A
Hare was making fun of the Tortoise one day for being
so slow.
"Do you ever get anywhere?" he asked
with a mocking laugh.
"Yes," replied the Tortoise, "and I get
there sooner than you think. I'll run you a race and
prove it."
The Hare was much amused at the idea of
running a race with the Tortoise, but for the fun of
the thing he agreed. So the Fox, who had consented to
act as judge, marked the distance and started the
runners off.
The Hare was soon far out of sight, and
to make the Tortoise feel very deeply how ridiculous
it was for him to try a race with a Hare, he lay down
beside the course to take a nap until the Tortoise
should catch up.
The Tortoise meanwhile kept going
slowly but steadily, and, after a time, passed the
place where the Hare was sleeping. But the Hare slept
on very peacefully; and when at last he did wake up,
the Tortoise was near the goal.
The Hare now ran his swiftest, but he could not
overtake the Tortoise in time.
The
race is not always to the swift.
Library of Congress
Aesop Fables in public domain.
https://www.read.gov/aesop/025.html
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