Subject: We were charged by a tortoise
From: John Burrage
Newsgroups: alt.religion.kibology
This story is as true as it is terrifying.
Last Sunday, we all went to the zoo. After a leisurely hour or so, we found ourselves at the Radiated Tortoise enclosure. The enclosure
consisted of a waist high concrete wall surrounding a small grassed area in which two or three tortoises quietly grazed.
This idyllic scene was rudely interrupted, however, when one of the tortoises charged us. It had been quietly munching on grass, or
perhaps sleeping, when suddenly without warning it started charging madly across the grass, straight towards us, as fast as it could go.
I was holding my daughter at the time, and my first thoughts were for her and my safety because the only thing separating us from the
enraged beast was the flimsy concrete barricade and a pile of juicy cabbage leaves that had just been tossed into the enclosure.
Well, my heart was in my mouth as my life flashed before my eyes. I stood rooted to the spot, willing legs to move but to no avail. I was
paralysed with fear, and just watched the incoming tortoise for about 20 minutes until we became bored and wandered off to look at the
elephants.
I allowed myself one look back, and the sight of that tortoise brutally devouring the cabbage leaves was one I will probably forget quite quickly.