“Because your legs are so short.”
“Well!” answered the Tortoise, “I can run faster than you can. If you are long-legged you cannot run so fast as I.”
“Then let us run a race!” said the Deer.
“Well,” answered the Tortoise, “when shall we run?”
“To-morrow.”
“At what time?”
“Very early in the morning.”
“All right,” assented the Tortoise, who then went into the forest and called together his relations, the other Tortoises, saying, “Come on, let’s catch him!”
“But how are you going to catch him?” they inquired.