The Hare and the Tortoise by Esopo
The Hare and the Tortoise is a fable attributed to Aesop. The story goes like this: There was once a hare who, because of his speed and agility, looked down on the slow tortoise. He often boasted that he could easily win a race against him. The tortoise, feeling insulted, challenged the hare to a race. The hare, confident of his victory, agreed. As they began the race, the hare became complacent and took a nap midway through, thinking he had plenty of time to catch up. Meanwhile, the tortoise plodded along steadily and eventually crossed the finish line first. Moral of the story: Slow and steady wins the race.
By Esopo · First published 1668 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Folklore · 179 words
First lines
A Hare was one day making fun of a Tortoise for being so slow upon his feet. "Wait a bit," said the Tortoise; "I'll run a race with you, and I'll wager that I win. " "Oh, well," replied the Hare, who was much amused at the idea, "let's try and see"; and it was soon agreed that the fox should set a course for them, and be the judge. When the time came both started off together, but the Hare was soon so far ahead that he thought he might as well have a rest: so down he lay and fell fast asleep. Meanwhile the Tortoise kept plodding on, and in time reached the goal. At last the Hare woke up with a start, and dashed on at his fastest, but only to find that the Tortoise had already won the race.
What this Textopian page supports
The Hare and the Tortoise is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1668 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Esopo
- Date: 1668 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Children's Literature, Folklore
- Length: 179 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Hare and the Tortoise by Esopo
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Hare and the Tortoise?
- How does this fable by Esopo fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fable first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Tortoise And The Eagle by Esopo
- The Swallow And The Crow by Esopo
- Little Thumb by Charles Perrault
- The Foxes And The River by Esopo
- The Fox And The Leopard by Esopo
- The Bat The Bramble And The Seagull by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — The book is a classic fable from Esopo, a story typically featuring animals as characters conveying a moral lesson.
- Children's Literature — The simplicity of the narrative and the moral lesson it imparts makes it a common tale in children's literature.
- Folklore — The story is widely recognized and has been told across cultures and generations, denoting it as a piece of folklore.
Tags
fable · morality · competition · slow and steady · animals · tortoise · hare · perseverance · humility · wisdom · overconfidence · victory