
A new take on an old tale. Speedy the Hare gives his version of his famous race with the tortoise and he would like you to know that, whatever you may have heard, he is the fastest creature on the farm. Truly!
This story is available as an interactive Powerpoint file and Whiteboard resource for schools and home schools. Download from here. Many thanks to Danny Nicholson.
Read by Natasha. Version by Bertie. Duration 13.18
More Aesop Tales
Pictures for Storynory by Sophie Green.
Click pictures to make them bigger.
Hello. My name is Speedy, and for good reason. I’ve got long, long legs and I can really go ! You can catch me if you can – but I don’t think you will.
In a race, I come first. Always. I never, never lose. Well alright, there was that one time that I took the silver medal. But it only ever happened once. It’s so unfair that people keep going on about it. I blame that Aesop. He’s the one who wrote it all down.
It happened in March, and that’s the time of year that we hares go a bit crazy you know. We’re so busy springing in the Spring that sometimes our thoughts just can’t quite keep up with our legs. Look, I’ll tell you what happened – just so that you understand that it wasn’t really my fault. It could have happened to anyone.
Do you know that old tortoise who lives in the next field? He’s so slow, that the first time I saw him I thought he was a rock. In fact, I’ve seen rocks than move faster than he can. His head looks like, well, a cabbage. And his feat look like Brussels sprouts. Quite frankly, he’s a ridiculous creature.
One day I was leaping around the fields and he was just watching me, and nodding that cabbage-like head of his. I bounced up to him and said, “Come on you lazy old thing – is that all the exercise you take – just nodding all day long? I’m surprised you don’t nod off to sleep.
The tortoise didn’t answer. His mouth was full of grass and he was chewing – very slowly.
Just then the fox popped out of the hedge-row. He scratched his flea bites and said:
“Don’t you know that the tortoise hibernates?”
“Hiber-what’s?” I asked.
“Hibernates,” said the fox again. It means that he goes to sleep for the whole winter.”
“HA! Sleeps – For the whole winter!” I said. “That’s incredible. He must be the laziest creature alive. In fact, it’s hardly fair to say he is alive. If he was dead it would be hard to tell the difference.”
It was all to easy to mock the tortoise. He couldn’t be bothered even to stick up for himself. He just kept on munching, so slowly.
But the fox, who’s a big know-it-all, replied for him:
“Most likely he will be around after we are both long gone. Tortoises can live for over 100 years.”
“A 100 years! “ I exclaimed. “Just nodding, chewing, and occasionally plodding. I’d get bored out of my mind. I have to run and jump and win races. If you’ve got speed, then you can really know that you’re alive!”
Then that wily old fox said: “I’ll lay a bet that the tortoise can beat you in a race. Not a quick dash of course. He’s hardly a sprinter. But a proper race over a good distance. Say – up to the top of that hill and back. I don’t believe you’ll beat him in a race like that.”
“Pah!” I said. “I’ll beat that old tortoise over any distance, any day, any time.”
And that’s how I got myself into that infamous race with the tortoise. The fox arranged it all for us the next day at noon. The sun was high in the sky, and the heat was scorching. It was more like summer than spring.
All the local creatures came to see the fun. The crows cawed and the cows munched like they normally do. But you could tell that something interesting was going to happen because they were swishing their tales, and not just to keep the flies off. It was the biggest thing to happen around these parts for ages.
Of course almost everyone was backing me to win. You only had to look at me, lean,fit, with a terrific bounce in my step. And then look at HIM, old, cabbage head, with a great shell on his back. I was the clear favourite. Only the fox was backing the tortoise. He was taking bets off his cronies, the badger and the rat. If I won, he would do them a month of services and favours. And if the tortoise won, they would have to work for him for a whole month. The badger and the rat thought the fox must have gone soft in the head to make such a silly bet.
At last the fox called out: “Ready, Steady Go !” I hung around for a moment to see the tortoise lumber off the starting line, but he was taking so long about it that I got bored and shot off towards the hill. I was flying across the field, but I must say, the hill was a long way. Even I couldn’t get there in a moment. At the end of the field I looked over my shoulder and saw that the tortoise had hardly got started. I’d say his top speed was about one mile per week. I had no doubt at all that victory was mine.
I crossed another three fields, and at last I got to the hill and I started to make my way up. It was tougher going now, and my legs were starting to feel less springy than usual. I took another look back and saw that tortoise was only half way across the first field. I decided to stop for a breather and a bit of a chuckle.
How did the fox ever think that old cabbage-head could beat me? Doesn’t he know that I’m speedy by name, speedy by nature? And I thought he was smart.
In fact, just to show him how confident I was of winning, I sat down. “Give the old lumber-along a sporting chance,” I said to myself. “And when he gets near, I’ll dash off again. That will make the race more entertaining.”
