THE LEGEND OF A TURTLE

 A Story by Adi Hakim K.

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Long time ago, turtle did not have shell on their back. He could freely move fast and free without burden on his back. He used to carry a big bunch of wood from the forest on the top mountain to the village. He lived in an old wooden house in a peaceful village near the forest, with the wise Leon the lion lead the village. In the village, there were many animals lived alongside. There were a family of lion, chicken, pigeon, duck, snake, elephants, sheep, and many other animals. But unfortunately Mr. Turtle lived alone in his house because his wife had passed away, and his only daughter went for education. Along the animals in the village Turtle known as a kind animal, he liked to help other animal in the village.

Mr. Turtle worked as a carpenter.He was the best carpenter in the village, he had built many big and strong houses. Almost all houses in the village was built by Turtle. The villagers trust Turtle not only because he was strong and could make a strong building but also his capability to know which the strongest wood is. He used to look for the wood by himself in the forest, cut it down using his old saw, and carried it on his shoulder to the village. Sometimes Mr. Viper the snake accompanied turtle to the forest.

On his spare time, he also worked as a farmer in the farm near the river in the east of the village. He planted some food stock with the other animal in the village. Mr. Turtle often felt lonely because he missed his only child, Tania, which had been 3 years left him. One day, after going back home from farm he had a rest on his house and imagine how his life would be if his family is still complete.

“What a wonderful day I have if I have my wife and daughter here. I can share my happiness, sadness, and all stories I have”, murmured Mr. Turtle.

“Tomorrow I will meet Mr. Pigeon to send a letter for my daughter”, he smiled

            Mr. Pigeon worked as a postman, Turtle often went to Pigeon house to send letter for his daughter. But lately, he seldom wrote letter because he was afraid his words would only made his daughter missing him more and lost her concentration of study. But that night was different, the felt of missed had changed his mind, he was so excited to write a letter for his daughter. Under a faded fire light from the lantern he wrote one line, two lines, three lines, until many lines he had made from his deepest heart with lovely words.

“I hope my daughter will reply my letter”, he said

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            After saved his letter, he went to bed. He felt so tired till death until he could sleep tightly a second after laid on the bed. The dancing fire from the lantern kept his dream beautiful that night. The next early morning after took a bath, excitedly he went to pigeon house to send the letter.

“Good morning turtle, what is happening? You look like in a rush?” great Pigeon to Turtle.

“Of course, I am going to send a letter for my daughter, I miss her so much”, said Turtle cheerfully.

“Oh… that beautiful girl, doesn’t she go home?”, Pigeon asked

“No, she should finish her study first, after that she can go back here” answered Turtle

“Take care of this letter, please say that I love her so much” he added.

“Okay turtle, I will say it to her, don’t worry. I will fly to west, after that I will go to your daughter place to send your letter”, answered Pigeon.

“Thank you so much Pigeon”

            After said thank to Pigeon, Turtle went to the farm. The other animals had been waiting him patiently,

“Sorry to keep you all waiting for me”, Turtle shouted from bund of field.

“Come on turtle, we have been waiting for you”, answered Dicky the duck.

“Where have you been turtle? We didn’t see you at your house this morning”, asked Mr. Shaun the sheep.

“I have been from Pigeon house, I sent letter to my daughter. I miss her so much”, answered Turtle while walking closer to them.

After that, Turtle helped them to plants some seeds. They worked happily every day. After all of the seed had been planted, they all had rest in a hut in the middle of the field. Suddenly, Dicky shouted,

“What smoke is that?!” when he looked at the village.

“That should be something is burned”, said Shaun

“What is burned?” turtle asked.

“I don’t know, the smokes comes from our village”, Shaun got panic.

 The three friends run as fast as they could to the village. Turtle, the strongest and fastest animal arrived to the village first. How amaze he was when he saw his house was burned. All of the animal in the village tried to stop the fire. A few minutes later, the fire had been gone, but everything had been too late, Turtle’s house had been burned, nothing left. He remembered, that this morning he left the lantern keeping fire.

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Turtle regret his mistake so much, all he had had gone because a simple stupid thing he did. The next day, he begun to build a new house, but this time he made a portable house which could be carried everywhere. He would keeping eye on it every time, so the same mistake wouldn’t be happened again. He brought his house on his back, he put everything to live on it. There was a bed, television, radio, and many others thing on it.

That house was really heavy, but there was no problem because Turtle was a strong animal. As time goes by, Turtle was getting older. Slowly he lost his power, he cannot carry anything to heavy anymore. He thought that he should make something lighter and simpler than his house now.

“I should make something that will not burden me”, he thought.

He worked night and day, to create something simpler for his live and also his daughter. So he made a new house design which was stronger, lighter, and simpler than before. He hang his house on his back, so whenever Turtle felt tired, he would have a rest by entering his house.

Nowadays, when you see a shell on turtles back, that was the house of Turtle which had been given to his son-grandchildren.

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