The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible - Bastiat Institute

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Chapter 19 • The Tortoise and the Hare Revisited
than his short legs, overheard a few of the animals praise Lysander
for being so quick at his deliveries. The fl eet-footed hare could
deliver in a few hours what others required days to do. Annoyed,
Frank crawled over and butted into the conversation.
“‘Hare,’ said Frank almost as slowly as he walked, ‘in one
week, I’ll bet I can get more customers than you can. I’ll stake my
reputation on it.’
“The challenge startled Lysander. ‘Your reputation? Ha!
What everyone thinks of you isn’t yours to bet,’ exclaimed the
rambunctious hare. ‘No matter, I’ll take you on anyway!’ The
neighbours scoffed, saying the sluggish tortoise didn’t stand a
chance. To prove it, they all agreed to judge the winner at this
very spot in one week’s time. As Lysander dashed off to make his
preparations, Frank just sat still for a long time. Finally he ambled
away.
“Lysander posted notices all over the countryside that he
was cutting prices to less than half the price that Frank charged.
Deliveries would be twice a day from now on, even on weekends
and holidays. The hare passed through each neighbourhood ringing
a bell, handing out letters, selling stamps and supplies, and even
weighing and wrapping parcels on the spot. For a small extra fee,
he promised to deliver anytime, day or night. And he always gave a
sincere, friendly smile at no extra charge. Being effi cient, creative,
and pleasant, the hare saw his customer list grow rapidly.”
Davy was glued to the pictures and helped Grandma turn the
pages as she continued reading aloud. “No one had seen any sign
of the tortoise. By the end of the week, certain of victory, Lysander
scurried up to meet the neighbourhood judges. To his surprise
he found the tortoise already there waiting for him. ‘So sorry,
Lysander,’ said the tortoise in his surly drawl. ‘While you’ve been
racing from house to house, I only have this one letter to deliver.’
Frank handed Lysander a document and a pen adding, ‘Please sign
here on the dotted line.’
“‘What’s this?’ asked Lysander.
“‘Our king has appointed me, tortoise, Postmaster General and
has authorized me to deliver all letters in the land. Sorry, hare, but
you must discontinue your deliveries.’