The Rock Warriors retold by: Alexander

              The   Rock Warriors retold by: Alexander


The Patupaiarehe  people lived around the lakes of Rotorua at a placed called’’ Ngongotaha’’ hUndreds of years ago.These people  had fair skin and they were very excellent  gardeners.

The Tipua people were giants and they were very bad tempered.These people wanted to take the wonderful lakes and the land away from the Patupaiarehe  people.

One day the Tipua giants decided to attack the Patupaiarehe people. The Patupaiarehe people went to their leader and asked him to save them. Tongakahu was a good leader and he was also a good magician.

Tongakohu went on top of Ngongotaha mountain and lit a fire and he cast a magic spell.The Tipua  warriors started feeling, tired so they stopped for a rest, When they wanted to move they felt their skin cracking.They started to turn into rocks. If you go to that mountain you will see them.

Tongakohu was finally able to save his people from the Tipua giants of Kaimai Mountains.

HOW THE KIWI LOST HIS WINGS

                         HOW THE KIWI LOST HIS WINGS


One day Tanemahuta was walking through the forest.He looked up and saw his children reaching for the sky. He chatted with his brother Tanehokahoka,who called the birds of the air together. “Something is eating my children and I need one of you birds from the  forest roofs to live on the floor so that my children can be saved”. The birds were quiet and not one spoke a word.

Tanehokahoka turned and looked at Tui.”Will you come down  to the ground instead of living on the forest roof”?. “It’s too dark” the Tui  replied. Tanehokahoka  turned to Pukeko and asked, “Would you come down and live on the forest floor”?.hee asked “It’s too wet, I don’t want my feet to get wet” said the Pukeko.

Tanehokahoka asked Pipiwharauroa “ Would you come and live down on the forest floor”?.  “No I'm too busy building my nest” said the Pipiwharauroa. Tanehokahoka asked the Kiwi “ Would you come down to the forest floor”? Kiwi looked around, he looked up at the sun and then he looked around and saw his family.He said  “Yes I will live on the  forest floor”.

Tanemahuta told kiwi that he has to  grow big thick legs so that he can use it to tear logs apart. You will lose  your beautiful  feathers and you will not  be able to return to the forest roof ever again. You also will never see daylight again.
  

Tanehokahoka turned to the other birds and said to the Tui “ Tui you will wear two white feathers on your throat to mark you as being a coward”. Tanehokahoka  turned to Pukeko and said “ For not going to live on the forest floor because you did not want your feet to get wet you will live in the swamp for ever”.

Tanehokahoka turned and looked at Pipiwharauroa and said “ Because you did not go live on the forest floor, and  you were building your nest, you will lay your eggs in other birds nest”.
Tanehokahoka turned to Kiwi and said “ Since you decided to live on the forest floor you will be the most loved bird!”.

Tanemahuta was very pleased that the Kiwi agreed to protect his children living on the forest floor.