` Now ! ' cried he , plunging into a thick bush behind him . The whale tugged at one end , and the elephant tugged at the other , and neither had any idea that he had not the tortoise for his foe . When the whale pulled hardest the elephant was dragged into the water ; and when the elephant pulled the hardest the whale was hauled on to the land . They were very evenly matched , and the battle was a hard one . At last they were quite tired , and the tortoise , who was watching , saw that they could play no more . So he crept from his hiding-place , and dipping himself in the river , he went to the elephant and said : ' I see that you really are stronger than I thought . Suppose we give it up for to-day ? ' Then he dried himself on some moss and went to the whale and said : ' I see that you really are stronger than I thought . Suppose we give it up for to-day ? ' The two adversaries were only too glad to be allowed to rest , and believed to the end of their days that , after all , the tortoise was stronger than either of them . A day or two later the young tortoise was taking a stroll , when he met a fox , and stopped to speak to him . ` Let us try , ' said he in a careless manner , ` which of us can lie buried in the ground during seven years . ' ' I shall be delighted , ' answered the fox , ` only I would rather that you began . ' ` It is all the same to me , ' replied the tortoise ; ` if you come round this way to-morrow you will see that I have fulfilled my part of the bargain . ' So he looked about for a suitable place , and found a convenient hole at the foot of an orange tree . He crept into it , and the next morning the fox heaped up the earth round him , and promised to feed him every day with fresh fruit . The fox so far kept his word that each morning when the sun rose he appeared to ask how the tortoise was getting on . ` Oh , very well ; but I wish you would give me some fruit , ' replied he . ` Alas !
the fruit is not ripe enough yet for you XXXXX eat , ' answered the fox , who hoped that the tortoise would die of hunger long before the seven years were over .
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