thin king

Good Sunday to all,
Relax and enjoy life.


Hairy the hare & Totis the tortoise


Hairy was lazing nonchalantly beside the big tree when Totis rambled by.
"Hello, slow coachie", Hairy greeted Totis.

"Who's the slow coachie?" Totis retorted. "Have I not bested you in a race
before? You are a loser, losing your memory also!"

Hairy responded, "Oh, that was not a proper race. You were so slow that
I had to stop and wait for you. And I waited until I fell asleep! You can
never beat me in a real race!"

"Excuses, excuses; a loser always has an excuse", Totis reminded Hairy.
"Losers never knew about strategy or tactics, or anything in a race. You
only know how to spurt until your energy ran out, that's how you lost.
Get wise, hare!"

Hairy felt insulted. He challenged, "If you are so clever, why don't we
have another race?"

Totis replied, "Very well then. We can have another race. And when
I beat you again, you have to say 'Totis bested me in a race '
whenever we meet again."

Hairy accepted, "That's fine. And when I beat you I shall call you
'Slow coachie' anytime I like. And to show my confidence, I will let
you decide on the nature of the race. I will beat you anytime any place",
Hairy boasted again.

Totis responded, "Alright then, you cocky fellow. We shall have the race
now. You see that big tree yonder, directly ahead. Whoever touches that
tree first will be the winner."

Hairy was so cocksure of beating Totis that he said, "I will give you a head
start, so that there can be no doubt that I won the race more than fairly."

So, Totis sauntered along, while Hairy waited for a while. When Totis was
some distance away, Hairy made a move. Totis knew what he was doing,
and he went along steadily. He also noticed that Hairy was coming up fast
behind.

Soon, Totis was ambling up a sharp crest. He stopped, turned around,
raised himself high and laughed loudly at Hairy,
"What is taking you so long?"

Hairy came up fast, but then he stumbled awkwardly down the slope into
the lake as he tried to brake his momentum. The lake was hidden from
view before the crest.

"I now give back your head start", Totis shouted after Hairy.
"Ha ha ha, ho ho ho, and away we go!" Totis sang. And with that he slid
down the steep slope into the lake.

And from then on the race took on a new nature. The advantage of the
race changed hands. Totis just paddled along, whereas for Hairy he had
to swim. He managed fairly well initially, but very soon his fur became
a drag. And the harder he exerted the more tired he became, and the
slower his progress.

But just as he was thinking that he might not make it, he reached the
shore. And with a great gulp of relief he climbed out of the water.

"What took you so long?", Totis's voice greeted him. Totis was resting
beside the target big tree, smiling as a tortoise would.



Have a nice day.
Ronald