diff -r 260f3ad7af4b Lib/lib-tk/turtle.py
--- a/Lib/lib-tk/turtle.py	Thu Aug 09 23:04:42 2012 -0500
+++ b/Lib/lib-tk/turtle.py	Fri Aug 10 12:24:09 2012 -0430
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@
             if isinstance(data, list):
                 data = tuple(data)
         elif type_ == "image":
-            if isinstance(data, str):
+            if isinstance(data, basestring):
                 if data.lower().endswith(".gif") and isfile(data):
                     data = TurtleScreen._image(data)
                 # else data assumed to be Photoimage
@@ -1098,7 +1098,7 @@
         """
         if len(color) == 1:
             color = color[0]
-        if isinstance(color, str):
+        if isinstance(color, basestring):
             if self._iscolorstring(color) or color == "":
                 return color
             else:
@@ -2602,7 +2602,7 @@
     def _cc(self, args):
         """Convert colortriples to hexstrings.
         """
-        if isinstance(args, str):
+        if isinstance(args, basestring):
             return args
         try:
             r, g, b = args
@@ -3228,7 +3228,7 @@
         """
         #print "dot-1:", size, color
         if not color:
-            if isinstance(size, (str, tuple)):
+            if isinstance(size, (basestring, tuple)):
                 color = self._colorstr(size)
                 size = self._pensize + max(self._pensize, 4)
             else: