Once upon a time, there was an old wolf who was hungry and looking for food in a forest when he came across a turtle crawling slowly in the grassy hilltop. The turtle saw the wolf almost step on his shell when he shouted: "Wait, stop Brother Wolf. Where to are you heading in such a hurry?"

Wolf replied: "I am going to a wedding."

Turtle asked: "Whose wedding?"

Wolf answered: "The crows' children."

Turtle knew that Wolf was in fact looking for food, so he said: "Have a race with me first. If you win, I will find you a frog to eat every day; but if you lose, you have to leave my family and me alone from now on."

Wolf looked at Turtle's four short legs which were no comparison to his four long legs, so he had no problem with the bet. He thought to himself: "How on earth can a turtle who crawls an inch at a time win a race over me?"

Wolf agreed to the race, but first Turtle had to set the terms.

Turtle said: "We will jump over the brook and see who reaches the other side first."

Wolf agreed and said to Turtle: "You stand in front of me and go first."

Turtle responded: "No, I respect my elders and will stand behind you."

Wolf replied: "Fine, I will stand in front of you."

So Wolf stood in front of Turtle with his tail hanging down right in front of Turtle mouth. Turtle opened his little mouth and firmly bit onto Wolf's tail. When Wolf jumped over the brook, his tail acted like a slingshot and threw Turtle in full swing on to the other bank.

When Wolf saw Turtle reach the bank first, he could not believe his eyes and said he wanted to race again. So they repeated the jump several times, and every time Turtle won the race.

Wolf was not satisfied because he still thought that a turtle could not run or walk or jump faster than him. He needed an explanation and wanted a trial. So both animals went to seek justice. When they reached a village, they saw Suphea Rabbit who was busy tapping forcefully on a hot iron bar.

They stopped and asked him: "What are you doing, Brother Rabbit?"

Rabbit answered: "I am making a knife."

They both asked: "Will you be our judge?"

Rabbit inquired: "Why?"

Wolf explained: "We decided to race by jumping over a brook, and whoever reached the other side first would be the winner. I do not understand how Turtle with his short legs can reach the other side of the bank before me every time. There must be some trick. I need a fair trial."

Suphea Rabbit listened and said: "I am busy with this knife-making. When I am finished, I will be your judge."

So the two decided to wait for Rabbit.

Suphea Rabbit looked over at the turtle, picked him up and placed him under him to use as a stool. He then went on tapping the iron to make a perfect knife, not noticing that his private parts hung loose just above Turtle's little head. Turtle looked up and saw Rabbit's private parts within his reach, so he stretched his neck and began to nibble on it.

Suphea Rabbit was startled by a sudden, sharp pain. He took off into the forest and screamed in a high pitch, leaving Wolf and Turtle unattended and without a trial. Turtle was relieved because he knew Rabbit would find out his trick.

That was how the turtle won the race and the wolf did not protest any more.

NEXT >> The Shrimp, the Wolf, and the Rabbit