The Talkative Tortoise - A Story with A Moral

A Presentation of a Children's story with good moral lessons. The texts are in English. Download the PowerPoint for some animation effects.
For the Video with audio narration and explanation in English, please check out the Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dblBKzl6Xpo

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Once upon a time, Brahmadatta was king of
Benares, and the Bodhisatta, was born to one of
the king’s court, grew up, and became the king’s
adviser in all things human and divine. But this
king was very talkative; and when he talked
there was no chance for any other to get in a
word. And the Bodhisatta,
wishing to put a stop to his much talking,
kept watching for an opportunity.

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Now there dwelt a tortoise in a certain pond
in the region of the Himalaya.
Two young wild geese, searching for food,
struck up an acquaintance with him; and by
and by they became close friends together.
One day these two said to him: “Friend
tortoise, we have a lovely home in the
Himalaya, on a plateau of Mount Cittakūta, in
a cave of gold! Will you come with us?”

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“Wow, that would be wonderful!” the tortoise said.
“But how can I get there?”
“Oh, we will take you, if only you can keep your
mouth shut, and say not a word to any body,”
one of the geese replied.
“Yes, I can do that,” the tortoise exclaimed.
“Take me along!”
So the geese made the tortoise hold a stick
between his teeth and they themselves, taking hold
of the two ends, sprang up into the air.

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The village children saw this, and exclaimed, “Look! There are
two geese carrying a tortoise by a stick!
The tortoise cannot fly!”
(By this time the geese flying swiftly had arrived at the space
above the palace of the king, at Benares.)
The tortoise on hearing what the children were saying wanted
to cry out: “You kids, if my friends do carry me, what is that to
you, you silly ones!” He opened his mouth to talk and he let go
of the stick from between his teeth. He fell into the open
courtyard and his body was crushed. The tortoise was killed.
What an uproar there was!

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“A tortoise has fallen in the courtyard, and
broken in two!” the children cried. The king,
with the Bodhisatta, and all his court, came up
to the place, and seeing the tortoise asked the
Bodhisatta a question. "Wise Sir, what made
this creature fall?'

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“Now’s my time!” the wise adviser thought. “For a long time I have been wishing
to admonish the king about unnecessary talking and heedlessness.” So he told the
king what had happened with regard to the tortoise and the geese.
The wise man explained to the king:
No doubt the truth is this: the tortoise and the geese became friendly; the geese
must have meant to carry him to the Himalaya, and so made him hold a stick
between his teeth, and then lifted him into the air; then he must have heard some
remarks from the children watching below; he wanted to tell the children off . He
was not able to keep his mouth shut; he must have let go of the stick; and so he
must have fallen from the sky and thus come by his death.

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After the Wise Adviser had related the
circumstances of the death of the tortoise,
he added that those who set no limit on their
talking are bound to come to misfortune, as
what happened to the tortoise. The king
figured the Bodhisatta was directing the
message at him, and from then on, he
became a man of few words.

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Five keys to right speech
“Monks, a statement endowed with five factors is
well-spoken, not ill-spoken. It is blameless and
unfaulted by knowledgeable people. Which five?
“It is spoken at the right time. It is spoken in truth.
It is spoken affectionately. It is spoken beneficially.
It is spoken with a mind of good-will.”
—Anguttara Nikaya 5.198

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1
We must not talk
unnecessarily or
foolishly.
2
We must always be
patient to listen to
others.
3
We must be mindful
and heedful of our
speech.
4
Practice Right Speech:
No Lying; No Slander;
No Harsh Speech; No
Gossip
5
We must resolve to get
rid of bad habits
in our speech
and actions.
With Metta,
Bro. Oh Teik Bin
The End