The Talkative Tortoise: the moral, the characters and a quiet-carry game
Two geese, one stick and a tortoise who just had to answer back. It is a funny tale that children often ask to hear again. This guide looks at the moral, meets the characters and offers questions for different ages, plus a game for home. The story itself is on its own page: read the full Talkative Tortoise story, with a colouring page to print. In Hindi it is बातूनी कछुआ.
The story in two lines
When their lake dries up, two geese carry their friend the tortoise to a new home on a stick he holds in his mouth, on one condition: he must not speak. People below laugh, the tortoise opens his mouth to reply and falls.
What is the moral?
The usual lesson is on the surface, and a few quieter ones sit underneath.
Think before you speak
The tortoise knew the rule and had promised to follow it. The words simply arrived faster than the thought. Ask children what they can do in the moment before they answer back.
Listen to good advice
The geese warned him clearly. A friend who says “this is the one thing you must not do” is worth listening to.
Not every comment needs an answer
The people below were not hurting him. Learning to let a remark pass is a skill, and one grown-ups are still practising.
Meet the characters
The tortoise
In our telling he is called Kambugriva. He is clever enough to invent the stick plan, and proud enough to ruin it. Children often see themselves in him.
The two geese
Kind, strong and practical. They solve the problem and give honest advice. Ask children how the geese might have felt as they flew on without him.
The people on the ground
They point and laugh, but they are not villains. They are only curious. The story asks what we do when others notice us.
The dry lake
The lake gives the story its reason to move, and shows that even good homes can change.
Questions to ask, by age
For ages four to six
- What did the geese hold in their beaks?
- What did the tortoise want to say?
- Where did he land?
For ages seven and up
- What should the tortoise have done when the people laughed?
- Is it hard for you to stay quiet when you want to answer? When?
- Was it the tortoise’s fault, or did the people also play a part?
- How could the geese have made the trip easier for him?
Try it: the quiet-carry game
Draw a tortoise on a card and fold a paper strip into a stick. Two children walk the “geese” across the room holding the stick between them, and a third plays the tortoise holding the middle with a closed-mouth smile and no talking. The rest of the family stands around, waves and calls out friendly teasing, such as “Look, a flying tortoise!” The tortoise wins by crossing the room without saying a word. Swap roles, then ask: what helped you stay quiet?
Where does the story come from?
This is a well-known fable from the Panchatantra, the old collection of animal tales credited to a scholar called Vishnu Sharma. Similar stories of a talkative tortoise and flying birds are told in other traditions as well, and the names, the animals and the ending vary. Our telling is only one of them. A Hindi version is on बातूनी कछुआ.
More to explore on Rangooo
Read about the Blue Jackal or the Elephants and the Mice, browse all the Panchatantra stories, or try the water-and-pebbles experiment in the Thirsty Crow.
Questions
What is the moral of the Talkative Tortoise story?
Think before you speak. Sometimes it is wiser to stay quiet, especially when someone is trusting you to keep a promise.
Is the Talkative Tortoise a Panchatantra story?
Yes, it is a well-known Panchatantra fable, and similar tales are told in other traditions. Tellers differ on the names and on how the story ends.
Why did the tortoise fall?
He opened his mouth to answer the people who were laughing, and that made him let go of the stick.
What is the Hindi name of this story?
It is usually told as बातूनी कछुआ, which means the talkative tortoise.
This is our own guide to a traditional tale. Versions differ from teller to teller. If you spot a mistake, please tell us and we will fix it.