A tortoise once lived in a small pond with two goose friends, and the three of them lived in constant harmony — until a severe drought struck, and the pond's water began drying up. The two geese decided to fly off in search of another pond, and the tortoise grew deeply sad, knowing she could neither fly like them nor travel quickly on land.

The geese thought of a clever solution. They brought a long stick and told the tortoise, «Grip the middle of this stick firmly with your mouth, and we'll each hold an end and fly you over the land until we reach a new pond. But be careful — no matter what happens, do not open your mouth, or you'll fall.» The tortoise happily agreed to this remarkable plan.

As they soared over a village, some people below spotted them and marveled at the strange sight, shouting, «Look! A flying tortoise!» Unable to contain her pride and delight, the tortoise opened her mouth to answer them — and plunged from a great height. Everyone who hears this tale learns that silence in a critical moment matters far more than the urge to respond or prove oneself, and that a single unnecessary word can come at a very steep price.