Once upon a time there was a Tortoise and a Hare. The Tortoise was friendly and quiet and did everything very slowly. The Hare was a showoff and did everything very quickly.
The Hare liked to make fun of all the animals in the forest, but he especially liked to tease the Tortoise about being so slow!
When the Tortoise ate his breakfast the Hare would say to him, “By the time you finish eating your food it will be time for dinner!
And when he watched the Tortoise working in his garden he would laugh and tease him by saying, “By the time you pick up all those weeds, new ones will have grown in their place!”
All the animals in the forest were tired of hearing the Hare brag about his speed, especially the Tortoise.
So, one day, just as the Hare was laughing at his slow speed yet again the Tortoise answered him back for the very first time, “Hare, I challenge you to a race!” he said in his slow and steady voice.
All the animals in the forest were astonished for they knew that the Tortoise was the slowest of them all.
The Hare immediately burst into laughter and cried out, “What a joke! That slow coach thinks he can beat me! Come on Mr. Tortoise, you shall see what my feet are made of. Why I could beat you before you have even started!” “We will see,” said the Tortoise as he watched the Hare roll about on the floor laughing.
The challenge was set, and a route was planned.
Early in the morning as the sun came up in the sky the Tortoise and the Hare stood at the starting line. All the animals in the forest gathered around to watch the race.
The Tortoise and the Hare were ready to start as the crowd began to count down, 3-2-1-GO.
With speed, the Hare leapt forward in great leaps and bounds and in no time at all he had left the plodding Tortoise far behind on the dusty road.
After a short while the Hare stopped and looked behind him. He could not see the Tortoise anymore. “Hum-m, I’ve as good as won this race,” the Hare thought to himself. “There’s really no reason to hurry.”
So, as the sun was very warm, he decided to rest a bit under a shady tree. “I’ll finish the race way ahead of that Tortoise” he told himself.
And very soon the Hare was sound asleep, and his little snooze stretched into a good long nap.
Meanwhile the Tortoise jogged steadily along on the hot and dusty road, ever so slowly, but surely, until soon he passed the Hare who was still peacefully sleeping.
Quietly the Tortoise plodded on towards the finish line. As he reached the end of the race all of the other animals started to cheer for him.
At that very point the Hare woke from his deep sleep with a jolt. He could now see the Tortoise in front of him but only as a small speck in the distance.
Quickly the Hare jumped to his feet. He leaped and bounded at a great rate, gasping for breath as he raced to catch up.
Just a little more and he’d be the first to the finish. But the Hare’s last leap was too late, for the Tortoise had beaten him to the winning post.
Tired and embarrassed the Hare slumped down beside the Tortoise. “How did you beat me?” he asked. “Slow and steady wins the race!” said the Tortoise with a smile on his face, “Slow and steady”.
And from that day on, the Hare never laughed at the Tortoise again.
The end
To watch the animated video of this Fairy Tale on the Oxbridge Baby YouTube Channel click here (please note these links take you to an external website).