The Clever Turtle

The Clever Turtle

Long ago, there lived a colony of turtles on a sea coast. Every day an eagle used to catch one of them for food.

This worried an aged turtle because he always feared that soon no turtles will be left alive and every one will get killed within no time. So he thought that he should do something about this.
He withdrew into his shell and began to think hard......he got an idea!!!

He called a meeting of the surviving turtles and said "If you all do as I say, we can get rid of the eagle for good". When the other turtles heard this, one of them said "We'll do anything you say to save our lives".
Then the clever turtle said "All right. Then hide yourselves in the water when you see the eagle tomorrow".

The next day, when the eagle swooped down as usual, the clever turtle showed signs to other turtles to get inside the water. All the turtles got inside quickly before the eagle could spot them.
When the eagle came nearer, the clever turtle said "O eagle, all my relatives have been devoured by you. I am the only one left now. I'd like to save my life. Will you make a bet with me? If you lose, you must never eat turtles again", for which the eagle asked "What if I win?" So the clever turtle replied "You may devour me first and then continue to eat turtles". "What's the bet?" the eagle asked. The turtle replied "Let's run the race. I'll swim in the sea, while you fly in the sky. Let us begin the race a week from today". The eagle agreed to this and was very happy and confident that the turtle would never be able to beat him in the race.
As soon as the eagle was out of sight the clever turtle called out to his companions "Now come out of the water and do as I tell you....Post yourselves in the water in a straight line at equal distances. As the eagle flies over you, raise your head and show yourselves" and all the other turtles agreed this.

A week later, when the race was about to begin, all the turtles positioned themselves accordingly in the water. The race between the eagle and the turtle began. The eagle flew with great speed but the turtle seemed to be always ahead of him by miles. The eagle said to himself "I cannot keep it up any longer. But the turtle seems fresh as ever...No I cannot...Let me fly away to a tree on the shore before I fall down exhausted". When he just reached the tree, he found the turtle was already there much before him. So then the eagle agreed with turtle's victory and said "You win. I will never eat another turtle in my life".
And that was it..... The turtle was very happy hearing this.

From then on, the turtles never had to worry about the eagle anymore.

All the turtles were very proud of the clever turtle for being so clever.