A Challenge Accepted

"You laugh?" the hare said, noticing the tortoise's small smile. "I'd like to see you try to keep up with me, slowpoke!"

"Very well," said the tortoise calmly. "Let's race, then, and we shall see who is right."

The other animals gasped in surprise, and even the hare himself laughed so hard he nearly fell over. But a race was a race, and it was agreed — they would race to the old oak tree at the far end of the meadow.