The Tortoise and the Hare

HSK 4 · 321 characters · Classic Fables

A classic story about a race between a tortoise and a hare.

从前cóng qián，有yǒu一只yī zhī跑得飞快pǎo de fēi kuài的de兔子tù zi，Once upon a time, there was a rabbit that ran very fast.它tā总是zǒng shì骄傲地jiāo ào de跳来跳去tiào lái tiào qù，嘲笑cháo xiào其他qí tā动物dòng wù：It always proudly hopped around, mocking other animals:“我wǒ最zuì快kuài！谁shéi都dōu比不过bǐ bù guò我wǒ！”'I am the fastest! No one can beat me!'

在zài森林sēn lín里lǐ，也yě有yǒu一只yī zhī慢吞吞màn tūn tūn的de乌龟wū guī，它tā总是zǒng shì一步yī bù一步yī bù地de走zǒu，从不cóng bù着急zháo jí。In the forest, there was also a slow tortoise that always moved 'step by step' but never hurried.

有一天yǒu yī tiān，兔子tù zi对duì乌龟wū guī大喊dà hǎn：“嘿hēi！乌龟wū guī！你nǐ太tài慢màn了le！敢gǎn不敢bù gǎn和hé我wǒ比赛bǐ sài？”One day, the rabbit shouted at the tortoise: 'Hey! Tortoise! You are too slow! Dare to race with me?'

乌龟wū guī点点头diǎn diǎn tóu，严肃地yán sù de说shuō：“好hǎo，我们wǒ men比赛bǐ sài吧ba！”The tortoise nodded and said seriously: 'Okay, let’s compete!'

比赛bǐ sài开始kāi shǐ了le！The race began!

兔子tù zi嗖sōu地de一下yī xià冲出去chōng chū qù，一眨眼yī zhǎ yǎn就jiù不见了bù jiàn le。The rabbit dashed out with a 'whoosh' and disappeared in the blink of an eye.乌龟wū guī呢ne？它tā低着头dī zhe tóu，慢慢地màn màn de一步yī bù一步yī bù地de爬pá。What about the tortoise? It lowered its head and crawled slowly step by step.

比赛bǐ sài到dào一半yī bàn时shí，兔子tù zi回头huí tóu看kàn：“哈哈hā hā！乌龟wū guī根本gēn běn看不见kàn bù jiàn！我wǒ先xiān睡shuì一觉yī jiào！”Halfway through, the rabbit looked back: 'Haha! The tortoise is nowhere to be seen! I’ll take a nap first!'它tā躺tǎng在zài草地cǎo dì上shàng，呼噜hū lū呼噜hū lū地de睡着了shuì zháo le。It lay down on the grass and fell asleep with a 'snore, snore.'

乌龟wū guī呢ne？它tā从没cóng méi停下来tíng xià lái。What about the tortoise? It never stopped.太阳tài yang晒得shài de它tā满头大汗mǎn tóu dà hàn，但dàn它tā还是hái shi一步yī bù一步yī bù地de爬pá…The sun made it sweat profusely, but it still crawled 'step by step'...

当dāng兔子tù zi醒来xǐng lái时shí，乌龟wū guī已经yǐ jīng快到kuài dào终点线zhōng diǎn xiàn了le！When the rabbit woke up, the tortoise was already near the finish line!兔子tù zi拼命地pīn mìng de跑pǎo，但dàn已经yǐ jīng太晚tài wǎn了le—乌龟wū guī先xiān跨过kuà guò了le终点线zhōng diǎn xiàn！The rabbit ran desperately, but it was too late—the tortoise crossed the finish line first!

森林sēn lín里lǐ的de动物dòng wù们men欢呼huān hū：“乌龟wū guī赢yíng了le！”The animals in the forest cheered: 'The tortoise won!'

兔子tù zi红着脸hóng zhe liǎn说shuō：“对不起duì bù qǐ…我wǒ不该bù gāi那么nà me骄傲jiāo ào。”The rabbit said with a red face: 'I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have been arrogant.'

乌龟wū guī笑着xiào zhe说shuō：“坚持jiān chí就jiù会huì胜利shèng lì！”The tortoise said with a smile: 'Perseverance leads to victory!'

小xiǎo道理dào li🐢✨：Little lesson:就算jiù suàn比bǐ别人bié ren慢màn，Even if you’re slower than others,只要zhǐ yào不bù放弃fàng qì、一步yī bù一步yī bù努力nǔ lì，也yě可能kě néng成功chéng gōng！as long as you don’t give up and work hard step by step, you can still succeed!骄傲自大jiāo ào zì dà反而fǎn ér会huì让ràng人rén失败shī bài哦ó！Being arrogant will only lead to failure!