A tortoise lived in a pond. Two swans would often descend into this very pond to swim. The swans were very cheerful and sociable. It did not take long for a friendship to blossom between the tortoise and them. The swans were very fond of the tortoise's slow gait and his innocent nature. The swans were also very wise; they would share fascinating facts with the tortoise and tell him new stories .
Since the swans traveled far and wide, they would recount unique details about distant places to the tortoise. The tortoise would listen to their tales, completely spellbound.
Everything else was fine, but the tortoise had a strong habit of constantly interrupting in the middle of conversations.
Due to their gentle nature, the swans did not take offense at this habit of his. The bond between the three of them grew ever stronger as the days went by.
Once, a severe drought struck the region. Even during the monsoon season, not a single drop of rain fell. The water in the pond began to recede. Creatures started perishing; the fish, in particular, died a agonizing death, writhing in distress. The pond's water continued to dry up at an accelerating pace. Eventually, a time came when nothing but mud remained in the pond. The tortoise found himself in a grave predicament; it had become a matter of life and death. Had he simply remained lying there, the tortoise's demise would have been inevitable.
The swans began to brainstorm ways to rescue their friend from the crisis that had befallen him. They tried to console their friend, the tortoise, and urged him not to lose heart. The swans were not merely offering empty words of comfort; they flew far and wide in search of a solution to the problem. One day, upon their return, the swans said, "Friend, there is a lake located fifty kilometres from here. It holds plenty of water, and you would be able to live there quite happily." The tortoise replied in a tearful voice, "Fifty *km*? It would take me months to cover such a distance. By then, I would surely be dead."
The tortoise had a valid point. The swans put their heads together and devised a clever plan. They fetched a stick and said, "Friend, we will each grasp one end of this stick in our beaks and fly together. You must hold the stick firmly in your mouth right in the middle. In this way, we will transport you to that lake; after that, you will have nothing left to worry about."
They issued a warning: "But remember, do not open your mouth while we are in flight. Otherwise, you will fall."
The tortoise nodded in agreement. With that, holding the stick, the swans took flight. Between them, clutching the stick in his mouth, flew the tortoise. As they were flying over a town, the people standing below witnessed a marvelous sight in the sky. Everyone began pointing out the aerial spectacle to one another. People came rushing out onto their balconies; some even scrambled up to the rooftops of their houses. Children, the elderly, women, and the youth—everyone gazed upward. A great clamor arose. The tortoise's eyes fell upon the crowd below.
He was astonished to see so many people watching them. Forgetting his friends' warning, he shouted, "Look! So many people are watching us!" The moment his mouth opened, he plummeted to the ground.
Upon impact, his body was smashed beyond recognition.