The Lesson of the Tortoise is a TADS 2 work of interactive fiction and is © 1997 by G. Kevin Wilson.
You play as Wang Lo, a Chinese farmer. Alas, you shall learn that your wife has been unfaithful and desires your death.
This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 2 of the work.
The Road Home
> author.
> x tortoise. flip tortoise.
> x me. i. x hoe. s.
Outside Your Home
> kill serpent. e.
Downstairs
You may examine the paintings and shrine.
> u.
In your bedroom, you see your wife, Su, in bed with one of the farmhands, Long Gen. Long Gen knocks you out, and you wake up in...
The Cellar (west side)
You no longer have the hoe.
> x chest. open chest. x puzzle box.
> push sun. push moon. push sun. pull panel.
> x cookie. eat cookie.
The ghost of your grandfather, Wang Chow, tells you about a loose stone in the south wall here. He gives you a magic pebble that lets who holds it talk to animals. And lastly, he tells you that your son, Li, is truly your son and can be trusted.
> x pebble. e.
The Cellar (east side)
Searching the dress won't help you find the chopstick.
> x dress. take dress. unfold dress.
> x chopstick. take it. w.
The Cellar (west side)
> scrape stone with chopstick. s.
Your Garden
Don't forget about your magic pebble!
> x tortoise. talk to tortoise.
The Pond
You are now a carp!
> take pebble. x me. z.
After three turns in the pond, you are caught!
Your Garden, in a bucket carried by Wang Su
> x Su. x bucket. x trees. z.
The Kitchen, in a bucket
If you don't get Min's aid, she'll eventually kill you for the evening meal.
> x Min. give pebble to Min. talk to Min.
> Min, take bucket.
> Min, n.
Downstairs, in a bucket carried by Min
> x Li.
> Min, give pebble to Li.
> talk to Li.
> full. amusing. quit.
This walkthrough is provided free of charge since I wrote this walkthrough prior to January 2015 when I began my Patreon account. I've since reformatted this walkthrough to use my currently preferred style. I hope you enjoy it!
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