Section 133
The Hound and the Hare explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
A young Hound started a Hare, and, when he caught her up, would at one moment snap at her with his teeth as though he were about to kill her, while at another he would let go his hold and frisk about her, as if he were playing with another dog. At last the Hare said, "I wish...
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Public-domain original
A young Hound started a Hare, and, when he caught her up, would at one
moment snap at her with his teeth as though he were about to kill her,
while at another he would let go his hold and frisk about her, as if
he were playing with another dog. At last the Hare said, "I wish you
would show yourself in your true colours! If you are my friend, why do
you bite me? If you are my enemy, why do you play with me?"
He is no friend who plays double.
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
A hound fails to catch a hare because the hare is running for his life.
Why this scene matters
This fable shows that motivation can matter more than natural advantage.
Characters in this scene
- Hound: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
- the Hare: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
Simple story version
The hound runs for dinner, but the hare runs to survive. The stronger reason makes the hare faster.