The Hare and the Turtle.
There was once a hare who always boasted
about how fast he could run.
I am the fastest animal in the forest, he said.
No one offered to race him until the turtle spoke up.
I will race you,
he said in his slow turtle voice.
You,
the hare laughed,
you are the slowest animal of all.
All the animals gathered to watch the race.
The hare bounded forward,
leaving the turtle in a cloud of dust.
Soon the hare looked back.
The turtle was so far behind that the hare couldn't see him.
I will just sit down and rest, said the hare.
I will easily win, even if I rest a while.
But resting made the hare sleepy.
His eyes slowly closed and he fell asleep.
The turtle crawled past the hare without a sound.
When the hare awoke,
the turtle was
plodding patiently across the finish line.
The hare did not boast about his speed again,
at least not for a very long time.