The Kiwi Bird
The kiwi is a small, round bird from New Zealand. It has no big wings for flying. Its feathers are brown and fuzzy, like a little furry potato! The kiwi has tiny eyes and a long, long beak. It walks on the ground with strong, thick legs. The kiwi cannot fly. But it is brave and special.
The Story of How the Kiwi Lost Its Wings
A long time ago, there was a god of the forest named Tāne (say “Tay-nay”). Tāne loved the trees. He watched them grow tall and strong.
But one day, something terrible was wrong. Bad bugs crawled up the tree trunks. Crunch, crunch, crunch. They ate and ate and ate. The trees were getting sick and dying. Soon there would be no forest at all.
Tāne called his brother, Ho-ka (say “Ho-ka”). Ho-ka had many bird children. They lived high up in the trees, where it was sunny and bright.
“My brother needs help,” said Ho-ka to his birds. “Bugs are eating the trees and killing them. I need one of you to come down to the forest floor. You must walk on the ground. You must find the bugs hiding in the dirt and leaves. You must eat them, day after day, to save our home. Who will come?”
All the birds looked at each other. They looked at their beautiful wings. They looked at the bright sunshine pouring down.
“Not me!” shouted one bird, fluffing his feathers. “It’s too dark down there! I’m afraid of the dark. I like the sunny sky!”
“Not me!” cried another bird loudly. “The ground is cold and wet and muddy. I don’t want dirty feet! I want to stay up here where it’s clean and warm!”
No bird wanted to come down.
Then Ho-ka asked the smallest bird of all.
“Kiwi, will you come down from the trees?”
Kiwi looked up. He saw the sunshine. He saw his family with their pretty wings. He looked down at the cold, dark ground.
Kiwi was scared.
But Kiwi thought about the trees. He thought about his home. If the trees died, there would be no home for anyone.
“Yes,” said Kiwi. “I will come.”
“But Kiwi,” said Ho-ka, “you must know what will happen. The bugs are everywhere. You will have to search and search every day. You will dig in the ground. You will look under leaves. There will be so much work, so much to do. You will be busy all the time. Forever and ever. Your body will change. Your wings will shrink because you won’t need them. Your legs will grow thick and strong for digging. Your feathers will turn brown for hiding in the dirt. You will never fly again. You will never see the bright sun again.”
Kiwi took one last look at the sun.
He said goodbye to his flying friends.
And Kiwi said, “I will.”
Kiwi came down to the ground. His legs grew thick and strong. His wings became tiny. His feathers turned brown.
Now Kiwi walked on the ground. Every day, he searched and searched. He ate the bad bugs. He saved the trees.
And Kiwi, who was the bravest bird of all, became the most famous bird of New Zealand. Go see him when you’re there!