The Talkative Tortoise

Once upon a time, in a pond, there lived a talkative tortoise. He had two good friends, a pair of swans. They enjoyed spending time together, but the tortoise often felt left out when the swans flew in the sky. The tortoise desperately wanted to fly like them and see the world from above.

One day, he shared his desire with the swans. They sympathized with him but explained that it was impossible for a tortoise to fly. However, they came up with a plan to fulfill the tortoise's wish. They found a strong stick and held it in their beaks. The tortoise clamped onto the stick with his mouth.

The two swans then took off into the sky, carrying the tortoise. As they flew higher and higher, the tortoise looked down in amazement at the world below. He was overjoyed. However, his joy was short-lived because he couldn't resist the urge to boast about his flight. He bragged to the birds flying below about how he was the king of the sky and they should all bow down to him.

The birds below, realizing that a tortoise could not be king of the sky, burst into laughter. In his frustration, the tortoise opened his mouth to respond, but in doing so, he lost his grip on the stick and plummeted down to the earth. He landed with a hard thud and narrowly escaped death.

Moral of the Story:

The moral of the story is, "Pride goes before a fall." It teaches us that arrogance and boasting can lead to disastrous consequences.

Solve The Questions

• Who are the main characters in the story "The Talkative Tortoise"?

• What was the tortoise's desire, and why did he share it with the swans?

• How did the swans help the tortoise fulfill his wish?

• What led to the tortoise's downfall while he was in the sky?

• What lesson does the story teach about the consequences of boasting and pride?

• How did the animals on the ground react when they heard the tortoise boasting?

• Do you think the tortoise's decision to boast was a wise one? Why or why not?

• How did the tortoise's perspective change from the beginning to the end of the story?

• What impact did the tortoise's fall have on his life and the way he saw himself?

• Can you think of a time when you or someone you know boasted about something and faced consequences?

• How could the tortoise have avoided his fall while still enjoying the flight?

• What do you think the swans learned from this experience with the tortoise?

• In your opinion, is it better to be content with who you are or to strive for something you're not? Why?

• How might the story have been different if the tortoise had not boasted but had enjoyed the flight quietly?

• What do you think the author is trying to teach readers through this story?