for your Story Bank
Title: Hare and the Tortoise
Story Form: Fable (Aesop’s) 1
Key Elements: Hare boasts of his speed. Tortoise challenges. Raceday. Arrogant hare takes a nap. Tortoise plods on, wins.
Tags: hare and the tortoise. aesop’s fable. parable. slow and steady wins the race. underdog story. perseverance beats talent.
Photo by Another Believer - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 2
Hare and the Tortoise
The Hare was once boasting of his speed before the other animals. “I have never yet been beaten,” said he, “when I put forth my 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 beaten,” answered the Tortoise. “Shall we race?”
So, a course was fixed and a start was made. 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 winning-post and could not run up in time to save the race.
The version of Aesop’s fable is taken from the FCIT website.