A Tale of Friends and Baths

Tortoise went down to the pond for a drink one morning, and found Dove lying on the bank with an injured wing. “What happened, Dove?” exclaimed Tortoise! “I was almost caught by a hawk, but she let go and I fell to the ground in the reeds and she couldn’t find me. I am afraid someone will come along and eat me.”

Tortoise thought a minute and said “I have room in my burrow if you would like to rest there until you can fly again.” “Oh Tortoise, thank you. But I could never get there. I am too weak.”

Tortoise thought another minute and said “If you could manage to get on my shell, I will carry you.” So Dove tried and tried, and finally gave up. “I am just too weak to get up that high. Leave me Tortoise, before someone comes along and eats both of us.”

So Tortoise thought for another minute and said “I will dig a hole next to you and you can just step onto my shell. Then we can get you to my burrow and safety." Tortoise scratched a depression next to Dove, and she was able to climb onto his shell.

They finally got to the burrow, and Tortoise said “Dove, roll off and make your way into my burrow. At the end you will find a nest with dry grass, where you can rest and heal. There are some grass heads there for you to eat and I will bring more  Don’t worry, you will be safe with me.” But Tortoise never came back. After a while, Dove was able to fly and she left the burrow.

The following year, Dove was flying to a bird feeder when she saw a small pen in the corner of the yard. She noticed movement and went to see what was moving. To her horror it was Tortoise. “Tortoise”, she cried!!  “I thought you were dead.” “I might as well be dead” he said. “When I was getting some grass heads for you, a boy picked me up and put me in this pen. I have been walking around the wire ever since looking for a way out. I hate being captured.”

Dove thought a minute and said, “I see the latch that keeps the pen closed. Maybe I can pull it open with my claws and wings and free you.” So Dove grabbed the string that held the latch and flew up, pulling the latch as she went. She pulled and pulled, and gradually the latch lifted and the door opened a little. Tortoise pushed his way through the gate and walked into the woods, free after more than a year in captivity. Dove landed on his shell as he walked and said “Now you are free. As you saved me, so I saved you. It is the way with friends, is it not?”

Tortoise thought for a minute and said “Yes Dove. Friends are always there for each other. I can never thank you enough for helping me escape. You are a true friend.” Dove blushed and said “Oh Tortoise, we will always be friends, and we will always look out for each other. Let’s go to the pond for a nice bath and swim!”

And so off they went to the pond, Dove riding on Tortoise's shell, where Tortoise had his first swim in a year and Dove had a well-deserved bath.

Image: http://www.gillsinmalawi.com/Tortoise%20and%20bird.jpg