Hatupatu and the Birdwomen

One day Hatupatu was walking along in the forest when the Bird Women pounced on him and took him away. The Bird Women was a bony and fierce creature. She took Hatupatu to her old broken down house and locked him in there. Inside the house the Bird Women had evil eyed lizards and birds as servants. The Bird Women told Hatupatu that she was going on a long journey. The Bird Women warned Hatupatu that she would punish him if he ran away. The evil eyed lizards and birds kept an eye on Hatupatu. When The Bird Women left, Hatupatu jumped up and killed all the evil eyed animals and ran away. Hatupatu thought he had killed all of the servants but there was one left.


The bird flew to tell the Birdwomen that Hatupatu had escaped. Just then the Birdwomen swooped over the forest and saw Hatupatu. She got closer and closer to Hatupatu. Hatupatu asked the rock to open up so that he could hide in it. The rock opened up and Hatupatu was safe inside. When Hatupatu thought it was safe to leave he asked the rock to open. The rock opened and he started to run. But the little bird saw him and flew off to tell the Birdwomen. The Birdwomen flew and found Hatupatu. He asked the Earth to open so that he could hide. The Birdwomen shrieked with rage as he hid underneath the Earth. When he thought it was safe, Hatupatu came out from under the Earth. The little bird saw him again. The Birdwomen chased after Hatupatu. She chased him over boiling mud, through streams and over boiling water. As they were crossing the boiling mud, steam got into the Birdwomen’s eyes and she tripped and fell into the boiling mud. She disappeared out of sight. Hatupatu was free to go home.

Retold by the children in room 12 :)