The Turtle and the Eagle

The Turtle and the Eagle

Once a turtle, basking in the sun, wondered aloud what it would be like to fly. An eagle overhearing the turtle offered to take it aloft. The turtle agreed and the eagle carried it almost to the clouds, but suddenly let go. The turtle fell to the ground, its shell smashed to pieces. The eagle landed and then made a meal of the poor turtle.

The following week the eagle came across another basking turtle wondering what it would be like to fly. The eagle laughed to itself. "Turtles are such rubes." It approached the turtle and offered to carry it into the sky.The reptile assented and the eagle took flight with the turtle in its clutches. However, this time when the eagle released the turtle a tiny parachute popped out of its shell and the turtle began a slow descent toward the ground. Outwitted but undeterred, the eagle circled leisurely and then landed on the ground where it awaited the arrival of its airborne meal.

Minutes passed and the eagle grew bored. It looked out across the rocks, searching for anything to hold its interest. 'When is that turtle going to get here?' wondered the eagle. An instant later the turtle crashed down on the eagle's head, knocking it out cold. The turtle stepped over the eagle, reached into its shell and pulled out a cigarette. It lit it and looked around. Among the rocks appeared the heads of other turtles. The turtle flicked the ash from the end of its cigarette. "Is this the guy that ate Lenny?" it asked? The other turtles nodded affirming his suspicion. "Okay," said the turtle.

A week later the eagle's body was found in the trunk of a car in the Newark Airport parking lot.

Moral: Always know who you're dealing with in New Jersey.