Tortoise and the Hare

Author: He Jia
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: "Little Kids Cinema" is another innovative new product launched by Jilin Fine Arts Publishing House under its Little Kids series. It includes ten famous children's fairy tales, fables, and traditional virtue stories from China and abroad, such as "The Crow and the Water," "Pulling Up the Radish," "The Three Little Pigs," "The Tortoise and the Hare," "Little Rabbit," "The Wolf Is Coming," "Mr. Donggo," "Waiting for a Rabbit to Come Out of a Bush," "Simao Hui Smashing a Jar," and "Kong Rong Yielding the Pear." These stories have been passed down through generations and loved by young readers across generations. The reason lies in the fact that these traditional classics not only teach children the basics of how to be a good person but also embody the beautiful moral sentiments of the Chinese nation and even all of humanity. For example, "The Crow and the Water" tells the story of a thirsty crow that finally finds a way to drink water, demonstrating that wisdom often triumphs over strength. "Pulling Up the Radish," a children's fairy tale popular in many countries, carries a clear message: "Many hands make light work" or "Unity is strength." In "The Tortoise and the Hare," the rabbit, though naturally swift, loses the race to the turtle. The reason is that the rabbit falls asleep during the race, letting its pride and arrogance lead to its downfall. In "Mr. Donggo," the scholar applies the principle of "universal love" to a wolf, only to meet misfortune. This teaches young readers that even in human relationships, such issues exist—people should genuinely love others but show no mercy to those like wolves. "Waiting for a Rabbit to Come Out of a Bush" tells of a farmer who mistakes a one-time coincidence for a recurring pattern, treating it as an inevitable law. This shows he is baseless and rash. That's why he did the foolish thing of sitting under a tree every day waiting for a rabbit while neglecting his crops. "Simao Hui Smashing a Jar" vividly reflects Simao Hui's diligence from a young age, his loyalty to his peers, his ability to remain calm and composed in emergencies, and his intelligence and cleverness. "Kong Rong Yielding the Pear" praises Kong Rong's kindness and humility, showing that even though he was young, he was willing to endure personal loss to give others the better part.