Pourquoi+Tale

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==This term our focus in literacy is Narratives. Our teacher has chosen for us to do Pourquoi's. We were put in pairs and then we set to work, choosing what we are going to do our Pourquoi about, and then writing it!==

Here is a podcast of our Pourquoi:
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Here is our story:
=**__Why the silver fern is silver – Pourquoi__**=

Long ago in the land of the long white cloud, there was a small hut surrounded by a partially painted fence, and inside this hut there lived a man named Aitua. He was an athletic, tall and tanned, and he loves wearing grey shorts and shirt. He also preferred walking around, bare feet. Aitua was a busy person, who always felt he needed to be doing something productive. One day he said to himself “I should re-paint this fence, for the paint is peeling and flaking off” He decided he would get to work straight away! Aitua searched his old shed in the back of his garden. The only paint found was a lovely, permanent metallic silver. ”Perfect” he exclaimed. So immediately he set to work, painting his fence.

He had only finished two thirds of his fence when he ran out of paint! “Oh no” he cried “I have run out of paint”. He went back to his old shed looking for some MORE paint when his neighbour Kahu walked past. “What are you doing? You’re making a lot of noise!” “I have run out of this beautiful metallic, silver paint! Do you know where I can get some more?” Aitua said “ There is an old man called Mahutu, who lives on the other side of the Fern Forest. He makes and sells paint, in most colours. He may have the colour you want.” Aitua started the long tramp towards the fern forest which he promptly found and passed through as fast as possible. This was the first time he had ever travelled through this forest and the gnarled trees extended their twisted limbs towards him and he tripped many times over long roots that reached out from in the depths, under the trees. “Snap” went the twigs under his feet. Eventually he found the cave that Kahu spoke of. There was an old man perching on a stool outside busily mixing a large pot of paint. “Greetings” Aitua said. Mahutu looked up in surprise “who are you and where have you come from?” “My name is Aitua and I am from the other side of the fern forest, and I am looking for some metallic silver paint, that will never come off” Aitua explained. “ I think I might have just the paint you are looking for. Please come inside with me, and have a cup of tea first” “Oh no, I have to get home before dark, or I won’t be able to see my way through the fern forest!” Aitua waited patently while Mahutu went to find the paint specified by Aitua ” Mahutu disappeared in side the cave. He soon appeared with a large can of silver paint which was exactly what Aitua needed. Aitua paid Mahutu two gold pieces for the paint, and thanked for his trouble. He set off home as it was late afternoon. Aitua started a brisk walk to the fern forest. As he reached the forest it was almost sunset. Aitua sighed and began his walk through. (He used the little light he had to make his way through the fern forest but the paint can was heavy so it slowed him down greatly, as the tramp was long.) Once again he had to ignore the gnarled trees, the eyes staring out of the all-concealing darkness and most importantly the long whip-like roots. At this point the sun had almost set, and Aitua already annoyed and frightened by the trees and wearied by the heavy paint can, started yelling and cursing the sun in his ranting and raving, forgot about the threat of tripping over roots and ‘thud’, he tripped and the permanent silver paint exploded out of the can and splashed every fern in the forest! Dishevelled, annoyed, bruised and left with no paint in the can, Aitua slowly made his way home, found his hut and ignoring his partly painted silver fence and inquisitive neighbour, slammed his door and climbed into bed. He never finished painting his fence and all the ferns remained silver and have never changed to this day. And so today in Aoetearoa, as you travel through the country and pass the forests you will see the leaves of the ferns covered in silver.

And this is the story of why some ferns are now silver. Now they are called the ‘Silver Fern’

By Jessica and Benjamin.