The following fable originated in ancient India or Greece. It appears in a collection of ancient Indian fables called the Panchatantra.
The Tortoise and the Geese Story Summary
A tortoise and two geese live beside a lake, but the lake dries up. The geese carry the tortoise with a stick between their beaks as they search for a new home. They warn the tortoise not to speak, but he doesn’t listen. When villagers point, laugh, and jeer, the tortoise can’t take it. He opens his mouth to speak and falls to the ground.
The Tortoise and the Geese Fable
A tortoise and two geese lived as friends beside a lake, but the lake dried up.
The geese decided they needed to leave and find another lake, but the tortoise was too slow to make the journey alone.
“Take me with you,” said the tortoise.
“How?” said one of the geese. “You cannot fly.”
But the other goose had an idea. The two geese would hold a sturdy stick within their beaks, and the tortoise latch on with his mouth in the middle.
“But you must not speak, or you will fall,” the geese said.
The tortoise agreed and they went on their way.
As they approached a new lake, they flew over a village. The people looked up and saw the tortoise in the sky. They laughed loudly and made jokes.
“He thinks he’s a bird!” shouted one of the villagers.
“Have you ever seen such a funny sight?” said another.
The tortoise grew angry with the jeers. He couldn’t take it any longer.
Finally, he shouted back, “You . . .”
But when he opened his mouth to speak, he let go of the stick and fell to the ground breaking his shell.
The Tortoise and the Geese Story Moral
Here are some possible morals of the story:
- Pride will be your downfall.
- Ignore the insults of others.
The Tortoise and the Geese Story Questions
- Why did the tortoise fall to the ground?
- If you were the tortoise, what would you have done instead?
- What are some things people say to you that hurt your feelings? What lesson does this fable have for you when people make jokes about you?
- What are some connections between this fable and social media or text messages among peers?
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