Having come midway to the goal, she began to play about, nibble the young
herbage, and amuse herself in many ways. The day being warm, she even
thought she would take a little nap in a shady spot, as, if the Tortoise should pass
her while she slept, she could easily overtake him again before he reached the
end.
The Tortoise meanwhile plodded on, unwavering and unresting, straight toward
the goal.
The Hare, having overslept herself, started up from her nap, and was surprised to
find that the Tortoise was nowhere in sight. Off she went at full speed, but on
reaching the winning-post found that the Tortoise was already there, waiting for
her arrival!
The Old Woman and the Doctor
An old Woman who had bad eyes called in a clever Doctor, who agreed for a
certain sum to cure them. He was a very clever physician, but he was also a very
great rogue; and when he called each day and bound up the Old Woman's eyes
he took advantage of her blindness to carry away with him some article of her
furniture. This went on until he pronounced his patient cured and her room was
nearly bare.
He claimed his reward, but the Old Woman protested that, so far from being
cured, her sight was worse than ever.
"We will soon see about that, my good dame," said he; and she was shortly after
summoned to appear in court.
"May it please Your Honour," said she to the Judge, "before I called in this
Doctor I could see a score of things in my room that now, when he says I am
cured, I cannot see at all."
This opened the eyes of the court to the knavery of the Doctor, who was forced
to give the Old Woman her property back again, and was not allowed to claim a
penny of his fee.