And so I stretched out and chewed on a long piece of juicy grass. I knew one of the beady-eyed crows would see me and report back to the crowd how I was so far ahead that I could afford to take things easy. In fact, I thought it wouldn’t do any harm just to close my eyes for a moment or two. My eye-lids certainly were feeling a bit heavy after running up hill under a hot sun. In fact, I thought that 40 winks would refresh me, and I would set off all the faster when I got going again.
And oh! how pleasant it was to lie down on such a glorious day. The grasshoppers were singing and the breeze was rustling ever so gently in the trees. Soon I was dreaming of victory. They would be talking about this on the farm for weeks. But dear, dear, dear me. I must have well and truly dozed off, because when I woke up, I shivered. The sun was going down, and the air was a bit cooler. For a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was, and then I recalled the race. I stood up and scanned the hill below for sight of the tortoise. Perhaps he had just done the logical thing and given up and gone back home. So I started to jog up to the top of the hill, and then run gently back down again. Still no sign of my rival.
It was almost dark when I got back to the farm gate and the finishing line. The cows had gone off to be milked, and only the fox, the badger, and the rat were waiting for me.
“Hello guys,” I said. “What’s my prize?”
“What’s your prize?” said the badger. “You’re prize is that we are working for the fox for a month.”
“GRRRR ! ” said the rat, really quite angry. “You’ve well and truly let us down. You might be Speedy by name, but your dead lazy by nature. Beaten by a 100 year old slow-coach. It’s disgusting, truly disgusting.”
Only the old fox had a sly grin on his face.
“Thank you hare,” he said. “You’ve proved me right, as I usually am. The tortoise plodded in home just over an hour ago. It only goes to show that slow and steady always wins the race.”
And so now you know all about the one and only time that I came less than first in a race. Of course you shouldn’t go supposing that the tortoise is faster than me. It was just a one-off kind of disaster. I mean, over-sleeping like that, it could have happened to anyone. I’m still the fastest creature on the farm – and don’t let any one tell you different.
Well I must dash. No time to hang around chatting like this. Catch you later !
And that was the story of the hare and the tortoise, as told by the Hare.





117 Comments
I love the story! When my papa gets home, I hope he downloads this story onto my ipod.
The file mp3 audio doesn’t work! Can you repair it?
i love the story
ohh. ı am a teacher and this is the first time ı have heart this version of hare and tortoise… thanks NATASHA…
My native language is Russian. I study English. Listening and reading of the children stories and talies is one of the best way to learn a foreign language. Thanks Natasha…
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Hey! yOur story rocks, I am going to make sure my sons hear this one.
!♥♥
this is very silly. I don’t get any of these storys.
this was the best story ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The story was very funny. Remember, Speedy by name and Speedy by nature!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I loved it!
i love this story
i love you!
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Fantastic story, the kids enjoyed it.
If you assess the story it has some real life conotations to it.
Thank you Natasha~~
This is an awesome website~
I love it!
Great Story, really hair raising or should I say Hare raising
kool
kool!
my kids loved it
What a pity! I couln’t download the audio version of “The Hare and the Tortoise”. It always stopped after 00.28 seconds.
Maybe you could have a look at it and solve this problem.
Thanks.
rubbish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this is a great story to listen to
My native language is Russian. I study English. Listening and reading of the children stories and talies is one of the best way to learn a foreign language. Thanks Natasha…
I find the hare very vain
I’m korean.
I’m studying English.
I just find this site so cool site..
but I try downloaded but it’s not completely download. just 1 min play.
How can I download completely?
please answer me!!!
I love ii so much
A must hear
I thought that Natasha did great voices for all of the animals! I have a pet tortoise and he is actually quite fast.
I love your voice Natasha!
this is a rilly cool story and
i love it
love jennifer dingler
it was very nice story i like all thre voices.
thanks natasha
IT WUS OK LUVE KENDRA
hi. me and my friend kendra listened. this story is a fable by esop. the blog post here is remixt. please click on my name.
hellow
how
are
you
?
cool
story’s
they
are
fab
x
x
x
x
x
x
this was a good story i never heard anything like it its a good thing to listen to while shopping online its kinda funny
this was a good story
Absolutely Fabulous
Hey you all need to check your websites!! I am looking at all of the comments and you all have a LOT!!!!!:)
hay it is so cool how the torise one you would think that the hare would have won i think well you are great to share this story with other people this is a very instering website i am in 1 period and we got to do a web quest it is ok it is fun i guess well (g2g)got to go do my web quest for reading bye love your story ps very long sentence lol bye
very instering story cause t ended different that is like the first story i read that is different from any other story every i read the whole thing and it very instering ok well read a story later bye ,alyssa age 11 ps i mean 11 not 10 i was thinking wrong ok bye
BORING TOOOO LONG AND ITS NOT A GOOD STORY TO LISTEN TO IF THERE IS TO MUCH TEXT YOU WONT BA INTERESTEADED ANYMORE…….
JUST BY THE FIRST PARRAGRAGH……
BORING!!!!!!!!!!
rtujhgfdc
What languge is THAT.
