The Little Nene

The Little Nene - Author : Aysel Banu YAVUZAL

On the green slopes of a Hawaiian mountain, where mist kissed the ferns and ʻōhiʻa trees bloomed red, a little nene goose hatched from a cracked egg. His down was soft brown, his cheeks cream, and his eyes dark and round. He had tiny stubby wings and small orange webbed feet. The world was wide and wonderful, and he was ready to explore. 1

One morning, the little nene waddled into a garden tucked between two hills. Bright flowers nodded, and sweet berries hung like jewels. A flash of yellow-orange darted past his beak. It was a honeycreeper, tiny as a leaf, with a curved dark beak and a black mask around shiny eyes. 'Aloha!' sang the honeycreeper. 'I'm Kiki. Welcome to our garden!' 2

The little nene's heart did a happy hop. 'I'm Nene,' he said. 'This garden is beautiful!' Kiki the honeycreeper fluttered down to a fern. 'It's our secret place,' she chirped. 'But a big storm is coming. The sky is getting dark.' Nene looked up. Grey clouds were rolling over the mountain like a giant blanket. 'We should tell the others,' he said bravely. 3

That night, the wind howled and the rain drummed on the leaves. Nene huddled under a rock with his family, listening to branches snap and crash. Kiki hid in a hollow tree, her heart beating fast. The storm shook the mountain, but soon it rolled away, leaving the world quiet and wet. When morning came, Nene and Kiki hurried to check their garden. 4

Oh no! The garden was a mess. Broken branches lay across the paths, and flowers were flattened. Seeds were scattered in the mud. Nene's orange feet squelched as he walked. 'Our beautiful garden is ruined,' he said sadly. Kiki flew up to a bent bush. 'Don't worry, Nene. We can fix it. But we need help. Let's ask our friends.' 5

First, they visited Old Menehune Owl, who lived in a mossy tree. The owl was plump and grey-brown, with large golden eyes and round spectacles on his beak. He wore a woven lauhala leaf cape. 'A storm is strong, but friends are stronger,' the wise owl said calmly. 'I will help you organise a team. Go and gather everyone.' 6

Nene and Kiki called to the other animals. Down the hill came Pua the puaiohi, a small brown bird with a speckled breast and a tiny red flower tucked behind one wing. Pua was shy and spoke softly. 'I can carry twigs,' Pua whispered. 'Good!' said Kiki. 'Everyone can help.' The animals gathered around Old Menehune Owl to make a plan. 7

Old Menehune Owl raised a wing. 'We will work in teams,' he said. 'Nene and I will clear the big branches. Kiki, you and Pua will gather seeds. The other birds can carry twigs and leaves.' Everyone nodded. Nene felt proud to be part of the team. 'Let's start!' he honked. And so the great garden clean-up began. 8

Nene pushed and pulled with his strong little beak, and Old Menehune Owl lifted the heaviest branches with his broad wings. Kiki darted through the ferns, finding seeds in the mud, while Pua carefully carried twigs to a pile. The sun grew warm, and everyone worked hard. 'This is fun!' chirped Kiki. 'We're making a difference,' agreed Nene. 9

By afternoon, the paths were clear. The animals planted the seeds Kiki and Pua had found. Nene dug little holes with his webbed feet, and Pua dropped seeds inside. Kiki sang a cheerful song to encourage everyone. Old Menehune Owl watched with a smile. 'Teamwork makes everything lighter,' he said. The garden was starting to look like itself again. 10

Just then, a gust of wind blew a branch onto the new seeds. 'Oh no!' cried Pua. 'Our work is ruined!' But Nene stepped forward. 'Don't worry, Pua. We'll fix it together.' He called the others, and they all lifted the branch away. Kiki found more seeds, and Pua replanted them. 'We can solve anything as a team,' said Nene. 11

Old Menehune Owl gathered everyone. 'You have shown that friendship makes our community strong,' he said. 'Even the smallest friend can make a big difference.' Pua smiled, her red flower bobbing. Kiki fluttered onto Nene's back. 'We did it!' she cheered. Nene felt warm inside. He knew that with friends, no problem was too big. 12

Weeks passed, and the garden bloomed brighter than ever. The seeds grew into flowers, and the bushes were full of berries. Nene and Kiki played hide-and-seek among the leaves, and Pua sang a quiet song. Other animals came to visit, and the garden became a happy meeting place. 'Our teamwork made this possible,' said Nene. 13

One sunny day, Old Menehune Owl called a celebration. All the animals gathered around a big mossy rock. 'Today we thank Nene and Kiki,' said the owl, 'and every friend who helped.' There were cheers and laughter. Pua stepped forward shyly. 'I'm glad I helped,' she said. 'You were wonderful,' said Nene. 'Everyone was.' 14

From that day on, the mountain garden was a symbol of friendship. Nene learned that even a little goose can lead with kindness. Kiki learned that clever ideas grow best when shared. And Pua learned that quiet friends are strong friends. The animals worked together, played together, and kept their garden safe. The mountain hummed with happiness.