The Global Stereotypes Series: the Tortoise

The Tortoise is not one to ever willingly stick his neck out as he is overly fond of his hard shell and clings to it for protection at all costs. Painfully shy and somewhat reclusive following a distressing encounter with an especially vicious bird of prey in his younger days, the Tortoise will never willingly reveal his soft underbelly to anyone.

Even when his lumberingly slow transit through life causes him to blindly bump into an especially tasty morsel, the Tortoise is far more likely to retreat than advance. And as for anything unusual or different... however tempting it may be, the Tortoise is still loathe to stick his neck out. "Better the devil you know," he mutters to himself as he snaps his armour into place and heads for the comforting familiarity of his favorite herbaceous border.

What to do if you unwittingly fall in love with a Tortoise? Familiarity through repeated exposure and large amounts of kindness may eventually cause him to drop his guard - but don't count on it. Gentle tickling may help (even a Tortoise has a sense of humour... if you can find it), administered with lots of loving patience - and be warned, you'll need spades of it if you want to win this slow and steady race.

You may find, though, that the hard work required to penetrate this particular shell is not commensurate with the final reward. Perhaps you should simply cut your losses and look for a less fearful and more dynamic object upon which to shower your affections instead...