Section 142
The Hare and the Hound explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
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A Hound started a Hare from her form, and pursued her for some distance; but as she gradually gained upon him, he gave up the chase. A rustic who had seen the race met the Hound as he was returning, and taunted him with his defeat. "The little one was too much for you," said he. "Ah, well,"...
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Public-domain original
A Hound started a Hare from her form, and pursued her for some
distance; but as she gradually gained upon him, he gave up the chase.
A rustic who had seen the race met the Hound as he was returning, and
taunted him with his defeat. "The little one was too much for you,"
said he. "Ah, well," said the Hound, "don't forget it's one thing to
be running for your dinner, but quite another to be running for your
life."
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
A hound cannot catch a hare and is told hunger outruns sport.
Why this scene matters
This fable repeats the lesson that urgent need can beat ordinary effort.
Characters in this scene
- Hare: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
- the Hound: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
Simple story version
The hound chases the hare but fails. The hare runs with life at stake, while the hound runs only for a meal.