HOW THE KIWI LOST ITS WINGS – Let us read a wonderfully loved story of how the kiwi lost its wings with a moral lesson and summary. Kiwi is a much-loved bird in New Zealand. It served as their national bird, and it was their national symbol.
The story of the Kiwi was one of the favorite stories of the children in New Zealand from the Maori people. It declares how the humble kiwis saved the forest of Aotearoa from the harmful insects attacking the trees. Let us all indulge ourselves in this clever myth about kiwis.
How The Kiwi Lost Its Wings
Long ago, the forest god, Tanemahuta, walked through the forest. He saw his children, the trees trying to reach the sky began to sicken and die as the insects crawled the length of the trunks, slowly eating the trees.
Tanemahuta talked to his brother, Tanehokahoka, the sky god, who called all his children the birds of the air.
Tanemahuta talked to all the birds.
Insects are devouring the trees, my children. I demand one of you to come down to the forest floor and live there.
You’re going to save my children and your home. Who is willing to come?
Not a single bird makes a sound.
Tanehokahoka faced his son, Tui.
“Tui, will you come to the forest roof and save the trees?”
Tui looked up at the sky and down to the forest floor, where everything was cold and dark, then shivered.
Tanehokahoka turned to Pukeko.
“Pukeko, will you come down to the forest floor?”
Pukeko watched down the cold and damp forest floor and shuddered.
Tanehokahoka, I don’t want to go down, for it is too damp, and I don’t want to get my feet wet.”
All the birds remain quiet.
Tanehokahoka faced Pipiwharauroa.
Pipiwharauroa, will you come down to the forest floor to save our home from the insects?”
Pipiwharauroa looked down, then looked around at his family.
“I am too busy building my nest, Pipiwharauroa.”
Everyone was quiet, and not a bird spoke. Tanehokahoka was very downhearted, for he knew if not one of his children came down to the forest floor, the trees would die, and the birds would have no homes.
Lastly, Tanehokahoka turned to Kiwi.
Kiwi, will you come down from the forest roof for me?”
Kiwi looked up at the sunlit trees and looked around his family. It then looked down at the damp earth, slowly turned its face to Tanehokahoka, and proclaimed, “I will.”
The gods, Tanemahuta and Tanehokahoka, were ecstatic because the little bird gave them hope. But Tanemahuta warned the Kiwi what would happen if he lived on the ground.
“Kiwi, if you do this, do you know you will grow thick legs to live on the ground? You will lose your colorful feathers and wings, and you will never be able to return to the forest roof. Would it also be ok if you will never see the light of day again?”
“I know Tanemahuta,” said Kiwi.
Then, Tanehokahoka turned to the other birds and proclaimed, “Tui, because you were too afraid to come down, you will wear two white feathers at your throat as the mark of a coward.”
“Pukeko, because you didn’t want to get your feet wet, you will be punished to live forever in the swamp.”
“Pipiwharauroa, because you were too busy building your nest, you will never build another nest but lay your eggs on other birds’ nests.’
But you, Kiwi, have made the greatest sacrifice. You will become the most well-known and loved bird of them all.
Story Analysis of How The Kiwi Lost Its Wings
Tanemahuta, the god of the forest, was sad because his children (trees) were dying. So he asks the birds if one can leave the forest roof to live on the forest floor. No one answered except for the Kiwi, willing to give up his life on the forest roof to live on the ground.
With that, it was said that the Kiwi saved the forest of Aotearoa from the harmful insects attacking the trees. Sadly, a few of them were left that the government of New Zealand categorized as endangered species and allocated forests for them to regenerate their kind.
How The Kiwi Lost Its Wings Moral Lesson
- Sacrificing oneself to save others is an act of kindness.
- Other birds feared being called out to live in the ground, but the Kiwi chose to do so. It is willing to sacrifice its life on the forest roof, lose its beautiful wings and even grow thick legs to live on the ground. To save the trees, the Kiwis let go of the things they used to live in. With it, the Kiwi became the most famous and well-loved bird.
How The Kiwi Lost Its Wings Summary
Tanemahuta, the god of the forest, saw that the trees began to sicken and die as insects ate them. He asked for the help of his brother, Tanehokahoka, the sky god. They called all the birds to ask who would save the trees and their home from the insects. Tui, Pokeko, and Pipiwharauroa were called out, but they refused to do so.
Kiwi was asked if it could sacrifice to come down from the forest roof and save the trees. Thankfully the Kiwi said yes, and the gods were delighted. But Tui, Pukeko, and Pipiwharauroa were punished, for they refused to save the forest. The Kiwi who made the greatest sacrifice became the well-loved bird of all.
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