The Tortoise and His Children
A wise old Tortoise teaches his children the importance of honesty and not taking what isn't theirs, but later contradicts his own teachings.
Audio available for B1 version
Once upon a time in a happy place, there lived a wise old tortoise and his children.
One day, the tortoise gathered his children and said, "My dear ones, remember two important things - never take what isn't yours, and always tell the truth."
His children nodded and said, "We understand, Father."
But soon, a big problem happened.
There was very little food in the land, and everyone was hungry.
For three days, the tortoise's family had no food to eat.
Feeling desperate, the tortoise decided to steal food from their neighbors.
He came back home with a big bag of food and told his children, "Look, little ones!
I found this food in the forest."
However, his children were smart.
They knew their father had not gone into the forest.
They knew he had taken the food from their neighbors.
They asked him, "Father, you told us never to take what isn't ours and to always tell the truth."
The tortoise was surprised and said, "Who is the teacher here? You or me?!"
The children learned a hard lesson that day.
They saw how stealing made their father lie and how it caused trouble.
They understood why it was important to be honest and never to steal.
From then on, they promised themselves never to follow their father's bad example and to always do the right thing.
Once upon a time in a land brimming with life and laughter, there lived a wise old Tortoise with his children. One day, Tortoise sat his children down and said, "My dear ones, remember two things in life - never take what isn't yours, and always tell the truth."
His children nodded earnestly, "We understand, Father," they replied.
But, not long after, a severe famine hit the land. Food became scarce, and hunger lived in every home. For three days, Tortoise's house was empty of food. Desperate and hungry, Tortoise decided to steal food from his neighbors.
Returning home with a sack filled with food, he lied to his children. "Look, little ones!" he exclaimed, "I found this sack of food in the forest."
However, his children were no fools. They knew their father hadn't gone into the forest; they knew he'd taken the food from their neighbors. They confronted him, "Father, you told us never to take what isn't ours and to always tell the truth."
Tortoise was taken aback. Feeling cornered, he retorted, "Who is the teacher here? You or me?!"
And so, the children learned a hard truth: that it is one thing to say something and another to live by it. They saw the desperation that led their father to steal, and they saw how this act led to lies and confusion. From then on, they understood more deeply why stealing is wrong, and how it can lead to even more dishonesty. They resolved never to follow their father's poor example, thus learning from his mistakes.
Once upon a time in a land where even the trees seemed to giggle and the frogs told jokes, there lived a wise but kinda old Tortoise and his cool kiddos. One sunny day, Tortoise gathers the young ones and says, "Okay, little pals, here are the two big rules in life. Rule one: Don't take stuff that's not yours. Rule two: Always tell the truth. Got it?"
The kids give a big thumbs-up. "You bet, Dad! Truth rocks!"
But then, uh-oh! The land turns as sad as a rainy birthday party. Food's gone, everyone's tummy is growling like a bear, and it's just not fun anymore.
So Tortoise, hungrier than a wolf at a BBQ, sneaks over to the neighbors' place and takes a bag full of food.
He gets back home and tells his kids, "Looky here! Guess what Dad found in the totally real and not made-up 'Forest of Yummy Stuff'!"
The kids look at each other and then at him, "Dad, we're not silly. You didn't go to any forest. That's the neighbors' food, isn't it?"
Tortoise blushes. "Hey, who's the wise one here? Me or you, huh?"
The kids roll their eyes. "Okay, Dad, we get it. Sometimes people mess up."
"Yeah, like, really mess up," the other one chimes in.
And just like that, the turtle kids learned a big lesson. Just because you say something doesn't mean you'll really do it. They saw their dad make a whoopsie, and they thought, "Yeah, let's not do that."
They understood that taking stuff leads to a whole mess of fibs and tricky talks. And they decided, "We're gonna be better than that!"
And so, they all lived, well, not exactly happily ever after, but definitely wiser ever after.
Dad Tortoise and his kids, quite sage,
Lived happily on nature's stage.
"Listen up, young ones," Dad did say,
"Don't lie or steal, that's not our way."
They all agreed, no questions asked,
Living true seemed an easy task.
Then times turned hard, bellies did growl,
Hunger prowled, like a midnight owl.
Three days went by, no food in sight,
Dad Tortoise felt this wasn't right.
He grabbed a sack, from neighbor's bin,
Walked in and said, "Look what I win!
In the forest, what luck I found,
A sack of food on the ground!"
His little ones gave him a glance,
"Did you find it, or take a chance?
You told us, Dad, not long ago,
'Truth and honesty's the way to go.'"
Dad Tortoise blushed, his cheeks turned red,
"Who's teaching whom?" defensively said.
The kiddos knew, oh yes they did,
Their dad had popped the honesty lid.
From then on out, they made a vow,
"To be like Dad, we don't know how."
They learned to see, when times are bleak,
The path of truth they'd always seek.
For lies and theft create a mess,
And honesty is true success.
Word Finder
Gathers
Collects things or people together in a group.Rules
Guidelines telling people how to behave properly.Tummy
Another word for your stomach or belly.Sneaks
Moves quietly or secretly to avoid being noticed.Neighbors
People who live next to or near you.Blushes
Turns red in the face, often from embarrassment.Mess
A situation that is confused and full of problems.Learned
Gained knowledge or skills by studying or experiencing.Lesson
An experience that teaches you something important.Fibs
Little lies, often about something not very important.
Sage
Wise and experienced, giving good advice.Prowled
Moved around quietly, searching for something.Glance
Quick look or glimpse at something.Bin
Container used for storing or holding things.Defensively
Protecting oneself from criticism or harm.Cheeks
The soft parts of the face below the eyes.Honesty
Being truthful and not lying or stealing.Mess
Situation that's untidy or disorganized.Bleak
Unpleasantly cold, dark, and hopeless.Vow
A serious promise to do something.
Reflection Questions
- Why do you think the Tortoise told his children to never take what isn't theirs and always tell the truth?
- How did the Tortoise's actions during the famine contrast with the advice he gave his children?
- Can you think of a situation where someone did something they told you not to do, and how did it make you feel?
- What lessons did the Tortoise's children learn from their father's actions?
- How can we apply the lessons from this story in our daily lives to make better decisions?
Fable Quotes
We must be responsible for our actions, even when faced with difficulty.
Honesty is the foundation of trust, for without it, even the wisest words lose their meaning.
Knowing right from wrong is wisdom's first step.
Just One More Fable
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- Teamwork
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Three little pigs build houses of straw, sticks, and bricks, but only the strongest brick house withstands the wolf's huffs and puffs.
- Perseverance
- Consequences
The Little Red Hen
A little red hen makes bread alone after her friends refuse to help, then eats it without them.
- Fear
- Cunning
The Fox and the Turkeys
A clever fox tricks tired turkeys all night, causing them to fall from their tree, and he catches them.
- Consequences
- Justice
The Mice That Ate Iron
A merchant's friend sold his entrusted iron rod, lied about mice eating it, and ultimately faced justice for his deceit.