Turtle Puzzle

Turtle 240 x 200mm 7 pce wooden jigsaw, including Dreaming story and activities

The Turtle, Guudhamang        

 Artwork by and Dreaming Story retold by Donna Hensen, of the Wiradjuri people

 Guudhamang the Turtle was always complaining how heavy his shell was. Certainly it was his home, but surely he could sleep anywhere, he thought, and how much easier it would be without it! So, he wiggled and twisted for many days until he finally escaped from it. He threw it into the water and danced away, very pleased with himself. That night, he slept under a rocky outcrop. It was a bit cold, but worth it, now that he could move so fast. The next day he was lying in a grassy patch, enjoying the sun. All of a sudden, some birds started to swoop down on him. They pecked his soft skin so much that he was sore and bleeding, and very scared for his life. He just managed to get back under the rocks before the birds did some serious damage. That night, he went back to the water, very quietly, to look for his shell. He was so happy when he found it. He put it back on immediately, and never complained again about the way he was made, and decided always to be happy with how he was. Isn’t that a good lesson for everyone?

Pronunciations                Guudhamang             Turtle          Goot  am  ang

Activity Suggestions 

Discuss the Dreaming story, and make up your own Dreaming-style story about how other animals may have come to be as they are.

•              Draw a funny picture of the turtle as he would look without his shell

•              Do your own Aboriginal-style picture of your favourite animal

     All Australian Made