The story of a turtle who would not leave the lake where he lived even though all the other turtles, knowing there would be a drought, swam in time to the neighbouring river. When the drought came, he buried himself in a hole. There he was dug up by the Bodhisatta who was digging for clay, having been born as a potter. The turtle’s shell was cracked by the potter’s spade and he died, having uttered two verses on the folly of clinging too much to things. The Bodhisatta took his body to the village and taught the villagers.

The story was told to a young man of Sāvatthi who, when the plague broke out in his house, listened to his parents’ advice and escaped through a hole in the wall. When the danger was past he returned and rescued the treasure hoarded in the house and, one day, visited the Buddha with many gifts.

Ānanda is identified with the turtle of the story. J.ii.79-81.