The Story of the Turtle Who Fell Off the Stick

” ‘In a certain lake, there lived a turtle, by the nameof Kambugriva. Two swans, whose names were Sankata and Vikata, were her friends. Every day, the three ofthem would go to the bank of the lake and tell each other stories about holy saints and hermits, and thengo home at sunset. ” ‘After a few years, that part of the country had norain and, bit by bit, the lake began to dry up. “. ‘The two swans were worried about, it and said to the turtlc: t, “This lake is becoming nothing but mud. Weare worried as to how we will be able to survive here. without water.” -” My friends,” replied the turtle, “it’s quite true that it’s i mpossible to stay here. But we will find some wayout, for: ‘Even in bad times, A man should not lose hope, For by makmg an effort, He can certainly find a solution.’ -“So,” continued the turtle, “first look for a lake fullof water. Then find a strong stick or a rope fromsomewhere. I shall hold on tight with my mouth to themiddle of the stick and you can hold the ends andcarry me like this, to the lake.” -“Friend,” replied the swans, “we’ll do what you suggest, but while we’re flying, you mustn’t open your mouthto speak, or you will fall off the stick! ” ” ‘They carried out this plan. When they had flownsome distance, the turtle saw below, a town. The townpeople looked up and saw something being carried in the sky. They said to each other, full of admiration, “Look at that! Those birds are carrying a round thing! ” ” ‘When the turtle heard the commotion, she openedher mouth to ask, “What’s all that noise about!” But of

course the minute she opehed her mouth to speak, shefell down to the earth. And the people hacked her topieces and ate her. -‘And so,’ continued the female tittibha, ‘that’s why Isaid: “Those who refuse to follow The advice of friends who wish them well, Come to grief, Like the foolish turtle who fell off the stick. ” And, ” He who puts his mind to a problem Before it presents itself, And he who puts his mind to it When it actually arrives, Both these categories escape, But those who depend on luck, Will be destroyed, As Yadbhavishya was, by the fis hermen.” ‘ -‘How was that?’ asked the male tittibha. And his wife told him:

THE TORY OF THE THREE FISHES ” ‘In a certain pond, there lived three fishes, theirnames were: Anagatavidhata, Pratyutpannamati and Yadbhavishya. ” ‘One day, some fis hermen were passing by. Theysaw this pond and said to each other, “We have neverinvestigated this particular pond. It’s full of fishes! Butwe already have a good catch today, a: qd it’s evening, so let’s go home and come back here tomorrow.” Sothe fis hermen left. ” ‘Now, when Anagatavidhata heard this, he wasdumbfounded, as if struck by a thunderbolt, and hecalled all the fishes together and said to them, “Did youhear what the fis hermen said just now? Let’s leaveimmediately for some other pond; for: ‘When a weak man meets a stronger opponent, The best thing he can do is run, Or else make for a hideout, There’s no other way out.’ -” I think the fis hermen will return tomorrow morning,” Anagatavidhata went on, “and then they will start killingall the fishes. So it’s not wise to stay here a momentlonger, for: ‘Those who, in time of calamity, Can without difficulty go elsewhere, Avoid seeir the destruction, Of their families and land.’ ” ” ‘When Pratyutpannamati heard this, he 1said, “You’reright! Let us go somewhere else! ” ” ‘But Yadbhavishya laughed loudly and said, “Oh, Idon’t agree with you! Would it be right to give up thispond, that belonged to our forefat hers, just because of the talk pf fis hermen! And in any case, if it’s time forus to die, death will certainly not spare us, whereverwe are, for: ‘A man whom fortune smiles on,

PANCH ATANTRA

Thougl1 unprotected, eludes destruction, But the man with luck against him, is done for,. Even though he be well protected.’ -“So, I won’t come with you,” continued Yadbhavishya. “Do as you think best.” ” ‘When Anagatavidhata heard his decision, he left thelake immediately with his family. ” ‘Early next morning, Pratyutpannamati saw thefis hermen coming in the distance and he too left thelake with his family. ” ‘The fis hermen arrived at the lake, threw their netsand caught all the fishes, including Yadbhavishya and they all died. -‘And so,’ continued the female tittibha, ‘that’s why Isaid: “He who puts his mind to a problem Before it presents itself, And he who puts his mind to it When it actually arrives, Both these categories will scape, But those who depend oh luck, Will be destroyed, As Yadbhavishya was, by the fis hermen.” ‘ -‘But my dear,’ said the male tittibha, ‘do you think I’m as stupid as Yadbhavishya! You’ll see how brilliant I am when I dry up the Sea! ‘ -‘How can you oppose the Sea!’ retorted the femaletittibha,, for they say: -“When a weakling gets angry, He hurts only himself.” And, “He who attacks an enemy Without knowing his strength, Will be destroyed like the moth in fire.” ‘ -‘But my dear,’ said the male tittibha, ‘don’t talk likechat! Even when you are small, if you are zealous, youcan overco.!lle even the strongest opponents. As theysay: I

CON FLICT AMONGST FRIENDS

“An elephant can be brought under control by agoad, Well, is a goad as big as an elephant? When a lamp is lighted, the darkness disappears, Well, is the lamp as big as the darkness? When a thunderbolt strikes it, the mountaincrumbles, Well, is a thunderbolt as big as the mountain? So the man with zeal is the man who is strong, The size is unimportant.” -‘And so,’ continued the male tittibha bird, ‘I shall dryup the whole Sea, by sucking it up in my beak.’ -‘My dear fellow,’ said his wife, ‘how could you suckup the Sea when the Sindhu and the Ganga alongwith hundreds of other rivers flow into it. What’s thegood of babbling?’ -‘My dear,’ said the male tittibha, ‘my beak is as solidas iron. Why can’t I suck up the Sea, if I w6rk dayand night at it? And until a man puts some effort intowhat he is doing, he does not succeed.’ -‘My dear,’ said the female, ‘if you really want toquarrel with the Sea, then send a message to some of the other birds and do this with their help, for: “Small insignificant things united, Become unconquerable; Thin blades of grass, woven into a thick rope Can tie up an elephant. In the same way working together, A sparrow, a woodpecker, a fly and a frog Killed an elephant.” ‘ -‘How was that?’ asked the male tittibha. And his wife tpld him: _

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What is the moral of THE STORY OF THE TURTLE WHO FELL OFF THE STICK?

The moral is: To value wisdom and make thoughtful decisions. This story teaches us that every action has consequences, and we must think carefully about the impact of our choices on ourselves and others.

What collection does THE STORY OF THE TURTLE WHO FELL OFF THE STICK belong to?

THE STORY OF THE TURTLE WHO FELL OFF THE STICK is from the Hitopadesha Collection, an ancient Sanskrit text. The Hitopadesha is a timeless collection of stories that teaches important life lessons through didactic stories about friendship and wisdom.

What age group is THE STORY OF THE TURTLE WHO FELL OFF THE STICK suitable for?

THE STORY OF THE TURTLE WHO FELL OFF THE STICK is best suited for Ages 8-12. Younger children will enjoy hearing it read aloud for its engaging narrative, while older children can read it independently and explore the deeper meanings and moral lessons embedded in the story.