DLTK's Crafts for Kids
The Hare and the Tortoise (fun version)

"Nah nah nah boo boo, I'm faster than you!" shouted Harriet the Hare as she sped down the road.

Normally, Timothy the Tortoise was an easy going reptile. He was happy roaming the forest at his own pace. But the nasty taunts of Harriet the Hare were starting to make him angry.

Later that day Timothy arrived (last as usual) to the playground by the river. As soon as he arrived, Harriet started making fun of him.

"A heavy green shell and short little feet, you're the slowest guy I ever did meet!", Harriet taunted.

Timothy slowly turned his head to look Harriet in the eye, "I am too slow or so you say. Let’s find the truth, let's race today!"

All the animals gasped. A race? Between Harriet the Hare, the fastest runner and Timothy Tortoise the last to arrive? What an odd thing that will be to watch.

"I'll set up a course to race on", offered Freddy the Fox.

Harriet Hare laughed out loud, "A race you want? A race you'll see. I know I'm faster than Timothy!"

And so Freddy the Fox set up a racing course from the playground by the river all the way to the great big oak at the edge of the forest. All of the animals gathered at the starting line early in the afternoon.

"On your mark…Oh, wait, just a minute, Timothy hasn't made it to the starting line yet."

"I'm fine," smiled Timothy, "I always make it to where I'm headed."

"Get set...Go!" All the animals chanted at once.

Harriet Hare was off like a shot.

She made it around the corner by the meadow before Timothy even had his toe over the starting line.

Freddy the Fox groaned and shook his head. He'd been hoping his friend Timothy would somehow manage to beat Harriet -- she was always such a show off. "Oh well, let's head over to the finish line. If we cross through the meadow maybe we'll get there in time to see Harriet cross the finish line."

Off the animals went, leaving Timothy to slowly make his way down the path Freddy had set out as the race course.

Meanwhile, Harriet had run so fast that she could actually see the finish line already. She had to sit down, she was laughing so hard, "I can't believe the nerve of him, to think that he might actually win!"

Harriet gazed over at the finish line and realized that none of the spectators were there yet. "Perhaps I'll rest underneath this tree, so when I win the crowds will see. After all that tortoise's slow, he'll take all day to catch up I know."

Harriet lay down and promptly fell asleep.

Harriet lay down and promptly fell asleep.

Timothy made his way down the path along the river, across the meadow and right past the snoozing Harriet. He didn't stop anywhere along the way.

As Timothy approached the finish line all of the animals began to cheer. This awoke Harriet from her nap and she ran as fast as she could, but it was too late.

Timothy picked his last foot up across the line the instant she made it there.

Harriet pulled her ears and stomped her feet, "No fair, no fair, no fair, I say! I am the fastest any day."

Timothy smiled and slowly nodded his head, "It's true I have a slower pace, but slow but steady wins the race!"