Parables of Wisdom
The Tortoise Who Hid His Limbs
अंग छिपाने वाला कछुआ · અંગ સંતાડનાર કાચબો
Two tortoises, two hungry jackals, and the one who knew how to wait
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
Two tortoises come out of a lake at night and meet two hungry jackals. Both hide inside their shells, but only one of them has the patience to stay hidden.
What it teaches Self-control Patience Guarding the senses
The opening of the children's telling
Near a big lake there lived two tortoises. In the forest nearby lived two hungry jackals. The tortoises had hard, round shells, like little stones.
One night the two tortoises climbed out of the water to look for food. The jackals saw them and came running!
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
Patience in guarding the senses keeps the soul safe from what waits just out of sight.
To talk about together
When is it hard for you to wait, like the second tortoise? What helps you be patient?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.