'The Hare and the Tortoise', an illustration by John Vernon Lord
in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989, page 69.
The Text:
The Hare and the Tortoise
A HARE one day ridiculed the short
feet and slow pace of the Tortoise. The latter, laughing said: “Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat
you in a race.” The Hare, deeming her
assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed
that the Fox should choose the course and fix the goal. On the day appointed for the race they
started together. The Tortoise never for
a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end
of the course. The Hare, trusting top his native swiftness cared little about
the race, and lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last waking up, and moving as fast as he
could, he saw the Tortoise had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing
after her fatigue.
Text: George Fyler Townsend (p9, 1868).
Selected parallels: La
Fontaine 6/10. L’Estrange 1/133. Chambry 352. Perry 226. Daly 226. TMI K11.3.
Moral: It is always possible for hard-working, less gifted people to overtake those who are more naturally talented but smug and lazy at the same time.
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