with the
Tortoise, but for the fun of the thing he agreed. So the Fox, who
had consented to act as judge, marked the distance and started
the runners off.

The Hare was soon far out of sight, and to make the Tortoise feel
very deeply how ridiculous it was for him to try a race with a
Hare, he lay down beside the course to take a nap until the
Tortoise should catch up.

The Tortoise meanwhile kept going slowly but steadily, and, after
a time, passed the place where the Hare was sleeping. But the
Hare slept on very peacefully; and when at last he did wake up,
the Tortoise was near the goal. The Hare now ran his swiftest,
but he could not overtake the Tortoise in time.

_The race is not always to the swift._

[Illustration: THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE]

THE BEES AND WASPS, AND THE HORNET

A store of honey had been found in a hollow tree, and the Wasps
declared positively that it belonged to them. The Bees were just
as sure that the treasure was theirs. The argument grew very
pointed, and it looked as if the affair could not be settled
without a battle, when at last, with much good sense, they
_agreed_ to let a judge decide the matter. So they brought the
case before the Hornet, justice of the peace in that part of the
woods.

When the Judge called the case, witnesses declared that they had
seen certain winged creatures in the neighborhood of the hollow
tree, who hummed loudly, and whose bodies were striped, yellow
and black, like Bees.

[Illustration]

Counsel for the Wasps immediately insisted that this description
fitted his clients exactly.

Such evidence did not help Judge Hornet to any decision, so he
adjourned court for six weeks to give him time to think it over.
When the case came up again, both sides had a large number of
witnesses. An Ant was first to take the stand, and was about to
be cross-examined, when a wise old Bee addressed the Court.

"Your honor," he said, "the case has now been pending for six
weeks. If it is not decided soon, the honey will not be fit for
anything. I move that the Bees and the Wasps be both instructed
to build a honey comb. Then we shall soon see to whom the honey
really belongs."

The Wasps protested loudly. Wise Judge Hornet quickly understood
why they did so: They knew they could not build a honey comb and
fill it with honey.

"It is clear," said the Judge, "who made the comb and who could
not have made it. The honey belongs to the Bees."

_Ability prov