Growth is painful

On an island paradise, a young local was chosen to become his father's successor as Medicine Man, but first, he had a mission to accomplish. He had to row himself on a small makeshift boat to the deeper waters of the bay and capture a live turtle, the holder of sacred powers. No mean feat since the guardian of the bay, a solitary dolphin, chased turtles away from what he cosidered his own, personal territory.

Our hero dove into the blue depths fraught with underwater coral, a result of volcanic eruptions from years past. He had to earn his father's trust and that of the community through a sacred rite.

A large turtle swimming under an outcrop of rocks caught his eye. He lunged after his prey, the tough shell covering the ancient body slick under his eager hands. But the jelous dolphin chased the turtle away. The hero tried again and this time he managed to catch the turtle before the dolphin got in the way. Lungs bursting, he rose to the surface, hauled the turtle on to his boat and rowed back to shore bearing his prize. He had gained his father's trust.

That's all very well, but they ate the turtle! I feel for the poor reptile, whose powers are probably about as mystic as those of any of us.

Growth is painful, especially for turtles.