THE TORTOISE
AND HARE REVISITED
The tortoise
was decidedly silent after winning the race against the hare. The hare, on the other hand, wasted no time
in beginning to clamor against the tortoise’s devious method of gaining
momentum by luring his opponent into dawdling so as to make the race not seem
quite so lopsided. “Of course I could
have won,” the hare declared, “if I hadn’t been trying to be so considerate of
the tortoise’s feelings.” The other
animals in the woods were getting so annoyed with the hare’s arrogant self-justification
that they finally convened a conference and agreed to present a plan by which
the hare might vindicate his claims.
When they approached the hare and the tortoise, the hare jumped at the
chance, and the tortoise grudgingly acquiesced. Markers for an obstacle course were laid out, showing
a route full of hills and curves, tree trunks and stream beds, and instructions
were given to both contestants that they must not deviate from the designated
path. A signal was given, and the hare
leaped into action, leaving the tortoise in at least a figurative cloud of
dust. There would be no dawdling this
time! Bounding over hills and hopping
rocks to get across streams, the hare faithfully followed the path up to the
last marker, which pointed the way across a deep lake. Aghast, the hare was furtively looking for a
way around this wide expanse of water when out of the bushes stepped two
wolves, one to the right and one to the left.
“Either you swim, or you’re dinner,” growled the wolves in unison. The desperate hare dove in, and with legs flailing,
disappeared beneath the surface. Some
time later the tortoise finally reached the lakeside and continued the course
straight through the water. On the other
side it was welcomed by a cheering crowd of fellow forest dwellers. “Thank you,” said the tortoise modestly, “but
where is the hare?” Emerging from the
back of the crowd, one of the two wolves answered, “Let’s just say that he has
learned to follow your admirable model of silence.”