| A story about me for the benefit of Aqira
Long time ago, a turtle was swimming in a creek, pretending to be flying around in the water because he REALLY wanted to fly. He would look up and watch the eagles when they flew nearby. He would admire how they would appear to be floating in the air and gliding really gently. The Turtle REALLY wanted to do that but he could only stretch out his four legs, his tail and his head and pretend they were his wings and that the water was the clouds. Thus, he would soar in this manner in the water. However, his secret wish was to fly like an eagle.
Then an eagle landed on a rock near he shore of the creek. The turtle swam to the surface of the water and his little head just popped up above the water. Then he swam close to where the eagle was standing. Turtle hinted to the eagle, "GEEZ I WISH I COULD FLY WAY UP THERE IN THE SKY AND JUST FLOAT AROUND... THAT WOULD BE SO WONDERFUL.... IF ONLY I COULD FLY... IF ONLY THERE WAS A WAY!"
Eagle said nothing, as he was relaxing and not showing any attention to Turtle. Finally, Turtle swam to the shore and spoke directly to Eagle, "Little Brother, would you please teach me to fly"
Eagle said, "But Big Brother, you will surely die or really hurt yourself bad.
Turtle said, "Little Brother, I am really a smart guy! I know I will learn very easily to fly if you just show me how!"
Eagle said, "Don't be ridiculous! Big Brother, if you go way up in the sky, you are just going to fall and break into pieces when you land on the ground."
Turtle persisted, "No, not even, I just know that I can do it once I learn how. See watch me now!" Then he showed the Eagle how he would fly by first sticking out his four legs and his tail. Then he made movements as if they were wings.
The Eagle said, "IF THAT IS HOW YOU PLAN TO FLY THEN YOU WILL DIE FOR SURE!"
Turtle kept persisting until finally Eagle said, "Ok, I will teach you how to fly but you have to follow MY directions EXACTLY as I tell you to!"
Turtle was all excited, as the day he had been waiting for long had now arrived. Eagle continued, "Big Brother, I am going to grab you and fly with you up to the sky. And then I will let you go, and you can fly from there."
Turtle said, "OH LITTLE BROTHER! THIS IS ALL I HAVE EVER WANTED YOU TO DO! MY DREAM HAS NOW COME TRUE! Yes, just fly me up to the sky and let me go. I will do the rest!" Then he started to move his four legs, his tail and his head, as if they were wings.
Eagle flew over and grabbed the Turtle and UP UP UP they went! Turtle was ALL excited and practicing flapping his legs and tail as if they were his "wings", as Eagle was flying HIGHER and HIGHER and HIGHER!
Turtle looked down and got a little bit dizzy but not too bad. Then he said, "Ok, Little Brother, this looks like a good place to start!"
Eagle said, "No, not yet! Remember! You have to follow MY directions EXACTLY!" and he flew higher and HIGHER and HIGHER!
Turtle was getting really anxious now and so he said again, "Ok Little Brother, this looks like a good place to start!"
Eagle said rather emphatically, "NO! NOT YET! Remember, I said we will do this by MY directions ONLY!" and higher and HIGHER they soared into the clouds!
Then suddenly Eagle SCREAMED, "OK NOW!" And he let Turtle go and it took the turtle by surprise but he started to flap his "wings". He soon noticed that he was falling instead of flying. Even so, he was still frantically trying to move his "wings", which were really his legs and his tail. Then he started to spin around and around. His shell was making this whizzing noise, "WWWWWWWWHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ" and it was making whistling noises too because of the air going over those areas where his legs and tail were located.
Eagle was trying to be serious but the sight of the Turtle "flying" was really funny to watch so he started to laugh! ...and laugh! ...and laugh! Then he flew right up close to Turtle and said, "GEEZ BIG BROTHER, YOU FLY REALLY GOOD! I REALLY LIKE THE WAY YOU FLY! IF ONLY I COULD FLY LIKE THAT AND MAKE ALL THOSE REALLY COOL WAR CRIES LIKE YOU!"
At the same time, Turtle was like grunting while still trying to be cool like he knew what he was doing. Yet, his motions seemed to make him fall faster, and Eagle was laughing so hard that he started to fall, as well, but he caught his balance just before the ground came up to meet them. Turtle hit some bushes and started to bounce all over the place until he eventually bounced into the water.
Eagle said, "Do you see, Big Brother, you should only fly in the water because that is what you are and you cannot ever be something that you are not!" And so Turtle was all shamed out and embarrassed, and he "flew" away under the water back to his home.
The moral of this story is do NOT try to be something you are not because you will only make a fool out of yourself if you do. And worse, you could die. |
