Anewtakeonanoldtale.

SpeedytheHaregiveshisversionofhisfamousracewiththetortoiseandhe
wouldlikeyoutoknowthat,whateveryoumayhaveheard,heisthefastestcreatureonthefarm.
Truly!
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AdaptationbyBertie.
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Hello.MynameisSpeedy,andforgoodreason.Ivegotlong,longlegsandIcanreallygo!Youcan
catchmeifyoucanbutIdontthinkyouwill.
Inarace,Icomefirst.Always.Inever,neverlose.Wellalright,therewasthatonetimethatItookthe
silvermedalbutitonlyeverhappenedonce.Itssounfairthatpeoplekeepgoingonaboutit.Iblame
thatAesop.Hestheonewhowroteitalldown.
IthappenedinMarch,andthatsthetimeofyearthatweharesgoabitcrazyyouknow.Weresobusy
springingintheSpringthatsometimesourthoughtsjustcantquitekeepupwithourlegs.Look,Ill
tellyouwhathappenedjustsothatyouunderstandthatitwasntreallymyfault.Itcouldhave
happenedtoanyone.
Doyouknowthatoldtortoisewholivesinthenextfield?Hessoslow,thatthefirsttimeIsawhimI
thoughthewasarock.Infact,Iveseenrocksthatmovefasterthanhecan.Hisheadlookslike,well,a
cabbage,andhisfeetlooklikeBrusselssprouts.Quitefrankly,hesaridiculouscreature.
OnedayIwasleapingaroundthefieldsandhewasjustwatchingme,andnoddingthatcabbagelike
headofhis.Ibounceduptohimandsaid:Comeonyoulazyoldthing,isthatalltheexerciseyou
take?Justnoddingalldaylong?Imsurprisedyoudontnodofftosleep.
Thetortoisedidntanswer.Hismouthwasfullofgrassandhewaschewingveryslowly.
Justthenafoxpoppedoutofthehedgerow.Hescratchedhisfleabitesandsaid:Dontyouknowthat
thetortoisehibernates?
Hiberwhats?Iasked.
Hibernates,saidthefoxagain.Itmeansthathegoestosleepforthewholewinter.
HA!SleepsForthewholewinter!Isaid.Thatsincredible.Hemustbethelaziestcreaturealive.
Infact,itshardlyfairtosayheisalive.Ifhewasdeaditwouldbehardtotellthedifference.
Itwasalltooeasytomockthetortoise.Hecouldntbebotheredeventostickupforhimself.Hejust
keptonmunching,soslowly.
Butthefox,whosabigknowitall,repliedforhim:
Mostlikelyhewillbearoundafterwearebothlonggone.Tortoisescanliveforover100years.
Ahundredyears!Iexclaimed.Justnodding,chewing,andoccasionallyplodding.Idgetboredout
ofmymind.Ihavetorunandjumpandwinraces.Ifyouvegotspeed,thenyoucanreallyknowthat
yourealive!
Thenthatwilyoldfoxsaid:Illlayabetthatthetortoisecanbeatyouinarace.Notaquickdashof
course.Heshardlyasprinterbutaproperraceoveragooddistance.Say,uptothetopofthathill
andback.Idontbelieveyoullbeathiminaracelikethat.
Pah!Isaid.Illbeatthatoldtortoiseoveranydistance,anyday,anytime.
ThatshowIgotmyselfintothatinfamousracewiththetortoise.Thefoxarrangeditallforusthenext
dayatnoon.Thesunwashighinthesky,andtheheatwasscorching.Itwasmorelikesummerthan
spring.
Allthelocalcreaturescametoseethefun.Thecrowscawedandthecowsmunchedliketheynormally
do.Youcouldtellthatsomethinginterestingwasgoingtohappenbecausetheywereswishingtheir
tails,andnotjusttokeepthefliesoff.Itwasthebiggestthingtohappenaroundthesepartsforages.
Ofcoursealmosteveryonewasbackingmetowin.Youonlyhadtolookatmelean,fit,withaterrific
bounceinmystep.AndthenlookatHIManold,cabbagehead,withagreatshellonhisback.Iwas
theclearfavourite.Onlythefoxwasbackingthetortoise.Hewastakingbetsoffhiscronies,thebadger
andtherat.IfIwon,hewoulddothemamonthofservicesandfavours.Andifthetortoisewon,they

