Tobias the Turtle and the Tumbled Tower

Tobias the turtle builds towers of shells and driftwood but cannot bear to be wrong, and his class has spent days building the Great Shell Tower for the fair.

Admit Your Mistake

In a sunny seaside town called Shellport, there lived a young turtle named Tobias. Tobias had a mossy green shell, a curious smile, and a big talent for building. He could stack shells, pebbles, and driftwood into towers taller than himself.

But Tobias had one problem. He hated being wrong.

"It wasn't me," he would say when something went awry. "It must have been someone else."

When he forgot to feed the class goldfish, he said, "Somebody else was supposed to do it." When he spilled juice on his friend's drawing, he shrugged and walked away. And whenever a grown-up asked a question that might lead back to him, Tobias pulled his head into his shell, as if he could hide from the whole world.

"If nobody knows it was me," he told himself, "then it didn't really happen."

One bright morning, the town of Shellport held its yearly Sand Castle Fair. Everyone brought their best creations to display on the beach. In the center stood the grandest sculpture of all: the Great Shell Tower, built by the whole class over many days. It had a spiral staircase of seashells, windows made of sea glass, and a flag on top made from a bright blue feather.

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Quick answers about Tobias the Turtle and the Tumbled Tower

What is Tobias the Turtle and the Tumbled Tower about?

Tobias the turtle builds towers of shells and driftwood but cannot bear to be wrong, and his class has spent days building the Great Shell Tower for the fair.

Is Tobias the Turtle and the Tumbled Tower free to read?

Yes. Every story on RapidTale is free to read in the browser, with no sign-up and nothing to install.

How long does it take to read?

This story runs 1 chapter — most readers finish in one sitting, and you can stop and return to any chapter using the contents list.

Who wrote it?

Nimra Khan — original fiction published on RapidTale.