Once upon a time, a hare and a tortoise lived near the same meadow. The hare was the fastest animal around, and he never let anyone forget it.

"I am the fastest!" he would say, stretching his long legs. "No one can beat me. No one has ever beaten me. No one will ever beat me."

One day, the tortoise had heard quite enough. "I'll race you," she said quietly.

The hare laughed so hard he fell over. "You? Race me? With those stubby little legs? Oh, this will be fun."

All the animals gathered to watch. The fox drew a starting line in the dirt and marked a finish line at the old oak tree, far across the meadow.

"Ready... set... go!"

The hare shot off like an arrow. In seconds, he was already far ahead. He looked back and could barely see the tortoise, still plodding along near the starting line.

"This is too easy," the hare said to himself. "I have time for a little nap." He lay down under a shady tree and closed his eyes. Just a quick rest, he thought.

Meanwhile, the tortoise kept walking. One step after another. She didn't stop. She didn't look back. She didn't hurry. She just kept going.

The hare slept on. The sun moved across the sky. The shadows grew longer.

Step by step by step, the tortoise passed the sleeping hare. She didn't say a word. She just kept going.

When the hare finally woke up, he yawned and stretched. Then he looked toward the finish line — and there was the tortoise, just a few steps away from the old oak tree.

He ran as fast as he could, but it was too late. The tortoise crossed the finish line, and all the animals cheered.

The tortoise looked up at the panting hare and said, simply, "Slow and steady wins the race."

And the hare never bragged quite so much after that.