There was a small village where a righteous man lived. One day, the righteous man had to visit another village to perform some work. He prepared to go. His mother said to him: Why do you travel alone? Take someone with you. The righteous man said: I know I must travel through the forest, but there’s nothing we fear. There are no wild animals or thieves in the forest.
His mother said: But it’s better to take someone with you. The righteous man said: Don’t worry, Mom, and don’t fear. Listen, Mom. I will go alone and return tomorrow evening when I finish my work. After that, the mother went to a pond in the house courtyard and took out a turtle from that pond. She said to her son: I don’t agree with your going alone. Therefore, take this turtle with you. The righteous man took the turtle from his mother.
He put it among the camphor balls inside the bag, then took the bag and went on his journey. The time was in the summer season. At noon, the righteous man couldn’t bear the heat more than that. Behold, he found a giant tree. The righteous man thought to rest for a little time under it, then complete his journey when the heat decreased. Under this tree, the righteous man opened the food bag and ate sugar and bread. He decided to run under the shade of the tree, as he was extremely tired. Sleep overcame him.
There, a snake lives in the tree trunk. The snake came out of the branch and saw the righteous man and saw the bag beside the righteous man. He was able to smell the camphor balls, so the snake moved toward the bag and penetrated inside it and started eating the camphor balls. When the turtle saw him, he got angry and bit the snake. In the end, the snake died. After a period, the righteous man woke up and stood up suddenly. He looked toward the bag and saw an extremely black snake dead beside the camphor balls. The man sat thinking that the turtle was the one who saved his life, and felt in truth that he must listen to his mother to what she says.