` Then give me one of your longest bones , and I will fasten it to my leg . When I give the signal , you must pull , and we will see which can pull the hardest . ' ` Very good , ' replied the whale ; and he took out one of his bones and passed it to the tortoise . The tortoise picked up the end of the bone in his mouth and went back to the elephant . ' I will fasten this to your leg , ' said he , ` in the same way as it is fastened to mine , and we must both pull as hard as we can . We shall soon see which is the stronger . ' So he wound it carefully round the elephant 's leg , and tied it in a firm knot . ` 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 XXXXX you began . '
So as behind for from of on than that to