The Hare and The Tortise

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The Hare and The Tortise

Slow and steady wins the race.

The Hare was once boasting of his speed: "I have never been beaten," said he, "when I go full speed. I challenge any one here to race with me."

The Tortoise said quietly, "I accept your challenge."

"That is a good joke," said the Hare; "I could dance round you all the way."

"Keep your boasting till you've won," answered the Tortoise. "Shall we race?"

So a course was fixed and the race started. The Hare darted almost out of sight at once, but soon stopped and, to show his contempt for the Tortoise, lay down to have a nap. The Tortoise plodded on and plodded on, and when the Hare awoke from his nap, he saw the Tortoise just near the finish line and could not run up in time to save the race.

Townsend version

A Hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise, who replied, laughing: "Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race." The Hare, believing her assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed that the Fox should choose the course and fix the goal. On the day appointed for the race the two started together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. The Hare, lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after her fatigue.

Moral

Slow but steady wins the race.

L'Estrange version

What a dull heavy creature (says a hare) is this same tortoise! And yet (says the tortoise) I'll run with you for a wager. 'Twas done and done, and the fox, by consent, was to be the judg. They started together, and the tortoise kept jogging on still, 'till he came to the end of the course. The hare lay'd himself down about midway, and took a nap; for, says he, I can fetch up the tortoise when I please: but he over-slept himself it seems, for when he came to wake, though he scudded away as fast as 'twas possible, the tortoise got to the post before him, and won the wager.

Moral

Up and be doing, is an edifying text; for action is the bus'ness of life, and there's no thought of ever coming to the end of our journey in time, if we sleep by the way.

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