In The Turtle and the Hare: A Lesson in Perseverance, children will enjoy a timeless fable brought to life on stage. When a boastful Hare challenges the slow but steady Turtle to a race, no one expects the Turtle to win. This delightful play teaches the importance of humility, patience, and never giving up. Perfect for classrooms, assemblies, or character-building lessons.

CHARACTERS:

Narrator

Turtle

Hare

Owl (judge)

Squirrel

Frog

Birds (2)

SCRIPT:

NARRATOR: (walks to center stage) Welcome, everyone, to the forest where a famous race is about to take place. It’s a race between the fastest and the slowest animal around—The Turtle and the Hare!

HARE: (bouncing proudly) No one can beat me! I’m the fastest in the forest. Turtle, you’re so slow, I could take a nap and still win!

TURTLE: (calmly) Maybe. But I’m not afraid. Let’s race and see who reaches the finish line first.

OWL: (steps forward) I’ll be the judge! The race starts at this tree and ends at the big oak across the meadow.

SQUIRREL: This will be easy for the Hare.

FROG: Poor Turtle doesn’t stand a chance!

BIRD 1: Ready?

BIRD 2: Set?

OWL: Go!

HARE: (dashes ahead) See you later, Turtle! I’ll just rest here in the sun while you crawl along.

TURTLE: (keeps walking slowly) Slow and steady wins the race.

NARRATOR: The Hare quickly falls asleep under a tree. The Turtle keeps going, one step at a time.

HARE: (wakes up) Oh no! I must hurry!

NARRATOR: But it’s too late. The Turtle is crossing the finish line!

TURTLE: (smiling) I did it!

HARE: (sadly) I can’t believe I lost…

OWL: Today’s winner is Turtle!

NARRATOR: And so, the animals learned that pride and rushing ahead can lead to failure, while steady effort brings success.

The Turtle and the Hare: A Lesson in Perseverance is a heartwarming play for children that reminds us that being overconfident can lead to mistakes, and true success comes from patience and determination. This classic story remains a wonderful way to teach values in classrooms and beyond.

THE END

Author: Aesop Fable

Adapted by: K I D S I N C O

Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.

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Learn more about Aesop’s fables at The Library of Congress

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