Kaka Legend Long long ago just inland off ninety mile beach there lived Kaka. Kaka was a beautiful bright green bird. Kaka would often fly above the tree tops, showing off his beautiful green cloak, Kaka loved his bright green cloak, he would spend all morning washing and cleaning feathers He spent the rest of the day showing off his colours. One fine morning when the sun was shining brightly Kaka was inside his warm dry hollow tree trunk. He was combing his feathers and admiring himself in the mirror. And preparing for his cousins visit. Kea was due any minute now and Kaka just had to make sure he looked superb. As Kaka was trimming his beak, Kea swooped down from the high branches and swiftly flew into Kaka’s hollow. Kaka politely made kea feel welcome. Kaka and Kea sat down together and chatted about many things other some sweet tasting berries. Kaka soon started to brag to Kea. He started by saying how keas colours didn’t suit him and how his colours suited him and made him look beautiful. Kea soon started to get annoyed with kakas constant bragging. Eventually after another half hour of Kaka’s bragging he said he had to go off to his mountain home to have his afternoon nap, of course it was a little white lie but Kaka didn’t know that. Shortly after Kea left, Kaka sawed down from the high tree tops to the low branches so e could show off his most beautiful colours to the other birds. The first bird he came to was kiwi, he flew down to the ground to talk to kiwi. Kiwi was out foraging for grubs and berries when kaka swopped down and landed neatly in front of kiwi. Kiwi sweetly greeted kaka but kaka didn’t return the favour instead he gloated to kiwi he began by saying “look at all your dull boring feathers it looks like it has no life in them then look at my bright shiny feathers they make the darkest nights seem bright’’ Kaka then brags about how kiwi can’t fly and he can, he gloats “ it must be such a shame not being able to fly like me , you must find life incredibly hard if you couldn’t fly, you should see how well I can fly.” Kiwi was incredibly enraged he shouted at kaka that he was a arrogant bird, Kaka yelled back “at least I’m a beautiful bird”.
Kiwi was as enraged as a charging bull. Kiwi was so angry that he decided to go and see the wise and powerful god of the forest Tane. Tane had created the forest and all its life many years ago, he had never noticed the trouble brewing in the forest so he was baffled when Kiwi appeared to him his face as red as a rose. Kiwi started to complain to Tane about kakas foolish behaviour, Kiwi told Tane that many of the forest birds were getting fed up with kakas constant bragging. Tane silently listened and when kiwi was done he considered his answer before replying that he would go and talk to kaka. Meanwhile Kaka was flying high above the forest canopy when all of a sudden Kaka was submerged in clouds of all colours they flashed before his eyes coming and going then they started to spin until they were going so fast it was just a blur then Kakas world went black. . . Kaka awoke with a start inside his own home to find Tane towering above him. Tane‘s voice boomed all around Kakas small hollow “ Tell me Kaka, why have you been so rude and arrogant to all the forest birds” Tane spoke in his loud authoritive voice. “I haven’t” Screeched Kaka “Although I am the most beautiful bird in the forest” “Just because you are a beautiful bird doesn’t mean you have to be arrogant” Spoke Tane and then with a soft POOF Tane was gone. “Huh , he doesn’t scare me” Mumbled Kaka. Kaka then flew out of his hollow and swooped high and low over the forest canopy showing off his feathers. Tane could see all of this display from the heavens above, his body filled with rage and anger Tane came down from the heavens and screamed in Kakas face “ I warned you Kaka, As your punishment you shall fight Moa in a week’s time at the clearing of the half moon” and then with a loud metallic BANG Tane was gone. Kaka was prettified how on earth was he going to fight moa he would be annulated in less than half a second. Kaka was so terrified that he walked all the way home along the soft forest floor and when other birds came he hid in the bushes until they were well out of earshot. Kaka couldn’t get the fight out of his head. What was he going to do, what could he do. When Kaka finally arrived at his hollow he just lay down on the floor and tried to think of a way to fight. When the morning sun rose Kaka still had no ideas so he decided to go and see his cousin kea to try and get some help.
It was shortly after midday when Kaka arrived at Keas Mountain home he swooped down out of the clouds and dropped out of the sky to land at Keas Mountain home. Kaka hastily told kea his dilemma Kea quietly listened to kaka like a good friend and when kaka was done he pondered on kakas problem for quite some time until finally he spoke. “I know nothing that could possibly beat the moa in a fight but if you stay here until your fight I might just have had an idea by then”. By the eve of the fight kaka and kea had still not come up with an idea so kaka went to sleep feeling as though all hope had been crushed. When kaka awoke next morning he found kea waiting patiently beside kakas nest in his hands he held a sharp stone with a faint blue glow around the edge. Kaka asked what it was and kea explained “when the taniwha was destroyed I was flying overhead when one of his magical claws shot out into the air quickly I grabbed it and took it back to my home it is said that it can split any rock in two so if we sharpen your claws and beak with it then you may stand a chance”. After Kea had sharpened kakas claws it was doom time. Kaka and kea flew down to the clearing of the half moon together but when they got close kea left kaka on his own to fight moa. Kaka dropped out of the sky and landed in the middle of the forest clearing. There were thousands of birds there and when kaka flew down they all erupted in to jeers they pointed at him and they laughed then standing in the middle of the clearing was moa he was as large as 2 adult humans and as tall as a basketball hoop. Moa stood in the middle flexing his muscles, the large crowd cheered loudly for moa. But then the cheer subsided as Tane walked into the centre of the clearing. He held up his hands for silence and then he spoke in a soft voice “here we have kaka he has been arrogant and rude to some of you so he will be punished, as his punishment, he will fight moa!” The crowd cheered louder than before and then Tane shouted “Let the fight begin” Kakas body was covered in a dark cloak of fear then all of a sudden moa charged at kaka moa swung his leg with the force of a bulldozer his flying leg connected with kakas body. Kaka was sent sprawling as his body was thrown to the ground, his body scraped along the hard dry ground ripping up the flesh on the underside of his wings. Kaka slowly stood up with blood oozing form between his feathers blood as red as a rose dripped to the ground form his wings. Once kaka was on his feet again he was striked back
down to the ground, he felt the dry hard dirt on his back as his vision started to fade and then moas head thrust downward on kakas chest puncturing it and sending slurry of blood. Kaka franticly rolled from side to side desperately trying to evade moa’s missile like head. Kaka escaped moa’s range and the stood up again he ran backwards to escape moa’s unwanted rage but moa easily caught up and he struck kaka down he went to stamp on kakas out stretch body but Tanes voice shouted “enough” moa slowly backed away Kaka gradually stood up hunched over breathing heavily and clutching his wounds. The forest birds yelled for more “let moa destroy him” screamed kokako “silence” demanded Tane “what one of you birds would have had the honour to keep your word and turn up on the day of the fight “spoke Tane “Kaka has learnt his lesson and he will be forever kind, modest and grateful to everyone of you birds” Gradually the birds one by one left the clearing until it was just Tane and kaka left Tane spoke in a gentle voice “Kaka if you keep to your word and are modest and kind I will let you keep those red feathers under your wings but do not own them as a mark of glory own them as a mark of shame. Also I have another job for you to keep you busy so you don’t get tempted to brag, I believe we have a plague of grubs rising up so you shall have to eat them from now to keep the them under control” “But Tane I don’t have a sharp beak or claws to dig into the wood” Kaka said. “I believe kea could help you out there” Tane spoke.
And from this day onward Kaka still has red under his wings and he is a friendly bird that eats the grubs with his sharp beak and claws.
By Harry and Riley