Perry 226: The Tortoise and the Hare

Today's fable is Perry 226, the story of the tortoise and the hare. At del.icio.us, you can see a complete list of the versions of this fable type that I have collected.

Here is the version from de Furia. What I especially like about this version is the way that the tortoise gets a nap, too - but only AFTER she finishes the race!

Pedes Testudinis Lepus olim deridebat. Cui illa subridens, Ego vero, inquit, te, quamvis velocem, in cursu tamen superabo. Quod impossibile omnino fore Lepus affirmans, Mecum, inquit, o Testudo, in certamen veni, et mei quid pedes valeant aperte cognosces. Cui Testudo adsibilans, Ecquis nobis, ait, cursus metam describet ac victoriae laudem decernet? Tunc Vulpes, brutorum omnium sagacissima, initium ac metam, nec non curriculi locum designavit. Testudo itaque, nulla mora interiecta, iter illico arripiens, ad praescriptum terminum tandem pevenit; sed Lepus interea, suis pedibus nimium confidens, placidum soporem captavit. Deinde vero somno excitatus, effuso cursu ad metam et ipse contendit, at ibi Testudinem dormientem invenit.

Here it is written out in segmented style to make it easier to follow, while respecting the Latin word order:

Pedes Testudinis
Lepus olim deridebat.
Cui
illa subridens,
Ego vero, inquit,
te, quamvis velocem,
in cursu tamen superabo.
Quod
impossibile omnino fore
Lepus affirmans,
Mecum, inquit, o Testudo,
in certamen veni,
et
mei quid pedes valeant
aperte cognosces.
Cui
Testudo adsibilans,
Ecquis nobis, ait,
cursus metam describet
ac victoriae laudem decernet?
Tunc Vulpes,
brutorum omnium sagacissima,
initium ac metam,
nec non curriculi locum
designavit.
Testudo itaque,
nulla mora interiecta,
iter illico arripiens,
ad praescriptum terminum
tandem pevenit;
sed Lepus interea,
suis pedibus nimium confidens,
placidum soporem captavit.
Deinde vero
somno excitatus,
effuso cursu
ad metam
et ipse contendit,
at ibi
Testudinem dormientem invenit.

Using Google's Picasa service, I've created a slideshow of images for this fable. You can access the The Tortoise and the Hare album directly if for some reason the slideshow does not play for you here; you can also watch a full-screen version of the slideshow. Enjoy!

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