Once upon a time, in a quiet little forest, there lived a fast and boastful hare named Harry and a slow but steady tortoise named Timmy.
Harry loved to run, jump, and zoom past all the other animals. "Look at me! I'm the fastest in the whole forest!" he would say, laughing proudly.
Timmy, on the other hand, liked to take his time. He never rushed, but he always kept moving forward.
One sunny morning, Harry hopped over to Timmy and chuckled, "You are soooo slow! I bet I could run to the big oak tree and back before you even take ten steps!"
Timmy smiled and said, "Maybe so, but being fast isn't everything."
Harry wiggled his whiskers and grinned. "Let's have a race! I'll prove speed is the best!"
Timmy thought for a moment. He knew he was slow, but he also knew that steady steps could still lead to success. "Alright," he said. "Let's race to the big oak tree!"
All the animals gathered around. The fox waved a leafy branch and shouted, "On your marks, get set, GO!"
WHOOSH! Harry zipped ahead so fast that the wind rustled the leaves. Timmy, meanwhile, took his first slow step.
"Poor Timmy," giggled the squirrels. "He will never win!"
Harry ran so far ahead that he could no longer see Timmy behind him. "This is too easy!" he laughed. "I have plenty of time to rest." So he curled up under a shady tree and took a nap.
But while Harry slept, Timmy kept walking. Step by step, slowly but surely, he moved forward.
The birds chirped, "Go, Timmy, go!" The deer cheered, "Keep going!"
Timmy never stopped. He climbed over pebbles, tiptoed past sleepy rabbits, and walked right past Harry—who was still snoring under the tree!
Finally, Timmy reached the big oak tree. The animals cheered and clapped. "Timmy won!"
Just then, Harry woke up and stretched. "Oh no!" he gasped. He dashed toward the finish line, but it was too late.
Harry panted, "But… but I'm the fastest!"
Timmy smiled kindly. "Yes, you are fast. But steady steps win the race!"
Harry scratched his ears and thought about it. "I guess I was too sure of myself," he said. Then he grinned. "Good race, Timmy! Next time, I won't take a nap!"
The animals all laughed, and from that day on, Harry learned that patience and effort are just as important as speed.
