Once upon a time in a lush, green forest, there lived a hare, swift and proud, always boasting about his speed.
He would often dart across the meadows, racing against the
wind, while teasing other animals for being slow. His favorite target of
mockery was an old, wise turtle who moved deliberately and methodically.
One sunny day, after yet another round of boasting, the hare
exclaimed, “Turtle, you are so slow, I bet even if I slept during the race, you
wouldn’t catch me!” Tired of the hare’s arrogance, the turtle calmly replied,
“Let’s race, and we will see who is truly faster.” Amused by the idea, the hare
burst into laughter but agreed to the challenge.
The animals of the forest gathered to witness this unlikely
competition. At the starting line, the hare stretched his legs, eager to dash
off.
The turtle, on the other hand, took a deep breath, knowing
the journey ahead would be tough. As soon as the race began, the hare zoomed
off, leaving a trail of dust behind him. The turtle, slow but steady, started
his journey, each step measured and purposeful.
After racing for a while, the hare looked back and saw the
turtle barely making progress. Confident in his victory, he thought to himself,
“Why not take a nap? I have plenty of time before the turtle even gets close.”
So, he found a shady tree and dozed off.
Meanwhile, the turtle continued on, determined and patient,
never losing focus. Slowly but surely, he made his way past the sleeping hare.
The sun moved across the sky as the turtle inched closer to the finish line.
When the hare awoke, he was startled to see the turtle far
ahead. Panicking, the hare sprinted with all his might. But it was too late.
Just as he reached the finish line, the turtle crossed it, winning the race.
The hare hung his head in shame, while the turtle, smiling
gently, said, “Slow and steady wins the race.” The forest animals cheered,
having learned that patience, persistence, and humility are far more valuable
than arrogance and haste.
Moral:
Overconfidence and impatience can lead to failure, while persistence and
humility bring true success.
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