The Truth, the Whole Truth, But Not the Only Truth

I really loved both Old Turtle and Old Turtle and the Broken Truth by Douglas Wood when I bought them for my young niece. So much so that I’ve put them on my list of books to get for my own daughter, when she’s old enough to appreciate them. On a recent trip to the library, I found Old Turtle and the Broken Truth and couldn’t resist bringing it home to read to my little one, even though right now she’s only able to enjoy the watercolors by Jon J. Muth.

The story is a parable that takes place in a "far away land, somehow not so very far." Thus, the reader is prepared to find some of what he or she observes in this land and its people familiar, and yet there is a clear difference in this imaginary land, which gives the impression that the story begins a long time ago when life was less complicated. Wood describes the land as "a land where every stone was a teacher and every breeze a language," indicating a deep connection to and respect for nature among people.

One day a "truth" falls from the sky and breaks—Muth’s illustration depicts a meteor blazing across the sky. A fragment falls to the ground and is found first of all by Crow. The stone appeals to him because it is shiny. After keeping it for a while, Crow comes to believe that there is something not quite right with the truth; he feels that it is "broken" and he prefers to try to find one that is "whole." Other animals, including Fox, Coyote, Raccoon, Butterfly and Bear, are also attracted to the broken truth by its shininess and sweetness. But, one by one, they too reject it, realizing that it is somehow not complete.

Eventually, a human finds the broken truth, and sees that there are words written on it. "You Are Loved," says the stone, and the person feels good just holding it. He takes it back to his people and they all come to cherish it. In time, they begin to fear other groups of people who are different from them and who do not share their truth, which they have proclaimed "The Truth." They also lose interest in the land and can no longer hear the "language of the breezes."

As time passes, other groups of people learn about "The Truth" and desire it for themselves. Wars break out, and the land and all the people suffer. The animals appeal to Old Turtle, their wise and ancient leader, to reason with the people and tell them the truth they’re fighting over is broken. But she refuses, saying that the people are not ready for this information and that they will not listen.

Finally, a young girl decides that something must be done, so she travels alone to the "great hill in the very center of the world" where she meets Old Turtle, and asks her if things could change. Finally, Old Turtle has encountered a human ready to listen. She tells the girl that things were not always as they currently are, and that there are actually many beautiful truths all around us and within us—the "small and lovely truths of life" which humans have lost the ability to recognize. With Old Turtle’s guidance, the girl learns to hear the language of the breezes. Old Turtle tells the girl that the broken truth will only be mended when one person meets another person different from his or herself, and in that person sees and hears his or herself. Every person is important, according to Old Turtle, and "the world was made for each of us."

Before she departs, Old Turtle gives the girl a gift, which she has been saving for the right person. The girl accepts it, but isn’t sure what to do with it.

When she returns to her people, the girl tries to share the lessons she has learned with them and to show them the language of the breezes, but they don’t believe her and refuse to listen. The girl is frustrated until she sees Crow flying around the high tower where the cherished broken truth is kept. Realizing the significance of Old Turtle’s gift, she climbs up to the broken truth and fits the broken bit of stone received from Old Turtle against it. The book’s text does not spell out the results, but Muth’s illustration shows that the two pieces come together to form a heart-shaped rock, which reads, "You Are Loved—And So Are They."

This of course surprises the warring groups of people, and individuals react differently at first. Some are simply stunned, others laugh, and some cry when they read the message on the now restored truth. In time, this new found knowledge brings an end to their wars and the people learn once again to recognize the many beautiful truths that surround them, and to hear the language of the breezes. This story ends as all Old Turtle stories do—observing the changes from her vantage point at the center of the world, Old Turtle smiles.

Unlike the first Old Turtle story, no god is explicitly mentioned, and this fact, along with the universal nature of the lessons contained within the story, mean that it will appeal to children of many different cultures and belief systems. Even the message on the "whole" truth doesn’t necessarily mean a particular divine being loves everyone; it really only encourages the reader to realize that everyone has value to someone. In fact, the story need not be related to any religious beliefs at all, and I think it would even be a valuable addition to lessons about environmental responsibility. The ideas of respect, tolerance and compassion for all people, the special quality of all individuals, that there are many truths all around us, and that nature is beautiful and worthwhile in its own right, are values that I think almost anyone would like to instill in their children, regardless of cultural or spiritual differences. Wood conveys these ideas in a simple, straightforward story that feels gentle and not preachy, despite the power of the messages. When I first read this story, I found the simple presentation of the "whole" truth via Muth’s illustration very moving and elegant. An adult sharing the story with a child could prompt the child to read what the truth says in the painting, and then ask that child what he or she thinks it means, allowing that child to discover the truth just as the people in the story did.

Muth’s watercolors use rich colors that help set the serious tone of the story. Sometimes only a small painting is included with the text, sometimes a big two-page spread is used, and at other times only a few words appear on a page with no illustration, to emphasize the significance of those words. I found it interesting that Muth depicts the animals in a very realistic way, while the people are very stylized with elongated bodies, particularly their limbs. This implies that the people are somehow not as real or as in touch with reality as the animals are, a notion implied in the story as well. My toddler daughter loved looking at the illustrations, particularly those of animals, since she enjoys identifying animals. She was especially delighted by Old Turtle.

Having a daughter and being a woman, I also found it refreshing to see that both Old Turtle and the child who brought about change in the human society were female. These were subtle details (in fact, I had to go back and check to make sure that Old Turtle was actually referred to as "she" somewhere), but they provide the opportunity to teach girls that they have the ability and opportunity to become powerful agents of change and leaders.

Overall, this is a beautiful picture book that gently conveys values I think everyone can appreciate—peace, compassion and respect for the world we all share.