The Turtle and the Geese: An Indian Graphic Folktale
Discover Graphics: Global Folktales Series
What’s inside...
An enchanting Indian folktale illustrated in a graphic novel format, sharing the adventures and lessons learned by a clever turtle and his two goose friends. In this Indian folktale, a young turtle shares a shallow lake with two geese. When the lake starts to dry up, the stubborn turtle must follow the advice of his winged friends, or he'll be left out to dry. The clever text and easy-to-follow panels make Discover Global Folktales perfect for graphic novel fans both new and old.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
5-8
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Character compass
Turtle
The Two Geese
Discussion points
What do you think the turtle learned by the end of the story?
How did the geese show their friendship to the turtle?
If you were one of the characters, how would you have handled the situation?
Why is it important to keep promises, as shown in the story?
What would you do if you were in a similar situation as the turtle?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their feelings about the characters’ decisions and discuss the consequences of those decisions.
Ask your child to relate the story's events or moral lessons to their own experiences or friendships.
Use expressive reading to highlight the emotional aspects of the story, making the narrative more engaging and relatable.
After reading, encourage creative activities like drawing one of the scenes or role-playing a part of the story to reinforce the themes.
Discuss the cultural aspects of the tale to broaden your child's understanding and appreciation of diverse traditions and stories.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: The importance of friendship and loyalty
Explanation: In the story, the turtle and the geese share a deep bond of friendship that they maintain despite facing challenges. This is shown when the geese devise a plan to save the turtle using a stick.
Real-World Application: Children learn the value of standing by their friends in tough times, showing loyalty, and working together to overcome obstacles.
Example Lesson: Creativity and quick thinking
Explanation: The geese display quick thinking and creativity by carrying the turtle with a stick when needing to migrate. This represents using innovative solutions to solve problems.
Real-World Application: It teaches children the importance of thinking creatively to solve problems and adapting to new situations through ingenuity and inventiveness.
Example Lesson: Listening to advice and being cautious
Explanation: The turtle fails to heed the geese’s advice to stay quiet during their flight, which almost leads to disaster. This highlights the consequences of neglecting good advice.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to listen to the guidance of those who are more experienced, such as parents and teachers, and teaches them to think carefully before acting.