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The Tortoise and the Hare

The Tortoise and the Hare had a great debate one hot summer-day about who could
win a race. The Tortoise never gave it much thought, but the Hare was taunting him
and what could he do?

"Laugh at me if you will, but you will see", he thought to himself. The Hare chuckled
at the thought on that lazy day: the outcome was certain. A tortoise in a race? How
silly! In fact, he thought the whole idea was so silly that he rolled and rolled and
rolled with laughter. He really enjoyed a good joke at someone else's expense.

The Tortoise thought it no funny matter and looked askance at the Hare for no one
ever laughed at the Tortoise in that way; he was just too independent and self-con-
tained with his shell and all. But that is what all the animals who came by did. This
only made the proud and independent tortoise all the more determined to win the
race knowing who laughs last, laughs best.

The Hare liked to hop about here and there never really going anywhere, but always
out of breath and in a hurry.

The hilarity of it all created such a fuss and attracted so much attention that the Hare
had to accept to run the race though he was tired from laughing so very much in the
midday sun for surely he had won the race before it even had started. The thought
made him so very tired that he knew he needed a nap.

The Fox and the Owl were among the animals who came to watch the display and joined
in the laughter. But the Owl could see how the pigheaded Tortoise could win this race for
he knew him well and mentioned it to the Fox. "Not a chance!" howled the Fox. The Owl
blinked his disapproval at the Fox's rashness for he knew that what seems obvious might
not always turn out to be that obvious in the end and therefore, said: "Let's wait and see."
And so you see an owl is truly wise. :-P

Then came shouts of go! go! go! The course was laid out: through the trees into the
clearing, over the hill, around the field, and back along the fence to the cart.

The Hare made a dashing sprint with much bravura, but once everyone was out of sight
he felt he just had to eat and rest at least a bit and unfortunately fell asleep.

Meanwhile the Tortoise slowly, but surely made his way past the Hare and wished him a
splendidly long sleep. The animals along the way kept track of the progress of each one.
News of who had won was late in coming. What had gone wrong? "The Hare is a slacker",
they started to say and "It is doubtful now that he'll win the day: yet, he's so fast and an
obvious winner", they remarked.

But who was the first to cross the winner's line? The Tortoise and not the Hare who was
seen playing catch-up at the last minute and cried out from afar: "NOT FAIR, NOT FAIR!"
And everyone present roared with laugher as the Hare came darting from behind. But it
was too late. His chum who had set up the race had won by a little more than a hair,
but he won.

"Now, you see", hooted the Owl to the Fox, "the outcome is never obvious to anyone."
The Owl meant his comment to be a warning for the Fox was known to like to take
chances unnecessarily and surely would lose his prized tail one day because every-
one knows a fox can be out-foxed in the end.