(Volume I, page 71)
A. The Plot. The slow Tortoise and the speedy Hare ran a race. The Hare, full of conceit, loitered and slept by the way, while the Tortoise won in his plodding fashion.
Incidents:
- 1. The Hare derides the Tortoise.
- 2. The Tortoise challenges the Hare.
- 3. The Fox becomes judge and holds the stakes.
- 4. The race begins in heat and dust.
- 5. The Hare takes a rest and a nap.
- 6. The Tortoise in comfort passes the Hare.
- 7. The Hare awakes, thinks the Tortoise behind, and stops to eat.
- 8. The Hare discovers that the Tortoise has passed and begins his pursuit.
- 9. The Hare finds the Tortoise at the brook.
- 10. The Fox awards the money to the Tortoise.
B. The Persons. There are three characters in the story: the Hare, the Tortoise and the Fox.
1. The Hare. He is a small, long-legged animal, who can leap long distances and run like the wind. In character he is unkind, impudent, proud and lazy.
2. The Tortoise. He is a clumsy, short-legged turtle, who carries a heavy box-shell around his body. He cannot jump at all, and he moves very slowly, flat on the ground, even his tail dragging in the dust. But he is wise, steady, not easily discouraged, and sticks to his task till it is done.
3. The Fox. He is a wise old judge, who cannot let the loser go without a word of advice.
C. The Scene. The race takes place along a dusty road on a hot day. There is a big clover patch, where the Hare rests, and at the end of the course is a cool and delightful brook or river.
D. The Author’s Purpose and the Lesson. The author of this old fable intended to teach the lesson that he puts into the last sentence, “Steady-going wins the race.”