Legend One

Once upon a time, many years ago there was a man who was of good and noble character, without a trace of impurity in his thoughts. Unfortunately all about him he saw persons with vulgar minds unable to think of anything, except in sexual terms. He bemoaned his inability to find others with a similar high mindness, to his own. Like a turtle, he retreated into his shell.

Then one day, while partaking of a pint of ale (for purely medicinal purposes of course), he realized that there must be others like him. Forced into bars, and saloons, imbibing alcohol as a balm for the ills inflicted by obscene and vulgar persons. He resolved to locate all the other pure minded individuals that he could, even if this meant spending his every waking hour crawling from one bar to the next. This was the beginning of the Turtles. He embarked upon this quest with vigor and determination, but since he was a man of limited means, quickly ran out of money.

Then one day, he got a tip on a horse running at long odds at the local track. The problem was that he had no money left with which to gamble. So, in desperation he wagered his last and most prized possession a donkey, which he had raised from birth. Now this donkey was a particularly gentle and temperate animal, with a loving disposition. To lose his donkey would have been devastating, and yet what choice was there if the quest was to continue? Fortunately, he won the wager, and with the money was able to continue in his search for many more years, and begin the Association of Turtles we know today. 

And so, to commemorate this event, all members of this esteemed organization when asked, "Are You a Turtle?" must respond immediately without hesitation or fear of embarrassment, in a voice as loud and clear as the voice of the questioner: the password of the organization.  Failure to do so at anytime, will be penalized by having to buy whatever beverage for the one who asked the question.

Now the Turtle "degree" *smile* is not just given to the Masonic family, it was originally given among the teaching profession and has grown into the Masonic family.  Anyone can be initiated as a turtle.