A Hare vainly boasting of her great speed in running, and casting a
look of disdain upon a Tortoise, that was slowly moving along, What
a poor crawling thing are you! said she: I can go over a territory
of country with the velocity of the wind, while you are an hour in
accomplishing a journey of half a furlong. In a race I could leave you
twenty miles behind me, in the time you were about reaching the end of
one. I don’t know that, said the Tortoise, and will give you a trial.
Upon this, a match was made to run a certain distance, and the Fox, who
had heard the dispute, was chosen umpire of the race. They then started
together, and away went the Hare with great swiftness, and soon left
the Tortoise out of sight, and thinking herself certain of winning the
race, she made a jest of the matter, squatted down in a tuft of fern,
and took a nap, concluding she could easily make up the lost ground,
should the Tortoise at any time pass by. Indulging in this security,
she over-slept herself, until the Tortoise, in a continued steady pace,
arrived first at the fixed distance, and won the race.