"The Rabbit and the Tortoise"

In a lively forest, filled with tall trees, rustling leaves, and the chatter of animals, lived a rabbit who was known throughout the woods for being incredibly fast. He would race through the trees, leap over logs, and run circles around other animals. The rabbit was proud of his speed—maybe a little too proud.

Every day, he would boast to the animals, “No one can beat me. I’m the fastest animal in the forest!” The deer rolled their eyes, the foxes ignored him, and the birds flew away, tired of hearing the same thing over and over. But the rabbit didn’t care. He loved the attention.

One afternoon, as the rabbit bragged once again near the forest clearing, a slow, steady voice spoke up.

“I think I can beat you in a race,” said the tortoise.

The forest went quiet. Everyone turned to look.

The rabbit stared at the tortoise, then burst into laughter. “You? Beat me? Don’t make me laugh! You move like a rock!”

“Maybe,” said the tortoise calmly. “But I’m willing to try. Let’s race.”

The animals buzzed with excitement. A race between the fastest and the slowest animal in the forest? This was something worth watching. The rabbit, still laughing, agreed. “Fine. We’ll race tomorrow morning. From the big oak tree to the riverbank.”

The tortoise nodded. “I’ll be there.”

The next morning, animals gathered along the path. Squirrels perched on branches, deer stood beside the trail, and birds circled overhead. Even the wise old owl came to watch. The squirrel waved a leaf as a flag to signal the start.

“On your marks… get set… go!”

The rabbit dashed off like a flash of lightning, disappearing into the trees. Dust flew behind him, and in seconds, he was out of sight. The tortoise, however, took one small step… then another… and another. He moved slowly, but without stopping.

Meanwhile, the rabbit ran and ran until he couldn’t see or hear anyone behind him. Confident he was far ahead, he stopped under a shady tree to rest.

“This is too easy,” he said, lying down. “That tortoise is probably still at the starting line. I have plenty of time.”

So the rabbit stretched out under the tree and quickly dozed off, snoring softly.

Back on the trail, the tortoise kept going. Step by step. Slow but steady. He didn’t stop to rest or look back. He didn’t rush. He just kept walking.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, the tortoise passed the sleepy rabbit, who was still dreaming of winning the race. The other animals watched in surprise as the tortoise quietly moved forward.

After a long nap, the rabbit woke up with a yawn. “Time to finish this race!” he said, shaking himself awake. He bounced back onto the trail and ran at full speed. But as he neared the finish line, he saw something that made him freeze.

The tortoise was just a few steps from the riverbank.

“No way!” shouted the rabbit, racing faster than ever. But it was too late.

The tortoise took his final steps and crossed the finish line.

The forest erupted in cheers. The animals clapped, cheered, and gathered around the tortoise, amazed by what they had seen.

The rabbit reached the finish line seconds later, panting and confused. “How did this happen?”

The tortoise smiled kindly and said, “You were fast, but I was steady. I never stopped. I didn’t rush, and I didn’t sleep. I just kept going.”

The rabbit lowered his ears, embarrassed. “I thought I had plenty of time. I shouldn’t have taken the race for granted.”

“Speed can be useful,” the tortoise said gently, “but patience and determination matter just as much.”

From that day on, the rabbit learned to respect others and never to underestimate anyone—no matter how slow they might seem. And the tortoise became a quiet hero, reminding everyone in the forest of an important truth:

Slow and steady wins the race.