TURTLE BODHISATTVA

In 1975, a desperate shipwreck victim off the coast of Manila was stupefied to see a giant sea turtle swimming towards her, seemingly offering its aid.&nb The floundering woman climbed aboard the turtle, which then did something turtles supposedly "never do."  Sea turtles spend most of their time underwater, but this one must have somehow known the poor woman needed constant support to survive, and must also have wanted very much to take care of her.  It proceeded to stay at the surface for two full days, going without food itself, so it could continue to carry her and keep her alive.  When human rescuers finally appeared:  "Eyewitnesses thought the woman was floating on an oil drum until she was safely on board - whereupon the 'oil drum' circled the area twice and disappeared."

from John Robbins, Diet for a New America,
HJ Kramer Inc, 1987

Another turtle tale