Aesop: The Hare and The Tortoise.
Look at me! said the hare to the other animals.
Look how fast I can run! The hare ran across a field as fast as he could. All the animals agreed that, yes, the hare was very fast. The hare ran back. See, he shouted, I'm not even out of breath.
Yeah, that was fast, said the fox. So, who wants a race? said the hare. Anybody think they can beat me? None of the animals spoke. See? said the hare, You're all too scared to even try! Uh, I'll have a go...said the tortoise. The hare laughed. You??? The slowest creature in the whole world? I'm not wasting my time racing a tortoise!
What's the matter? said the tortoise, Scared I might beat you? Some of the animals laughed at that, so the hare said: Oh, alright then tortoise, let's have a race right now, then we'll see who's laughing! Not today, said the tortoise, we'll race next week. I've got to do a bit of training first.
Next morning, the animals watched the tortoise do his training. First, he did some gentle stretching, exercises to warm himself up. Eugh,,oh,,ergh...
And then he started to run. Has he started running yet? asked the fox? Hard to tell with tortoises, said the badger. He's definitely moving. Is he? said the fox. Tortoise, are you sure about this? said the crow. Don't worry, said the tortoise, this is just day one. I'll speed up, you'll see.
On the day of the race, crowds of animals came to watch. The tortoise slowly made his way to the starting line, and then suddenly, The hare arrived at top speed wearing a brand new tracksuit, and four expensive-looking trainers.
The race starts here, said the fox, pointing to a line on the ground, and ends at that tree at the other side of the field. First one to touch the tree is the winner. Right, let's get on with it! said the hare. Ready tortoise? Ready to see some real speed? I'm ready, said the tortoise.
Ready...steady...go! Said the fox, and the race began. The hare roared off, and then stopped and looked back. the tortoise was still crossing the starting-line. The hare ran back to the tortoise. Didn't you hear him say go? You can start, you know.
I have started, said the Tortoise. Look, said the hare, you're going so slowly, I'm going to have a rest. Might even have a little sleep. I'll finish the race when I wake up, and still beat you by miles.
The hare lay down in the sun and fell asleep. The tortoise kept going. Slowly, steadily, he moved across the field and by evening-time, he was getting close to the finishing-tree.
Still, the hare slept on, and now the animals were starting to get excited. You know what, I think he might win. said a rabbit. Ican't beleive it, said the badger, the tortoise might actually win! The animals started to get excited, and as the tortoise got close to the finishing-tree, they started to cheer. Come on, Tortoise! they shouted, Nearly there! Keep going our friend, keep going!
But the noise of the cheering crowd woke up the hare. He looked across the field, saw the tortoise about to reach the tree, and in a flash, he was running. The tortoise heard the hare thundering up behind him, but he kept going...and going, and suddenly...he was there! Just in time, the tortoise touched the tree with his nose. He'd done it! The tortoise had beaten the hare, fair and square!
There you go, said the badger, slow and steady's sometimes better than fast and flashy. Not fair! said the hare, I was asleep! We have to run the race again, it's not fair! But no-one was listening... to the hare.
I think this is the best-known of all Aesop's tales. It's probably been heard by almost every English-speaking child in the world, and no doubt in many other languages.