"You really didn't beat me," said the Rabbit to the Tortoise one day. "You were just lucky. I challenge you to a rematch." The tortoise felt he had to accept since the challenge was delivered in front of his girl- friend. The Tortoise trained hard. He jogged. He lost weight. He bought new sneakers. "The Rabbit is very fast," said the Tortoise to his girlfriend. "I'll just do my best and see what happens." The Tortoise continued his workout. The day of the race dawned bright and sunny. At the starting gun, the Rabbit sped off in a blur. The Tortoise was running his fastest ever, but he was still far behind. Soon, however, it began to rain. The trail became flooded. The Rabbit became very tired as his paws became caked with mud. It started to hail, and ice pellets stung the Rabbit. The Tortoise plodded onward. The hailstones bounced harmlessly off his shell. Where the trail was flooded, he swam. As he crossed the finish line to the cheers of the crowd, he was told that the Rabbit had withdrawn, unable to finish in the inclement conditions.
Moral: Slow and steady doesn't always win the race, but being prepared for all eventualities is a good strategy.
