Aesop Got It All Wrong
It was never a race. The tortoise has a very long way to go, and the
rabbit only has a short journey, like all rabbits. It's not like Billy
has to be anywhere. Here these two friends are about to have dinner
together.
This friendly reptile will always remember his bunny companion. They
make a perfect team. They both love carrots and other roots, and this
rabbit is one of the world's great scavengers. When Billy died the
tortoise thought his heart would break. But time will heal all, and
there are plenty of rabbits ahead!
AUCKLAND, MAY 19 1965.
A TURTLE WHICH EXPLORER CAPTAIN COOK GAVE TO THE KING OF TONGA IN
1777 DIED YESTERDAY. IT WAS NEARLY 200 YEARS OLD.
THE ANIMAL, CALLED TU’IMALILA, DIED AT THE ROYAL PALACE GROUND IN THE
TONGAN CAPITAL OF NUKU, ALOFA.
THE PEOPLE OF TONGA REGARDED THE ANIMAL AS A CHIEF AND SPECIAL
KEEPERS WERE APPOINTED TO LOOK AFTER IT. IT WAS BLINDED IN A BUSH FIRE
A FEW YEARS AGO.
TONGA RADIO SAID TU’IMALILA’S CARCASS WOULD BE SENT TO THE
AUCKLAND MUSEUM IN NEW ZEALAND.
Epigraph, Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?
Epigraph, Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?
(Androids is Philip Kindred Dick's masterpiece, and the thrust of the book is about empathy, manifested by kindness to the remaining animals on Earth. The flawed movie Blade Runner has little to do with the novel. In both of them lack of feeling towards an animal indicates a robotic personality that will kill without conscience or restraint. The above wire report quote seems to refer to the care and love given to Tu'i Malila during her long lifetime. The mainspring theme of the story is the question of separating psychopaths from society, and how that could be done. As always with PKD his meaning is more in the drift than the statement).
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip meet Tu'i Malila, December 19th, 1953.
That's an interesting story about the tortoise. One wonders why of all animals these seem to live the longest lives.Maybe because they move so slowly?
ReplyDeleteOne reason turtles are believed to have such long lifespans is their slowness. Turtles continue to grow very slowly throughout their lives. This prevents them from aging in the same way birds and mammals do. Thanks to their slow metabolisms, they can survive long periods without food or water, which also gives them a greater chance of survival in harsh conditions.
DeleteLooks like you got it right!
Jonathan, a giant tortoise born in the Seychelles islands, is still going strong. At 187 years old, he's been designated the world's oldest living land animal by Guinness World Records. Since 1882 (50 years after his birth), Jonathan has lived on St. Helena, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean. Jonathan is just one year shy of claiming the title of oldest chelonian ever. (Chelonia is the scientific order that contains turtles, tortoises, and terrapins.) That's an honor held by Tu'i Malila, a Madagascar radiated tortoise gifted to the royal family of Tonga by Captain Cook. She died when she was at least 188 years old in 1965.
DeleteGreenland sharks can live to 400 years old, Bowhead whales to 200. We are like unto mayflies!