi’s feathers. One day Tane Mahuta saw a plague of bugs. He called Kiwi, Tui, Pukeko, Grey Warbler, Kakapo, Morepork and all the other birds together. Tane Mahuta said that one of the birds had to go and live on the forest floor.

So he asked Cuckoo, “Would you like to go on the forest floor?”

“No, I am building a nest in the trees.”

Then he asked Tui. “No, I am afraid of the enemies down there.”

Then he asked Morepork. “No way. I love the light in the trees so, so much.”

Then he asked Kiwi. “Yes, I would do it”

“Tui, you would have a white feather on your chest. Pukeko, you would stay in the wet parts of the forest. Morepork, you would stay in the darkest parts of the forest. Kiwi, you are perfect and everyone would like to take your name.”

And that’s how the kiwi lost his wings.