640. Testudo Cum Avibus Volans. Iunxerat testudo societatem cum duabus avibus. Accidit ut rivulus, ubi illa manebat, funditus exsiccaretur, et avibus eo in loco consistere grave erat, omnibus situ squaloreque laborantibus. Placuit igitur migrare alio, sed obstabat desertio amicae testudinis. Tandem hanc ineunt rationem: bacillum transversum rostris capessunt, et medium tenere mordicus testudinem iubent, ita se sublatam in aera secum asportaturas in loca irrigua et ad perennes aquas pollicentur. Sed hoc iterum atque iterum monent: semel praehensum bacillum ut teneat, neve os aperiat suum. Aliquantisper processerant, cum vident aliae testudines rem admirabilem sibi, seque mutuo inclamant et demonstrat una alteri volantem sororem. Tum illa, oblita salutis suae, inquit, “Etiam” - dicere volebat se volare invitis omnibus - et, amisso per hiatum bacillo, delapsaque in saxum testa fracta interiit.
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SLIDESHOW of all the Kalila-wa-Dimna images from this manuscript. In this story, the turtle is distracted because of people shouting from below, not because of other turtles as in the Latin story.
M0640 (not in Perry). Source: Camerarius 380 (shortened). This fable is not in Perry’s catalog; it is a story found in the Panchatantra tradition. See the story of the fox who couldn’t keep her mouth shut, #49 or #526.
