In the ancient years Tanemahuta took his children to the forest for a little treat.Tanemahuta could see the itchy bites on his children.Small bugs were eating them.Tanemahuta talked to his brother, Tanehokahoka, about what happened to his children.The next day Tanemahuta asked the birds to come down to the forest floor for a meeting..
All were silent when Tanemahuta asked if they could leave the roof top and come and live on the forest floor to protect Tanemahuta’s children. The Tui said that he could not because he was scared of the darkness on the forest floor. The Pukeko did not want to get his feet wet, since the forest floor was too damp. The Pipiwharauroa was busy building his nest so she could not go.
The Kiwi agreed to live on the forest floor. It was very dark and damp down there and before the Kiwi lived on the floor, Tanemahuta warned the Kiwi that he would loose his beautiful wings and cool feathers and he would never be able to live on the roof top ever again in his life.
Tui was punished. He had to wear two white feathers at his throat as a sign of his cowardice. Poor Pukeko lived in the dark swamp by himself. Pipiwharauroa was banned from making a nest for his children because he wasn’t brave enough to live on the forest floor..From then on she had to lay her eggs in other birds nests. As for the brave Kiwi, he is known as the most loved bird on earth.
