It was the hedgehog’s wife, but she spoke in a
deep, stern voice like a male hedgehog. “There
you are!” she said. “What took you so long?”
The hare was stunned. “It can’t be!” he said.
“How did you get here so fast? I will race you back
to the fence!”
And so the hare ran back past the well and up
the hill until he got back to the fence.
And what did he see when he got there?
A hedgehog! This time it was the male
hedgehog. The hedgehog said, “There you are!
What took you so long?”
“No, no, no!” screamed the hare. The hare lost
his temper. “It can’t be. It can’t be. I am faster.
I will race you back to the house! You can’t beat
me!”