The Hare and the Tortoise

well sir out in the woods one day a hair was bragging bragging about how fast he could run fastest runner in the woods I am let me tell you once I was out just practicing around ducking through the trees and hopping over logs when a fox started to chase me oh did I show him up and then a dog almost ran over me but did I leave him behind you know I can outrun any animal I dare anyone to race with me the goose thought I wouldn't care to neither would I thought skunky the fox had nothing to say I guess the hair is the champ said the rooster well sir up spoken old tortoise you make me tired Mr hair I'm not afraid I'll race you and I'll win why said the hair you awkward old box on flippers I have a mind to snip your nose why sure I'll race you an easy one to [Music] win well maybe said the owl maybe cried the hair why the slow he barely crawls I could eat half the day and start when he's nearly finished and stopped to take a nap and still beat him across the Finish Line Oho look who's here what can I do for you Mr tortoise I'll tell you the tortoise said that hair over there made me tired with his bragging and so I dared him to race with me now I'm not so fast but I'm sure I may start slow and I may slow but I'll keep going said the owl you're a funny one to run a race the owl asked the fox to lay out a course for the race make it hard he said first they'll run along this path thought the fox underneath this tree mhm and now where past this clump of tall grass and through this hollow log and over these rocks and P pretty tough for racing but the owl said make it hard and now where ah I know I know the very place I'll have them go across this Brook under the waterfall oh this will be good if the hair slips he'll fall in and get a soaking and the Tortoise is bound to get a bath and next we need a good place for their last run down to the Finish very good very good yes this will do nicely now down between these big trees and we'll end the race let's see uh oh right here at the root of this fallen tree that's it all this time the hair was getting ready for the race cleaning up his paws trimming his nails sleeking back his whiskers and the Tortoise too was getting ready but he was put solid meal after mouthful of his favorite grass to getting his big hind legs ready sure that he would win the race and finally everything's ready the fox will start them off the tortoise digs his feet into the ground on your marks get set Co marks the fox and they're off off goes the tortoise yes he's off but to tell the truth he isn't exactly speeding along just yet the hair sits still a moment then he's off away past the Rock and the grass zipping through the forest the tortois is left far behind already but his legs are working better this may look silly to everyone else he thinks but I just couldn't stand the way that hair bragged look at that white tail flash what a one-sided race now here comes a real test going through the hollow log oh how easy this is already he's halfway the fox is waiting to be sure the runners stay on the course and Mr hair far in the lead looks like the race is no race at all but wait a minute the tortoise is really going now straight and true down the course a but the hair is fast slithering along over the brook and away and the poor plotting tortoise is only now coming to the hollow log up and inside and on to the other end now if he could only hop away uh-oh well it's all in the game but I'm going to beat that high kicking hair he thought if it's the last thing I do so the tortoise went steadily along left right left right left right and the fox heard him coming well thought the fox the hair is far ahead but I'll say one thing that tortoise isn't going to give up he's still in the race but that's not what the hair thought by this time he felt very safely in the lead he couldn't imagine that the tortoise would keep on plotting along so steadily left right left right left right left right and so the foolish hair fell fast asleep I'm going to catch that hair thought the toris if it takes all day but the fox could have picked out an easier course I'm not built for hopping over rocks and Roots well let's see what's this ahead of me I'll get along somehow now wait a minute oh that's not helping my nose a good thing I've got a hard shell and still the foolish hair slept on and dreamed of winning and still the tortoise followed and now he comes right up to the stream under the waterfall he comes right up to the stream and down the bank and on downward into the water ah very Cooling and pleasant good for my aching feet thought the tortoise but I mustn't stop I must I must go on right left right left by this time the silly hair was sound asleep indeed and that is why he did not hear the shell of the tortoise scraping past near by for his long ears were folded back as he dreamed of nibbling a crispy carrot after winning the race and now at last the tortoise can see through the limbs of a Fallen Tree all the animals waiting for the Finish judge owl perched above them the fox watching sleepily tired of waiting there's something whispered the goose something funny about this race judge owl with eyes wide open sees something coming toward him down the course it cannot be the hair he is still enjoying his nap it's the tortoise the clumsy fellow they said didn't have a chance but here he is he's nearing the line Will he win after all now the raccoon is a friend of the sleeping hair he must go find him at once find out what is the matter down out of his tree hurries the raccoon down to the ground he finds the sleeping hair Wake up sleepy head wake up you're going to lose if you don't hurry oh what speed swiftly down toward the finish line but you're too late my friend the tortoise is already across the tortoise wins the race well said the goose well my high stepping friend perhaps you can explain oh alas the hair side if only I hadn't stopped to take a nap said the owl we can learn something from this a tortoise beating a swift running hair it's plain to me that the race is not always to the Swift and perhaps our friend the hair has learned this lesson slow and steady wins the race