According to a Maori legend, the kiwi originally had wings like any other bird, and like them, he lived on the top of the trees, where there was light.
One day Tanemahuta, god of the forest, walking through the trees, realized they were all dieing eaten by bugs, and called all the birds of the forest to get some of them living on the ground of the forest to save the trees.

None of them wanted to accept to live far from the sky, and they all were punished in some way for their selfishness.

The kiwi accepted instead, knowing he would not be able to return to the sky ever again, and he was gifted with becoming the most loved bird of all.