Aesops Fables by Ruth HobartThe Hare and the Tortoise One day the hare is talking to his friends.Im a very good runner. he says. I could run very fast. I could can run faster than all the animals in the forest.Really? says his friend, the rabbit.Of course! says the hare. In the forest there are rabbits, foxes, deer, badgers, beavers, mice, hedgehogs snails and insects and they are all slower than me. I am the fastest animal in the forest!Dont forget me. say the tortoise.You! says the hare. You cant run! Youre the slowest animal in the forest! Youre slower than a snail!If you want, we can have a race. says the tortoise.What! You and I have a race. says the hare.Yes, you and I. says the tortoise.OK. says the hare. We can have a race at 3 oclock this afternoon!All the animals are very excited. You must come and see the race. say the badgers to the beavers.You must come and see the race. say the mice to the foxes.You must come and see the race. say the snails to the insects.Everyone must come and the race. say the hedgehogs.Its 3 oclock. Time for the race! One, two, three. GO! says the badger.The hare runs ahead very quickly, the other animals cant see him. Hes in the forest.The tortoise is walking, slowly but surely.The hare cant see the tortoise. Hes so slow! I can stop and wait for him. says the hare.The hare sits down under a big tree and waits for the tortoise. And he goes to sleep!The tortoise is walking, slowly but surely. He passes the sleeping hare.The hare sleeps and sleeps. The tortoise walks and walks. Soon he can see the finishing line!Look, here comes the tortoise! say the animals.The hare wakes up, but its too late! The tortoise is the winner!Well done! Well done! shout all the animals. The tortoise is the winner! Well done!Yes. says the tortoise. Slowly but surely, thats how to win a race.The Lion and the MouseIts a sunny day in the jungle. Some mice are playing and a big lion is sleeping in the sun.One mouse jumps on the lions leg. The lion wakes up and he roars. ROAR! He puts his paw on the mouses tail and opens his mouth. He wants to eat the mouse!Squeak, squeak. Im very sorry. says the mouse. Please dont eat me!OK. says the lion. Im a kind lion. Go and play with your friends.Oh! Thank you. says the mouse. Perhaps one day I can help you.I dont think a little mouse can help a big lion. says the lion.The next day the mouse is walking in the jungle and he hears a roar.ROAR! ROAR! ROAR! Its the lion. Hes in a trap!I can help you. says the mouse.How can you help me? says the lion. Youre only a little mouse.The mouse sits on the lions head. He starts to gnaw at the rope. He gnaws and he gnaws and he gnaws. Suddenly the rope breaks and the lion is free!Thank you little mouse. says the lion. Youre a good friend.Yes says the mouse. Little friends can be great friends!The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse One day a town mouse goes to visit her friend in the country. The town mouse likes the fields, the river, the flowers and the trees.The country mouse lives in a lovely little house. There are a lot of fruit, apples, pears, oranges. And there are vegetables bread and cheese too.The country is very beautiful but its very quiet. says the town mouse. And I dont like eating fruit vegetables, bread and cheese every day. I want to go back to the town. You can come with me. You can see what delicious food we have.The two little mice arrive at the town house the next day. Come into the dining room and we can have lunch. says the town mouse.The country mouse is amazed at the food on the table.Suddenly a man and a lady come into the dining room.Quickly, run! shouts the town mouse. We must hide!The mice hide inside a vase. The man and the lady have lunch and go away.Its OK now. says the town mouse. Now. We can have our lunch.This house is dangerous! says the country mouse.Come here says the town mouse, and have some roast beef. Its delicious! Then have some chocolate cake and ice cream, its all delicious!That evening the two mice see a delicious fish on the table. But a big, fat cat comes into the dining room. Quickly, run! shouts the town mouse. We must hide!The mice hide the arm of the armchair. The cat cant see them and goes away.Its OK now. says the town mouse. Now we can have a dinner.But it isnt OK! All the family the man the lady and two children, come into the dining room.Quickly, run! shouts the town mouse. We must hide!The mice hide behind the arm of the armchair again. The family have dinner and go away.Its OK now. says the town mouse. Now, we can have a dinner.No, its not OK now! Its not OK. says the country mouse. I dont want dinner! I dont lik