“Come with us, friend Tortoise”, said one day two wild geese to a kind old tortoise who lived in a pond in the Himalayas. “We have a fine home in a golden cave on the mount Cittakutta.”
“I have no wings”, replied the tortoise. “How can I reach your home?”
“Can you keep your mouth closed?” asked the geese.
“Yes, certainly”, he replied.
“Hold then this stick between your teeth”, said the geese, “and we will take each end within our beaks and carry you through the air.”
And off they flew over the mountain-tops, and the whole world lay beneath them. But after some time they flew over the roofs of Benares.
“How strange!” laughed some children who saw them pass. “A tortoise is being carried by geese through the air!” Master tortoise, hearing these words, became very restless and a tiny anger-fire began to blaze in his small heart. “Why should you care if I am carried through the sky?” he cried aloud. Of course he could not speak without opening his mouth; his teeth lost their hold of the stick, and down fell poor Master Tortoise into the courtyard of the palace of the King.
In a moment, the Court was aroused. Ministers, noblemen, and royal guards stood at every window and every door. News was brought to the King, who rose from his throne and went to the scene together with his counsellor, a wise man of the Court. “Poor tortoise!” exclaimed the King. “What caused him to fall in this courtyard, and break his beautiful green shell?” “Tell me”, he said to his counsellor, “from where has he fallen and why did he fall?”
Now, my children, it so happened that the King’s habit was to talk very much. He was kind and good-hearted, but in his presence it was difficult for others to get in a word. Thus the counsellor, knowing the reason of the tortoise’s fall, thought: “Here is my chance to give our talkative King a lesson”.
“Lord”, he said, “some birds were carrying a tortoise through the air by holding between them in their beaks a stick, to which he clung with his teeth. The tortoise heard the children in the city laughing at him. This no doubt made him angry and he could not forbear speaking to them, wherefore he lost hold of the stick and fell. Such is the fate that comes to those who cannot hold their tongues.”
These words pierced the King’s heart; he knew that the lesson was meant for him, and from that day his word were few and wise; he talked only when it was time to speak, and they all lived happy ever after.
