Join us at the campfire for tales from around the world, told by storytellers of all backgrounds and creeds. From the heros and heroines of old, let us relearn and rediscover the wisdom of our ancestors. Shhh..the story begins..

There were once three tortoises...Father, Mother and Baby. One beautiful spring day, they decided to go on a picnic. They thought about the trip for a while and finally chose the ideal location--a lovely wooded area some distance away from their home. The Tortoise Family began to gather together the things for their picnic. They got cans of salmon and cans of tongue, sandwiches, orange squash, and everything else they could think of. After about three months of preparation, they were all ready and so they set out, carrying their baskets.

The three tortoises walked and walked and walked. Time passed and, after about eighteen months, they sat down to have a rest, but they knew exactly where they wanted to go for their picnic and they were already almost halfway there...so they soon set out again. Three years after they had begun their excursion, they arrived at their chosen location and it was a beautiful spot. They unpacked their baskets, spread the red-and-white checkered cloth out on the ground and arranged the food. Everything looked wonderful.

But then, with a concerned frown upon her face, Mother Tortoise began to search frantically through the picnic baskets. She turned them all upside down and shook them, but they were totally empty...every last one of them. Mother Tortoise turned to her puzzled little family. "We've forgotten the can-opener!" she told them in dismay. They looked at each other for a while and, at last, Father and Mother Tortoise told Baby that he would have to go back home and get it.

"What?" asked Baby Tortoise. "Go back all that long way?" Father Tortoise nodded his head gravely. "Nothing else for it," he said mournfully. "We need the can-opener." "We'll wait for you," added Mother Tortoise kindly, "and we won't touch anything until you get back."

"You promise?" queried Baby Tortoise. "You won't take even the teeniest- tiniest bite?" Both Mother and Father promised faithfully so Baby Tortoise plodded away and, after a while, was lost to sight among the bushes.

Father Tortoise and Mother Tortoise waited...and waited...and waited. A whole year went by and they were beginning to get rather hungry, but they had promised Baby that they wouldn't take even the smallest crumb of anything until he returned and so, they waited. Yet another year went by and they become really hungry, but they had promised and so, they waited. Then Father Tortoise said, "Don't you think we could maybe have just one little sandwich each? After all, Baby Tortoise will never know the difference!" "Shame on you!" declared Mother Tortoise. "We made him a promise and we will just have to wait until he comes back!" Father Tortoise sighed and reluctantly put down the sandwich that was halfway to his mouth.

And so, they waited...and waited...and waited. Another year passed and then another. By this time, Mother and Father Tortoise were ravenous. One day, Mother Tortoise announced, "It's been six years...you'd think Baby would have been back by now!" Father Tortoise agreed. "Yes, you'd think so, wouldn't you? Why don't we have just one sandwich between us while we're waiting?"

Mother Tortoise looked toward where Baby Tortoise had disappeared over six years ago and, seeing no sign of his return, unwrapped one of the sandwiches. As she and Father Tortoise began to nibble on half each, a little voice said, "Aha! I knew it...I just knew you'd cheat and not wait for me to come back!" Suddenly, the head of Baby Tortoise popped out of a bush. "It's a good thing I never started for home to go fetch that can-opener!"