On Earth, the "World Turtle" is a mythology shared by three separate cultures. While the specifics of the myth vary based on local religious beliefs and superstitions, the essential element of the myth is that the planet, or in one case a single continent, rests on the back of a turtle. Supposedly, movement of the part of this turtle, either through space or through the ocean, is responsible for natural disasters or inclement weather.
[A pause.]
As a myth, I believe it is meant to reinforce respect for the environment. To prevent disturbances to the organism upon which the known world is believed to rest.
[Another pause, as he remember something else from trawling the internet for his reading lessons.]
The myth is also cited in modern popular culture, in which a fictional world known as "Discworld" rests upon four tusked mammals known as "Elephants" which in turn stand upon the back of a giant turtle.
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[A pause.]
As a myth, I believe it is meant to reinforce respect for the environment. To prevent disturbances to the organism upon which the known world is believed to rest.
[Another pause, as he remember something else from trawling the internet for his reading lessons.]
The myth is also cited in modern popular culture, in which a fictional world known as "Discworld" rests upon four tusked mammals known as "Elephants" which in turn stand upon the back of a giant turtle.