Papahu Gets Stuck Long ago in the land of Aotearoa there lived a creature called Papahu. This creature was very special, it wasn't like any other creature because it was bright green and could be seen from far away. Many of the other creatures were jealous of it bright colours. All the living creatures on Aotearoa knew about this distinctive creature. One sunny day Papahu was out for his morning search for food when a light shone brightly in his eye, it blinded him for a few seconds then he turned to see what it was. It was the reflection of the sea shining in his eye. He wanted to find out more about this big pool of liquid, he went round asking all the locals. They all laughed at him and they carried on working. He became very confused and went to ask Tangaroa (god of the sea). Tangaroa laughed as well but Papahu demanded an answer. Tangaroa started his story that he told to everyone about the sea, it went on and on but Papahu listened closely, he was determined to find out about this big pool of liquid. Hours later Papahu had heard enough and thought that since people were allowed to swim in what he now knows as the sea he thought he would go for a swim. He slowly went down the the edge of the water and dipped his foot in. Boy it was cold but he was convinced he was going in. Step by step his body got more cover in water until finally he was swimming round. He was having a great time dipping and diving, splashing around, playing with bits of seaweed, throwing drift wood and surfing the waves that were coming ashore. For hours and hours he continued to do this. Just as he was about to get out he noticed that all his beautiful greens had disappeared! The bright green that he used to be covered in had now turned into a pale grey, his stomach was now white and the only thing that was left from before was the black mask he were on his fins and around his eyes. He was so embarrassed we couldn't go back onto land, he didn't want anyone to see him like this all dull and ugly. He knew that if anyone saw him they would laugh, point, make jokes and tell everyone else on Aotearoa what he looked like. He thought to himself " I have to get out of here somehow, and without anyone seeing me!". He looked at the seaweed and that gave him an idea, " I'll wrap the seaweed around me and run home" thought Papahu. As he started to do this Seagull came walking past " what are you doing Papahu?". "Oh I'm just covering myself in this amazing seaweed, I find it improves my skin" said Papahu. " Why has you neck gone grey?" replied Seagull. " Um um um it's always been that colour" said Papahu very distraught fully. " Oh my have you lost your colours while you've been swimming?" asked Seagull. " Fine, ok I have! I was just swimming peacefully when I was about to get out and all my beautiful colours had disappeared, now I'm trying to cover my self in seaweed so that no one sees me while I run home!" Said Papahu in great worry.
Seagull stood there with a smirk on his face and walked away. " WAIT! What am I supposed to do?!?" yelled Papahu. Seagull just kept walking. Papahu was left in the water wondering what to do. Hours went by as Papahu sat in the water, night came and he thought that by midnight it would be dark enough to to race home without anyone seeing him. Moments later seal swam by and was puzzled why Papahu was sitting in the shallow waters. "What are you doing Papahu" asked Seal. "I’m just sitting in the shallow waters, enjoying the sunset" replied Papahu. "Ok" said Seal as he swam off. Suddenly Papahu become hungry and his tummy started to grumble. "Oh no what am I going to eat?" said Papahu to himself. He decided to swim out a bit deeper to find some food, he dived down found a arrow squid, Ahuru, red cod, sole, yellow-eyed mullet, star gazer and sprat. Feeling quite pleased with his findings he brung them ashore and layed them out, deciding which one to eat first. Each one he ate had a different but amazing taste which he enjoyed thoroughly. While he had found his dinner and ate it, without noticing Tangaroa had been watching him enjoy the water so he decided to change his feet into a tail, his arms to flippers and his nose became short and rounded. Papahu was surprised at his new features and wondered where they came from. He swam round testing his new features. He was ecstatic with they way he could swim around, leap and dive into the water. Sometimes he missed his life on land but is much happier in his new home. To this day Papahu still swims around the coast of Aotearoa catching all the fish. If you ever go around the coast of Aotearoa in the South Island you may just be able to see Papahu enjoying the waters of the sea.