Having reached midway to the goal, she began to play about, nibble the young herbage, and amuse herself in many ways. The rivals started, and the Hare, of course, soon left the Tortoise far behind. The Hare, looking on the whole affair as a great joke, consented, and the Fox was selected to act as umpire, and hold the stakes. The Hare, one day, laughing at the Tortoise for his slowness and general unwieldiness, was challenged by the latter to run a race. Thus plain plodding people, we often shall find, Will leave hasty confident people behind. “Well now,” thought the hare when she opened her eyes, “For the race,-and I soon shall have done it ” But who can describe her chagrin and surprise, When she found that the tortoise had won it!
So at last this slow walker came up with the hare, And there fast asleep he did spy her And he cunningly crept with such caution and care, That she woke not, although he passed by her. “Come, tortoise, friend tortoise, walk on,” said the hare “Well, I shall stay here for my dinner Why, ’twill take you a month at that rate to get there, Then how can you hope to be winner?”īut the tortoise could hear not a word that she said, For he was far distant, behind So the hare felt secure whilst at leisure she fed, And took a sound nap when she dined. “Very good,” said the hare said the tortoise, “Proceed, And the fox shall decide who has won.” Then the hare started off with incredible speed But the tortoise walk’d leisurely on. “I am very contented,” the creature replied, “Though I walk but a tortoise’s pace But if you think proper the point to decide, We will run half a mile in a race.” SAID a hare to a tortoise, “Good sir, what a while You have been only crossing the way Why I really believe that to go half a mile You must travel two nights and a day.” The Hare now ran his swiftest, but he could not overtake the Tortoise in time. But the Hare slept on very peacefully and when at last he did wake up, the Tortoise was near the goal. The Tortoise meanwhile kept going slowly but steadily, and, after a time, passed the place where the Hare was sleeping. 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. So the Fox, who had consented to act as judge, marked the distance and started the runners off. The Hare was much amused at the idea of running a race with the Tortoise, but for the fun of the thing he agreed. “Yes,” replied the Tortoise, “and I get there sooner than you think. “Do you ever get anywhere?” he asked with a mocking laugh. A Hare was making fun of the Tortoise one day for being so slow.
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