Slow and Steady

The sun slid across the sky. The tortoise tiptoed past the sleeping hare and kept on climbing.

At the top of the hill, the animals began to cheer. “Come on, tortoise! You’re almost there!”

All that noise woke the hare. He jumped up, stretched, and looked around. Then he froze. The tortoise was nearly at the old oak tree!

He ran faster than he had ever run in his life, but it was too late. The tortoise’s nose touched the oak first.

“I did it!” she said, smiling, a little out of breath.

The hare skidded to a stop, panting. His cheeks felt warm. Then he laughed, just a little. “You did. I was so sure I would win that I forgot to keep going. Well done.”

The tortoise smiled again. “Slow and steady wins the race.”

Then the two of them sat down together in the shade of the oak and shared a big, juicy leaf.