The hare and the tortoise

Once upon a time in a jungle,

there was a hare and a tortoise.

Proud was the hare of its feet - so nimble,

slow was his friend, but oh - so wise!

Bragged his way to glory one day,

the hare spoke thus, with a swagger,

“Heavy as a rock you better stay,

while I cut through the woods like a dagger.”

“What good are your feet that make you lumber?

Ugly, thick, can’t run you out of danger.

What use is your sheath, this constant encumber?

Every few spaces, it forces you to slumber.”

“Soft as a velvet, I am my dear friend,”

thus he mouthed his praises galore,

“swift as a lightning am I through the land,

and faster I get forever more.”

Wise as he was, the slow tortoise,

silence he chose over repartee.

He moved on, slowly, at his own pace,

without joining in the hare’s party.

The monkeys overhead started howling,

sounding a sudden alarm bell.

Scared, the hare ran off jumping

while the tortoise shriveled within his shell.

Soon enough, a jackal came hurtling,

bared its canines to tortoise for biting.

The tortoise’s bane was now his blessing,

for it sent the jackal further for hunting.

The tortoise moved on and later found,

tufts of velvet-soft hair strewn around,

and beautiful, bloody feet scattered on the ground,

the hare’s pride couldn’t keep him sound.

Saddened, the wise tortoise spoke aloud,

“Let pride never be the rudder of your life,

for your judgments, it will forever cloud,

and shred you to pieces with its sharp knife.”

“There is always someone faster than the fastest,

and surely there is, stronger than the strongest,

your real strength is but inside yourself, 

so learn to go within when facing a tempest."