Once upon a time, in a peaceful meadow where daisies danced and butterflies whispered, lived a slow and thoughtful tortoise named Tomo.
Tomo didn’t mind being slow. While the other animals rushed around, he liked to watch the clouds drift, the sun rise and fall, and the seasons change.
But Tomo had always felt… different.
His shell, unlike the others, shimmered with tiny golden patterns that changed when the moon was full. Sometimes, it even hummed softly, like a ticking clock in the wind. He didn’t know why. Until one night, something strange happened.
The Night the Shell Glowed
On the night of the blue moon, Tomo was resting near the river when his shell began to glow softly, like moonlight on water.
Then, click! With a gentle pulse, the world around him spun like a spinning top.
When the world stopped moving, everything looked familiar… but different.
The trees were shorter. The stars felt brighter. The animals looked younger. Tomo had traveled back in time.
“Is this… the past?” he whispered. He slowly wandered the meadow, meeting younger versions of animals he knew, before they knew him.
He even saw himself, just a hatchling, learning to walk.
His shell, it turned out, was not just for protection.
It was a Time Shell, a magical gift passed down through the ancient tortoises of the Earth.
Lessons from the Past (and the Future)
Over the next few days, Tomo learned how to use his Time Shell. Each time it glowed and clicked, he would land in a different moment, sometimes years ago, sometimes far into the future.
In the past, he saw mistakes he had made and moments he could now understand better.
In the future, he saw how his friends grew, how kindness spread, and how even the smallest things, like a smile or a helping claw, changed the world.
Tomo realised something powerful: Time wasn’t just for going fast.
It was for learning, for growing… and for being present.
A Tortoise Who Carried Time on His Back
Tomo returned to his own time, his shell still faintly glowing with stardust.
But now, he walked with even more care, because he knew how important each moment was. He didn’t tell many about his travels, but sometimes, when a young animal felt lost or rushed, he’d smile and say:
“Take your time. There’s more magic in a moment than you think.” And in the quiet meadow, under the changing sky, the tortoise with the Time Shell kept walking, slowly, wisely, and full of wonder.
The End !
