The tortoise in ‘The Hare and the Tortoise’ may have been wise enough to not overexert himself and ultimately win the race against the hare, but not all fictional tortoises have happy endings.

In Greek mythology, the oread (mountain nymph) Chelone refused to attend the wedding of Zeus and Hera. In one version, she preferred the comfort of her own home- like a true introvert. As punishment for what was perceived as a slight, she was turned into a tortoise whose ‘home’ is part of its own body. Other versions of the tale suggest Chelone made insulting remarks about the upcoming nuptials and then refused to attend, earning her the wrath of the king of the gods.

We hope you enjoy this tortoise colouring sheet, which was created from a study drawing of a tortoise by the artist Walter Crane (1845-1915). We have many study drawings by Walter Crane, who frequently sketched animals throughout his career. Anthropomorphic animals featured heavily in his illustration work, for books written by other authors and as well as those he wrote himself.

Steph hand traced an image of Crane’s drawing, and the tracing was then transformed into one of our summer colouring sheets.

Download your free colouring sheet below: