Folklore from Papua
Mr and Mrs Brown Bird lived in a jungle in Papua. Mr Brown always complains about his feathers. He thinks they were ugly. He is jealous with his friend, Mr Green Bird.
"I want to have beautiful feathers like Mr Green Bird. His feathers are not brown like mine. They are very beautiful," says Mr Brown Bird to his wife.
"Honey, you have to be grateful with your feathers. With feathers like this, humans are not interested in us. So they will not hunt us," says Mrs Brown Bird.
Mr Brown Bird then goes to the God of Jungle.
"I want to have beautiful feathers like Mr Green Bird's feathers,” says Mr Brown Bird.
"Don't worry. I can make your wish comes true. Just choose one color."
"Hmm I don't know. How about red? Yellow? Green? I'm confused."
The God of Jungle is upset. "Choose now!"
Mr Brown Bird then looks up to the sky. He has an idea.
"Aha! I know which color to choose. I don't want want one color of my feathers. I want many colors. I want my feathers to be colorful like the rainbow in the sky."
Not longer after that, Mr Brown Bird's feathers are colorful. When he goes home, his wife does not recognize him.
"Honey, it's me. I'm your husband."
"No, my husband is not like you! His feathers are brown!" says Mrs brown Bird.
Mr Brown Bird tries very hard to convince his wife realizes that he is really her husband.
"You are very stupid, my husband. Wit color like these, humans will hunt you. What if thy also take our children? Now, please go away! Our lives are in danger if you are still here," says Mrs Brown Bird. She is crying.
Mr Brown Bird is very sad. He knows he just made a very big mistake. He then lives his house. His name then changes into Cendrawasih. It means a bird of paradise. ***
