The fable of the tortoise and the hare is summarized in three sentences: The story describes a boastful hare that often mocked the slow tortoise and challenged it to a race. Confident in its speed, the hare stopped to eat and take naps during the race while the tortoise steadily made progress. By the time the hare reached the finish line, the tortoise had already won, proving that slow and steady can defeat boastfulness.