A fable is a short story that has a moral, or message. The characters in fables are often talking animals.

Read this famous fable and then answer the questions in the activity. Remember that you can look back at the story as often as you like by clicking the red help button on the screen.

The Tortoise and the Hare

Once, long ago, there lived a hare who thought very highly of herself. She believed that she was the fastest animal in the land, so she challenged the tortoise to a race, confident that she would win and be admired by all the other animals.

The tortoise was a kindly creature and didn't want to say no, so the race was fixed for the following day. All the other animals turned up to watch.

As soon as the starting gun fired, the hare shot off and was out of sight while the tortoise was still taking his first steps. After a few minutes, the hare decided to have a rest, as she knew the tortoise was a long way behind. She lay down under a tree and in a few seconds she was fast asleep.

Half an hour later the tortoise trundled past the sleeping hare and continued on his way to the finish line. The hare eventually woke up, still believing she was in the lead, and carried on running, but just as the finishing line came in sight she saw the tortoise ahead of her. She sped up but it was no avail - the tortoise had won.

The moral of this story is 'Slow and steady wins the race'.