Run Your Own Race

Later that night, when Coug and Cooper were tucked into their beds, their Dad came in to read them their story. Coug wanted to tell his father about what had happened that day with the marathon. So, he told him as quickly as possible.

He blurted out in a rush, “First I laughed that a turtle would race against me. Then when the race started, I thought I had time to rest. She was just running so slow, SO slow Dad! So, then I climbed into the branches of a shade tree for a few minutes. I fell asleep and Bixie won. It was really upsetting, Dad. Then I was mad and blamed my sneakers for losing the race. The last thing I did was call Bixie a cheater. Dad, please don’t be mad at me.”

Coug’s Dad just shook his head. Then he walked over to the bookcase and found a thick book of short stories.

“Son, there’s a story I want to read to you, written a long, long time ago by a very smart man called Aesop. The book he wrote is called “Aesop’s Fables”. And this story is called “The Tortoise and the Hare.”