he would ask cheerfully when he paid his visits . ` Oh , all right ; only I wish you had brought a bird with you , ' answered the fox . ' I have been so unlucky , I have never been able to catch one , ' replied the tortoise . ` However , I shall be more fortunate to-morrow , I am sure . ' But not many to-morrows after , when the tortoise arrived with his usual question : ` Well , how are you getting on ? ' he received no answer , for the fox was lying in his hole quite still , dead of hunger . By this time the tortoise was grown up , and was looked up to throughout the forest as a person to be feared for his strength and wisdom . But he was not considered a very swift runner , until an adventure with a deer added to his fame . One day , when he was basking in the sun , a stag passed by , and stopped for a little conversation . ` Would you care to see which of us can run fastest ? ' asked the tortoise , after some talk . The stag thought the question so silly that he only shrugged his shoulders . ` Of course , the victor would have the right to kill the other , ' went on the tortoise . ` Oh , on that condition I agree , ' answered the deer ; ` but I am afraid you are a dead man . ' ` It is no use trying to frighten me , ' replied the tortoise . ` But I should like three days for training ; then I shall be ready to start when the sun strikes on the big tree at the edge of the great clearing . ' The first thing the tortoise did was to call his brothers and his cousins together , and he posted them carefully under ferns all along the line of the great clearing , making a sort of ladder which stretched for many miles . This done to his satisfaction , he went back to the starting place . The stag was quite punctual , and as soon as the sun 's rays struck the trunk of the tree the stag started off , and was soon far out of the sight of the tortoise . Every now and then he would turn his head as he ran , and call out : ` How are you getting on ? '
and the tortoise who happened to be nearest at that moment would answer : ` All XXXXX , I am close up to you . '
course day days deer first head hunger right satisfaction to-morrows