Hatupatu And The Birdwoman.
1 Hatupatu was exploring the dark forest.
2 Suddenly, he saw a bird fall from a tree.
3 Another bird fell, and another. What is happening? he asked.
4 He rubbed his eyes and then saw a dark shape; a bird woman was spearing the birds with her fingernails.
5 Hatupatu was terrified. Kurangaituku! he shrieked and begun to run.
6 He looked over his shoulder and saw Kurangaituku chasing him swiftly through the trees. Hatupatu ran as fast as he could. The bird woman followed and her fingernails got closer to Hatupatu.
7 Suddenly, a huge rock was in his way. Hatupatu was trapped. Kurangaituku reached out with her long talons towards him.
8 He beat on the rock and screamed, Open up! Open up!
9 The rock opened, Hatupatu fell inside and the rock shut on the tip of a talon. Kurangaituku screeched.
10 Inside Hatupatu could hear Kurangaituku thumping and clawing at the rock.
11 He laid still and waited. His heart was beating loudly in the dark. Time crept by.
12 Hatupatu listened. It was silent outside now. He could not hear the bird woman.
13 Good, he thought. She s gone! Hatupatu crept out. He saw huge claw marks on the rock but the bird woman was nowhere to be seen. Hatupatu started to walk home, carefully looking around all the time.
14 He reached the end of the forest and saw the shiny waters of Lake Rotorua. He was not far from home now.
15 Suddenly, he heard the sound of beating wings. Craw! Craw! The bird woman was chasing him again, reaching out with her very sharp claws.
16 Hatupatu dodged and raced for the hot pools. A boiling mud pool bubbled just ahead Danger!
17 He jumped through the drifting steam, to the other side and kept running.
18 Kurangaituku started flying over the hot pool, her long talons reaching for Hatupatu.
19 Without warning, a hot geyser blew into the air, caught Kurangaituku and she tumbled into the boiling waters. The bird woman sank and was gone.
20 Hatupatu was hot from running, but now he was really safe. He wandered happily home, past the shining waters of Lake Rotorua and more bubbling mud pools.
21 Today in Rotorua you can see Hatupatu s Rock with its black shadow and long claw marks.
Hatupatu And The Bird Woman
SUMMARY 1. Hatupatu was exploring through the dark forest. 2. Suddenly, he was a bird fall from a tree. 3. Another bird fell, and another. What is happening? he asked. 4. He rubbed his eyes and then saw a dark shape; a bird woman was spearing the birds with her fingernails. 5. Hatupatu was terrified. Kurangaituku! he shrieked and begun to run. 6. He looked over his shoulder and saw Kurangaituku chasing him swiftly through the trees. Hatupatu ran as fast as he could. The bird woman followed and her fingernails got closer to Hatupatu. 7. Suddenly, a huge rock was in his way. Hatupatu was trapped. Kurangaituku reached out with her long talons towards him. 8. He beat on the rock and screamed, Open up! Open up! 9. The rock opened, Hatupatu fell inside and the rock shut on the tip of a talon. Kurangaituku screeched. 10. Inside Hatupatu could hear Kurangaituku thumping and clawing at the rock. 11. He laid still and waited. His heart was beating loudly in the dark. Time crept by. 12. Hatupatu listened. It was silent outside now. He could not hear the bird woman. 13. Good, he thought. She s gone! Hatupatu crept out. He saw huge claw marks on the rock but the bird woman was nowhere to be seen. Hatupatu started to walk home, carefully looking around all the time. 14. He reached the end of the forest and saw the shiny waters of Lake Rotorua. He was not far from home now. 15. Suddenly, he heard the sound of beating wings. Craw! Craw! The bird woman was chasing him again, reaching out with her very sharp claws. 16. Hatupatu dodged and raced for the hot pools. A boiling mud pool bubbled just ahead Danger! 17. He jumped through the drifting steam, to the other side and kept running. 18. Kurangaituku started flying over the hot pool, her long talons reaching for Hatupatu. 19. Without warning, a hot geyser blew into the air, caught Kurangaituku and she tumbled into the boiling waters. The bird woman sank and was gone. 20. Hatupatu was hot from running, but now he was really safe. He wandered happily home, past the shining waters of Lake Rotorua and more bubbling mud pools. 21. Today in Rotorua you can see Hatupatu s Rock with its black shadow and long claw marks.