The Wise Old Tortoise of Kolleru Lake: A Story About Listening to Elders

Kolleru Lake in Andhra Pradesh is a paradise for birds. Every winter, thousands of pelicans, painted storks, herons, and ducks arrive to feed in its shallow waters. And on a mossy rock at the edge of the lake lived the oldest creature of all, a tortoise named Tatayya.

Tatayya was so old that nobody knew his age. He moved slowly, spoke slowly, and blinked slowly. The young birds thought he was a little boring.

The Strange Vine

One spring, Tatayya noticed a thin green vine beginning to climb the tall tree where the young birds roosted each night.

He called the birds together. “Children, you must pull that vine out now, while it is still small.”

The birds laughed. “Why? It’s just a little plant, Tatayya.”

“Today it is little,” the tortoise said. “But vines grow. One day it will be thick and strong, and it will make a ladder for anyone who wants to climb this tree. Even those who wish to harm you.”

“You worry too much,” said Pelli, a proud young pelican. “We’re birds! We can fly away from any danger.”

And they flew off to fish, forgetting all about the vine.

The Vine Grows

Month after month, the vine grew. It wrapped around the trunk like a green rope, thicker and thicker, until it reached all the way to the high branches where the birds slept.

Tatayya reminded them again and again, but the birds only rolled their eyes. “Old Tatayya and his vine,” they giggled.

The Hunter

One autumn evening, a hunter came to the lake with a net. He saw the tall tree full of sleeping birds, and he saw the thick vine curling up the trunk.

“What luck,” he whispered. “A ladder made just for me.”

In the dark, he climbed the vine, spread his net across the branches, and went home to wait for morning.

When the sun rose, the birds woke up and tried to fly, but they were tangled in the net. They flapped and squawked in panic.

“Help! Help! We’re trapped!”

Tatayya’s Plan

Slowly, very slowly, Tatayya crawled to the bottom of the tree.

“I told you to pull out the vine,” he said. “But there is no time for blame now. Listen carefully if you want to be free.”

This time, every bird listened.

“When the hunter comes back, pretend to be dead. Lie completely still. He will think you are no use to him and throw you on the ground one by one. When the last bird is on the ground, I will say now, and you must all fly away together.”

The Escape

Soon the hunter returned and climbed the vine. To his surprise, every bird in the net looked lifeless.

“Bah! They’ve all died in the night,” he grumbled. One by one, he tossed the birds down onto the grass.

When the last bird hit the ground, Tatayya called out, “NOW!“

All at once, hundreds of birds rose into the sky with a great rush of wings, flying far across Kolleru Lake. The hunter nearly fell out of the tree in shock.

A New Respect

That evening, the birds gathered around Tatayya’s rock. They were not laughing anymore.

“We’re sorry we didn’t listen,” said Pelli. “You were right all along.”

Then, with their strong beaks, the birds pulled down the vine together, strand by strand, until the tree trunk was bare again.

From that day, whenever Tatayya spoke, the young birds of Kolleru Lake listened carefully. They had learned that wisdom often moves slowly, but it sees far ahead.

Moral of the Story

Our elders have seen much of life, and their advice can protect us from danger. Small problems are easiest to fix before they grow big.

Questions to Discuss

• Why didn’t the birds listen to Tatayya at first?
• How did the vine become dangerous?
• How did Tatayya’s plan save the birds?
• Has an elder in your family ever given you advice that turned out to be right?

This story is inspired by an ancient Indian fable, retold here at Kolleru Lake, one of India’s largest freshwater lakes and an important home for migratory birds.

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