Why the Turtle is Slow but Wise
Long ago, beneath the vast and mysterious East Sea, lived the Dragon King, the ruler of all sea creatures. He had nine mighty sons, each blessed with unique abilities. Some controlled the tides, others could summon storms, and some had scales harder than the strongest metal.
Among them, the youngest son was proud and impetuous. Though not the strongest, he was the fastest.
His golden wings allowed him to glide through the waves and into the sky, and his breath could unleash mighty winds. Yet the young dragon dreamed of more. He yearned to rule not only the sea but also the land.
One day, he rose from the ocean and flew towards the mountains. He unleashed wild storms that uprooted trees, massive floods that swallowed villages, and fierce winds that brought houses crashing down. The people, deeply frightened, prayed to the Jade Emperor, the ruler of heaven, for help. Moved by their pleas, the Emperor summoned Kim Quy, the wise turtle spirit.
“Go and stop the young dragon,” commanded the Emperor, “but do him no harm. Teach him wisdom if you can.”
Kim Quy, though slow, was known for his patience and wisdom. Instead of confronting the dragon with force, he chose a different path, one that would teach the young dragon a valuable lesson.
The turtle climbed onto a rock near a lake and waited for the dragon to notice him. It didn’t take long. The young dragon spotted the old turtle lazily basking in the sun and laughed mockingly.
“Old turtle,” he sneered, “why are you resting while the world trembles before my power? I am the fastest and the strongest! No one can stop me!”
Kim Quy smiled gently. “You may be fast and strong, but do you have patience? A great ruler is not only powerful, but he is wise.”
The dragon scoffed. “Patience? What nonsense! Strength is all that matters!” Kim Quy shook his head. “Then let us put it to the test. We will race across this lake. But there is one rule—you must not move until I do.”
The dragon burst into laughter. “A race? Against you? This will be far too easy!” he roared. “Very well,” said the turtle, settling at the edge of the water. “Say when to start.”
Eager to prove himself, the dragon crouched, his muscles tensing. He waited. But Kim Quy did not move. Minutes passed. The dragon snorted impatiently and drummed his claws. The turtle remained motionless.
An hour passed. The dragon’s tail twitched with frustration. “Start swimming already!” he hissed. The turtle yawned. “Patience, young friend. You agreed to the rules.”
More hours dragged by. The dragon’s wings itched to take off, and his legs burned with tension. Then, without realising it, he leapt forward—just a small distance.
At that moment, Kim Quy slipped into the water and swam effortlessly across the lake. “You have lost,” called the turtle in a calm and composed voice. “A ruler must have patience.”
The dragon stared in disbelief. He had all the strength, all the speed, and yet he had lost to an old turtle, not because he was slower, but because he lacked self-control.
The young dragon returned to the sea, but the lesson he had learned burned deeply in his heart. He was no longer the proud, impetuous dragon he once was. Instead, he began to ponder the turtle’s words.
“Patience,” he murmured repeatedly as he glided through the depths of the East Sea. “A ruler must have patience.” His brothers noticed the change in him. The eldest, who controlled the tides, asked him, “Brother, what has happened to you? You are not the same.”
The young dragon recounted his adventure and his encounter with Kim Quy. The other dragons listened attentively, and even the strongest among them, whose scales were harder than metal, nodded respectfully. “Perhaps,” he said, “the turtle is right. Power without wisdom is like a storm without direction.”
News of the young dragon’s humility spread quickly among the sea creatures. Even the fish and crabs, who had once fled from him, now spoke of him with respect.
The Dragon King, his father, was proud of his son’s transformation. “You have learned an important lesson,” he said. “Now you are ready to rule not only the sea but also yourself.”
But the young dragon’s story was not yet over. High in the mountains, where the people had lived in fear of the storms and floods, things began to change. The villages that had once been destroyed were rebuilt, and the fields that had been flooded yielded abundant harvests.
The people, who had once prayed to the Jade Emperor, now spoke of a mysterious being who helped them, a golden dragon who glided gently over the mountains and with his breath drove away the clouds that threatened their crops.
It was the young dragon who had secretly returned to protect the land he had once ravaged. He had learned that true strength lay not in spreading fear but in helping others. The people who had once feared him now called him the “Golden Guardian.”
One day, as the dragon flew over the lake where he had once raced against Kim Quy, he saw the old turtle again. She lay on the same rock, basking in the sun. The dragon landed gently beside her and bowed deeply. “Thank you, wise Kim Quy,” he said. “You have shown me what it means to be a true ruler.”
The turtle smiled. “You have learned the lesson, young dragon. But do you know what the most beautiful part is? You have not only changed yourself; you have changed the world around you.”
From that day on, the dragon and the turtle lived in harmony, and their friendship became a legend passed down from generation to generation. The dragon protected the land and the sea, and the turtle taught the people and animals the importance of patience and wisdom.
And so, the young dragon, who had once been proud and impetuous, became a symbol of hope and peace. His golden wings, which had once unleashed storms, now carried the message of reconciliation to all corners of the world. And the turtle, who had once defeated him, became his greatest ally and friend.
The legend of the dragon and the turtle reminds us that true greatness lies not in the power we hold over others but in the ability to master ourselves and serve others.