THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE

The hare once laughed at the tortoise’s pace.
"Much obliged!" said the tortoise, "I’ll try a race.
Let’s bet," said she, "and see who’ll win."
The hare, so swift, thought this a sin—
To beat the tortoise would be no fight.
“Let’s start,” she said, “this very night.”
They chose the fox to mark the track.
At the signal, the hare sped like a jack.
But soon, her speed, she thought to scorn,
And stopped to sleep till early morn.
The tortoise plodded steady on,
And while the hare lay sleeping, won.

This is a translation of the fable  of Jean de La Fontaine by Elizur Wright in 1841.