Hare and the Tortoise Story Summary with Moral Lesson

Hare and Tortoise Short Story Summary:

Can overconfidence be outrun by perseverance? Join the Hare and the Tortoise Story in this classic fable about slow and steady winning the race! A timeless story with a valuable lesson for all ages.

This story goes on to show everyone that hurry, rush has no blessings. Hare knows very well that he can beat tortoise in a running race and challenges him openly. He over takes tortoise immediately after the race begins, but it comes as a surprise when tortoise wins the race.

The hare kept bragging his speedy leg again and again and many of the animals were growing irritated at him. He pulled off the hat from the antelope’s head and took the candy from the little goat kids. He was a bully and because he could run speedy, no one could caught him and stop him

Hare and Tortoise Short Story With Pictures:

One day, the hare began boasting about his legs yet again when he reached the pond of old tortoise. He took a drink and relaxed his legs on a large green rock. Then the rock suddenly moved! It was the old tortoise whose shell he floated on the pond.

“Good morning, hare,” said the tortoise.

“Good morning, tortoise,”said the hare very slowly, mocking the tortoise of his speed.

“Why do you talk like that, hare? Is something wrong with you? ” questioned the tortoise

“No, but you talk very slow, ” said the hare very slowly. And he started laughing very hard.

“I challenge you to a race, then, hare, ” said the tortoise. He got out of the pond and shook the water from his shell. “The first one to arrive at the apple tree on top of that hill would be the winner. ”

The hare wouldn’t believe that he was challenged by a slow tortoise. And he was not merely a slow tortoise; he was an old tortoise, too.

He accepted the contest and gathered the town across the starting line and waited for the feathery peacock to blow the horn. Then the race started.

At once the hare ran as fast as he could, bouncing over stones and bypassing on some tree roots. He ran and ran and when he was a good mileage away, he looked back and saw the old tortoise still near the starting line. He caught his breath and started joking.

“That old tortoise will never reach the finish line. He’s too slow! ” said the hare. “I can relax for some time and when I wake up I will end this competition. ”

So the hare sat below a huge oak tree and enjoyed the shade and the blowing wind.

The old tortoise, still walked and walked. He could not run simply because his shell was so quite heavy but he walked and walked. The pets or animals walked along with him so he would’nt be so alone. They were chatting while walking and they never ever stopped to relax. The tortoise kept placing one foot forward and through the sun was warmer when he was’nt in the water, he kept walking and walking.

Later on, the hare was interupted from his dream by the noise of some animals cheering. He runbbed his eyes and looked to where the sound was coming from. ‘Surely, the tortoise must still be nearby the starting line’ he thought. But when he looked, nobody was there. He looked towards apple tree at the top of the mountain and saw a huge crowd jumping happily. He looked with his eyes and noticed the old tortoise shell still walking but now he was just some steps to the finish line.

“This cannot be,” cried the hare.

He started running as quick as he could but he was only half way there when the old tortoise crossed the? finish line. The hare came to a stop beside the apple tree and panted and panted since he did not have sufficient air to breath. The animals all cheered the old tortoise and they waited for the hare to say something.

“I am sorry that I kept bragging of my speed, ” the hare said. “I guess speed does’nt win against being determined. No matter how slow, you will still reach the finish line. “

The tortoise shook the hare’s hand and smiled. He knew the hare would soon forget this lesson but he wanted first and foremost to teach the town about determination.

Hare and the Tortoise Story Moral:

 “Slow and steady can win the race”

Like the Hare and the Tortoise, the Ant and the Grasshopper fable also teaches the importance of perseverance. For parents and teachers looking for resources to teach children about Aesop’s fables, check out these educational activities related to the Hare and the Tortoise