fables folktales · Ages 3-5

The Tortoise Who Took One Step at a Time

A tortoise wins a race against a sleepy hare because he keeps walking while the hare keeps stopping.

The whole story

1. At sunrise, Timo the tortoise stood ready beside the forest racecourse.

2. The hare laughed, but Timo placed one foot carefully ahead.

3. The race began, and Timo took one step at a time.

4. The hare stopped beneath an apple tree and closed his sleepy eyes.

5. Timo passed the sleeping hare and kept his feet moving.

6. The path crossed a stream, but Timo chose one careful step.

7. The hare woke, stretched his long legs, and stopped again for lunch.

8. Timo kept walking uphill while the hare stopped for one more snack.

9. One step at a time, Timo reached the finish before the sleepy hare.

10. Timo won because he kept walking while the hare kept stopping.

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