Whakamīere - Reo Māori Stories

A mother lark is wary of leaving her young ones in a field of nearly-ripe wheat lest it be reaped before they have fledged. She tells them to keep their ears open to the goings on, and to report back to her.   Translation by Taurapa

The fate of an archer, while out hunting a dove, is quickly changed by a hidden danger.   Translation by Taurapa

After being captured, and having its wings clipped, a pūkeko is placed in a yard with gamecocks. He quickly learns about their fierce nature.   Translation by Taurapa

A boy falls asleep after a long day of play, and nearly falls down a well.   Translation by Taurapa

After spying a young fox cub as food for her young, the eagle is confronted by mother fox. Things quickly go south after the eagle disregards the mother's wishes.   Translation by Taurapa

Minding their own business, the ass and cock are paid a visit by the lion. Things seem fine at first, but quickly change.   Translation by Taurapa

A naïve young thrush makes friends with a swallow. His mother though brings him back to reality.   Translation by Taurapa

We continue on our journey to te Tāone Kānapanapa, and Toratī learns more about her companion, and why he wants brains so badly.   Translation by Taurapa

A sneaky boy plays a trick on a thief that he won't soon forget, but is he justified in doing so?   Translation by Taurapa

After pleading for a new garment from her mother, the moon is given a few reasons why that is likely not possible.   Translation by Taurapa

We all know how beautiful the peacock's feathers can be, but is this really the be alll and end all?   Translation by Taurapa

The great orator Demades tries to command the attention of his audience. He resorts, however, to something he is not particularly fond of.   Translation by Taurapa

The hen is told of the danger she is in by the swallow. Will she listen to him?   Translation by Taurapa

A weary goatherd travelling with his goats in a winter storm is caught out in the elements. His decisions thereafter, however, are not to the benefit of his goats.   Translation by Taurapa

A fox is bitten by a swarm of mosquitoes but opts not to shoo them away - what's his reasoning?   Translation by Taurapa

We've all been convinced of something at some point which later turned out to be a little more fanciful than was promised. This nanakia has had a lot of practice in the art of deception.   Translation by Taurapa

Toratī and Tautau continue on their journey to te Tāone Kānapanapa and make a new friend along the way - someone who has been stuck in place for a very long time.   Translation by Taurapa

The wolf learns a lesson in double standards and the realities of life.   Translation by Taurapa

A fox and ass stumble upon a hungry lion and the fox, as sly as always, concocts a plan to escape.   Translation by Taurapa

The wolf accuses the fox of having stolen some meat, but whose side will the ape judge take when both sides are just as dishonest as the other?   Translation by Taurapa

A wolf is left for dead by some dogs, and is his dying breaths, he asks for help from the sheep. Is he hypocritical in his asking for help though?   Translation by Taurapa

The lion, devious as always, tries his luck and capturing a horse for dinner. What's his cunning plan, and how does it work out for him?   Translation by Taurapa

A young man is asked as to why he struggles with deciding whether or not to get up and out of bed.   Translation by Taurapa

The wind and the sun challenge each other to figure out who is the stronger of the two. Perhaps, though, strength is not always what's required to come out on top.   Translation by Taurapa

While walking down a road together, two men turn to talk about the heroes of their respective cities, with each showing a bit of bias. Who really is the better hero, though - Hercules, or Theseus?   Translation by Taurapa

Pū, Kiritopa Rōpene and all their hoa embark on an "expotition" to find the North Pole. Things go awry, Īō feels sorry for himself, and Rū goes for a swim.   Translation by Taurapa

An ass greets a boar with impudence, and although violence is the boar's initial reaction, the ass is taught a lesson he will remember.   Translation by Taurapa

A mule has a wonderful life and is proud of his heritage, but things take a change and his mind shifts.   Translation by Taurapa

Ever jumped into something without really thinking too much about it first? Well, the hunter did, and it wasn't the best idea. He sets a trap for a fox and all seems fine until his concentration lapses.   Translation by Taurapa

Falcons and geese clearly live different lives, and although the falcon might be ignorant of this, he is quickly reminded by the goose.   Translation by Taurapa

The frog and mouse are good friends, and enjoy each other's company. The frog extends an invitation to the mouse to visit him, but things take a turn for the worse.   Translation by Taurapa

Two men, one envious, and one covetous, try to out-do each other for their own selfish benefit.   Translation by Taurapa

Wondering why the little dog was favoured so much by their master, the ass tries to imitate. Things turn sour quickly, though, and a servant needs to intervene.   Translation by Taurapa

We continue our journey to Oz with te Upoko 2 from Te Kirimatarau Mīharo o Oz.   Translation by Taurapa

Two soldiers are ambushed, one is afraid, the other, however, is not. He quickly gets a harsh word from his companion in response to his actions.   Translation by Taurapa

A classic dispute between two men over a woman leads to bloodshed, and a curious request comes from the fallen man. Why does he make this request with his dying breath?   Translation by Taurapa

We've all heard of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, but did you know that Aesop wrote a kōrero about this same kaupapa 2000 years earlier?`   Translation by Taurapa

While cooped up at his home during a paticularly bad storm, the man makes some difficult decisions to help feed his family. Evidently, the dogs become wary of him.   Translation by Taurapa

The lynx is known for having incredible eyesight, but the mole has ears which are equally as sensitive. Who then is likeliest to evade danger?   Translation by Taurapa

A greedy man tries to find the secret of his goose's golden eggs, but he makes a grave mistake.   Translation by Taurapa

Jupiter decides to hold a seemingly innocent lottery, but may have an ulterior motive. He comes up with a plan to put people's minds at ease, though.   Translation by Taurapa

Join us as we step onto the yellow brick road and begin our journey to the land of Oz with Te Kirimatarau Mīharo o Oz. In this episode, we start at the very beginning, with L. Frank Baum’s own introduction, followed by Chapter One of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in te reo Māori.   Translation by Taurapa

It's always hard picking a favourite fruit when they're all delicious! Peach and Apple get into an argument about who is the better fruit.   Translation by Taurapa

The kōkopu nui is carried out to sea and learns an important lesson from the new fishes he meets.   Translation by Taurapa

Being greedy will often come back to bite oneself, and the dog finds this out the hard way.   Translation by Taurapa

The cat catches himself a nice little meal, and the cock pleads his case. Will the cat listen though?   Translation by Taurapa

Beavers are clever creatures, and this paki poto is another example of their presence of mind. Sometimes self preservation is more important than other things.   Translation by Taurapa

While being chased by a lion, a bull seeks refuge in a cave, but is confronted by a bold goat who has other plans.   Translation by Taurapa

A fox is being hunted and comes across a man who helps him, or at least the fox believes he will help.   Translation by Taurapa

Pū, Punua and Rāpeti are not too sure about two new creatures who have appeared in the woods. They decide that kidnapping Pēpi Rū from Kānga is probably the best idea.   Translation by Taurapa