Sorry i do not know how to spell nicley.
You have LOTS of comments.
Very different version interesting .Hare didnt learn much
yo that story is
just like bugs-
bunny with the
turtle……..
This brings me back to my younger days.
Thank you Natasha! I listen to it every night to go to sleep and the classic stories are so wonderful! Thank you for creating this website. I love it!!
I LIKE THE STORY I LIKED WHEN HAIR SAID GRRRRRRRRR AND SAID I AM FASTER THAN YOU.
Now you’ve heard the Hare’s version.
If you want to hear the champ’s story — you will have to wait.I have sold the exclusive rights to Readers Digest
The Tortoise
Colin the Tortoise – well done on your book deal !
it’s cool
I liked it better than the other Hare and Tortoise story I know. It is very different. Interesting to hear the hare talk. I liked it when the hare closes its eyes.
I enjoyed the story. It is a nice lesson to everyone and story. You must always try your best. Never think you will alwaysd win or you will lose like the hare.
Archita 3G
I liked it because the expressions were lovely!!!!
WOW,I LIKE YOUR STORY HARE AND THE TORTOISE.
I liked this story better than the other Hare and Tortoise I know. I liked it that the hare gets to talk. I liked the part when the hare closed his eyes.
I like it when the tortoise wins
I love this story!!!!!!!!!!!
This the best and the funniest story I’ve ever heard of!!
It’s a Fairy Tale.I’v heard this story in THR STINKY CHEESE MAN AND
OTHER FAIELY STUPID TALES!
I love the story!!
I read it in a lot of books, The Hare and the Tortoise!
This story is very funny. This is my favourite story.
I like It when the tortoise won the race because he work very very hard.
The moral of this story is:
don’t be over-confident.
I love this story!!!!
The tortoise is my favourite character.
It’s good to be slow and steady instead of being speedy and snobby!
I like the happy ending, the fast hare and the clever tortoise.
I like this story because the Hare gets to defend himself. Usually the author only praises the tortoise.
It is a little boring but there was a little change in the story. There is a fox in it which I never knew. I liked the story. I like the part where the fox challenged the hare into a race with the tortoise. The part I do not like was the part that the hare showed off.
I love it and it is the bessssssssssst!!!!!!
The story is good and it is not true to be slow and steady always. It’s good to be fast sometimes
I like the story and how the hare told it.And I lerned that slow and steady wins the race.
I like the story because I have seen it on TV before and I like the ending.
I liked the story because
it was very interesting and it shows that in a race slow and steady always wins a race and my favourite animals are hares, rabbits and bunnies.
great story (*)
who wins?????
he did not sleep for 1 or 2 seconds
great (*)
i comment again for you to know class
i like the story because slow and stedy wins the race
I Love That Story It Was Lovely Remember Speedy By Name Speedy By Nature Any School Or Class Would Love That Story And Its A Long Story Too.
There was a hare and a tortoise
and they were having a race. I like when the tortoise wins. The hare thought he was smart but he was not really.
I think that story told us that you don’t know if your good at it if you don’t try it.
Your story is funny and cool. I like the middle part of the story because Speedy slept in the middle of the race and it seemed very relaxing. I read this story before and I love to read it again.
I like the story about the hare who won the race against the tortoise. Very funny and the best raccccccing story.
The Hare says That No one can win him but a tortoise challanged.After the race began the hare was soooooooooooooooooooooo sure that he would win that he lay down for a nap.When the hare woke up the tortoise finished the crossing line and won the race.
That was realy good brillant
and that is right slow and stedy wins the race
brillant brillant brillant
lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol
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It was cool
you are great . thanks
Wow I neaver heard the Tortise and the Hare from the Hare’s side.
You guys are aswome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love this story!
it was a really good story for the first time reading it!
i love the story it is funny
and i am going to put it
on my iteddy
It was good!
it is a good story well I learn from this story that the Tortoise was very slow but he made it to the finsh line.
cool
nice
Well narrated and thoroughly enjoyable for the kids
nice
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
its awsom
its awsom
cool super
thank you soo much again for your free stories they are the best. it would be good though if they were aninmated like a dvd !! thnk you though
The race is not for the swift but for those who can endure
nice…Jejejeje
this story sounds funny with that accent of natasha’s its just so wird but good story and good voice expresion but the bad thing is slow and stedy dosnt always win a race
the accent was funny
Wow what an exciting story, me and my daughter loved it.
woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohoo
its awesome and funny story!!!!!!
i love it!!!
its my favourite story!
i like the story. it’s funny XD
this story was booty
hi im doin this for my homw work we have to retel a story in exacly 30 words lol not hard
It is very nice story!
cool story plz make 1 more
thank you so much…..I am using this with my year 3 class studying Fables in literacy
this fable is great! it teaches a great life lesson.
I love it so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
is there a speedy in the world
thank you for the story
i loved it
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