Stage 3 English Member

Why the Tortoise Has a Cracked Shell

Myth / legend · Teaches: Reading and retelling a traditional tale · Featuring Emily

Long ago, Tortoise had a shell as smooth as a river stone. In those days, the birds were invited to a great feast (a big special meal) up in the sky.

Clever Tortoise begged the birds to take him. Each bird lent him one feather, and Tortoise made himself wings. “At feasts,” he said slyly, “everyone takes a new name. Call me ‘All-of-You’.”

In the sky, the host said, “This food is for all of you!” Tortoise cried, “That is my name! The food is mine!”, and he ate nearly everything, while the hungry birds only watched.

Explore in 3D

Meet a real giant tortoise. Spin it and look closely at the shell, in the story, this is what ends up cracked and mended.

Giant Tortoise (Beauval Zoo) by Thomas Flynn on Sketchfab · CC Attribution

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This story teaches

Reading and retelling a traditional tale

English

Answer guide, for grown-ups

Ask each question, then compare. A child’s own words are perfect as long as the idea is right.

1. Retell the story in three steps: beginning, middle, end.

Beginning: the birds are invited to a feast in the sky and each lends Tortoise a feather so he can fly. Middle: he takes the name 'All-of-You' and greedily eats nearly all the food. End: the angry birds snatch back their feathers, he falls onto hard ground, and his shell cracks.

✓ Understood if the child gives a beginning, middle and end in the right order.

2. How did Tortoise trick the birds with a name?

He told the birds his feast name was 'All-of-You', so when the host said the food was for all of you, Tortoise claimed it was all his.

✓ Understood if the child explains the 'All-of-You' name trick.

3. What lesson does the tale teach?

That greed, or wanting far more than your fair share, has a cost.

✓ Understood if the child identifies the lesson about greed.

4. Do you know another “why” story that explains how something came to be?

For example, a tale about why the sun and moon live in the sky, or any other 'why' story the child knows.

✓ Understood if the child offers any origin or 'why' tale, or makes a sensible attempt.

Maths Moment: 6 birds each giving 2 feathers: counting in 2s, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12. So he had 12 feathers.

For parents, Cambridge curriculum

Mapped to these Cambridge Primary objectives. Open a framework to verify.

English

Stage 3 · Reading
Read, discuss and retell myths and legends, sequencing events.
Verify in Cambridge English (0058) ↗