wouldhavetoworkforhimforawholemonth.Thebadgerandtheratthoughtthefoxmusthavegone
softintheheadtomakesuchasillybet.
Atlastthefoxcalledout:Ready,Steady,Go!Ihungaroundforamomenttoseethetortoiselumber
offthestartingline,buthewastakingsolongaboutitthatIgotboredandshotofftowardsthehill.I
wasflyingacrossthefield,butImustsay,thehillwasalongway.EvenIcouldntgetthereina
moment.AttheendofthefieldIlookedovermyshoulderandsawthatthetortoisehadhardlygotten
started.Idsayhistopspeedwasaboutonemileperweek.Ihadnodoubtatallthatvictorywasmine.
Icrossedanotherthreefields,andatlastIgottothehillandIstartedtomakemywayup.Itwas
toughergoingnow,andmylegswerestartingtofeellessspringythanusual.Itookanotherlookback
andsawthatthetortoisewasonlyhalfwayacrossthefirstfield.Idecidedtostopforabreatheranda
bitofachuckle.
Howdidthefoxeverthinkthattheoldcabbageheadcouldbeatme?DoesntheknowthatImspeedy
byname,speedybynature?AndIthoughthewassmart!
Infact,justtoshowhimhowconfidentIwasofwinning,Isatdown.Givetheoldlumberalonga
sportingchance,Isaidtomyself.Andwhenhegetsnear,Illdashoffagain.Thatwillmaketherace
moreentertaining.

Istretchedoutandchewedonalongpieceofjuicygrass.Iknewoneofthebeadyeyedcrowswould
seemeandreportbacktothecrowdhowIwassofaraheadthatIcouldaffordtotakethingseasy.In
fact,Ithoughtitwouldntdoanyharmjusttoclosemyeyesforamomentortwo.Myeyelidscertainly
werefeelingabitheavyafterrunninguphillunderahotsun.Infact,Ithoughtthat40winkswould
refreshme,andIwouldsetoffallthefasterwhenIgotgoingagain.
Oh!Howpleasantitwastoliedownonsuchagloriousday.Thegrasshoppersweresingingandthe
breezewasrustlingeversogentlyinthetrees.SoonIwasdreamingofvictory.Theywouldbetalking
aboutthisonthefarmforweeks.Butdear,dearme.Imusthavewellandtrulydozedoff,because
whenIwokeup,Ishivered.Thesunwasgoingdown,andtheairwasabitcooler.Foramoment,I
couldntrememberwhereIwas,andthenIrecalledtherace.Istoodupandscannedthehillbelowfor
sightofthetortoise.Perhapshehadjustdonethelogicalthingandgivenupandgonebackhome.SoI
startedtojoguptothetopofthehill,andthenrungentlybackdownagain.Stillnosignofmyrival.
ItwasalmostdarkwhenIgotbacktothefarmgateandthefinishingline.Thecowshadgoneofftobe
milked,andonlythefox,thebadger,andtheratwerewaitingforme.
Helloguys,Isaid.Whatsmyprize?
Whatsyourprize?Saidthebadger.Yourprizeisthatweareworkingforthefoxforamonth.
GRRRR!saidtherat,reallyquiteangrily.Youvewellandtrulyletusdown.YoumightbeSpeedy
byname,butyouredeadlazybynature.Beatenbya100yearoldslowcoach.Itsdisgusting,truly
disgusting.
Onlytheoldfoxhadaslygrinonhisface.
Thankyouhare,hesaid.Youveprovedmeright,asIusuallyam.Thetortoiseploddedinhomejust
overanhourago.Itonlygoestoshowthatslowandsteadyalwayswinstherace.

SonowyouknowallabouttheoneandonlytimethatIcamelessthanfirstinarace.Ofcourseyou
shouldntgosupposingthatthetortoiseisfasterthanme.Itwasjustaoneoffkindofdisaster.Imean,
oversleepinglikethat?Itcouldhavehappenedtoanyone.Imstillthefastestcreatureonthefarmand
dontletanyonetellyoudifferent.
WellImustdash.Notimetohangaroundchattinglikethis.Catchyoulater!
AndthatwasthestoryofTheHareandtheTortoise,astoldbytheHare.