One-day Hare said to Mole, 'I’ll race you down to Willow Brook and back.'

Mole did not answer for a moment for he thought, 'Hare knows that he can beat me and he wishes to make fun of me.' then he said aloud, 'To Willow Brook and back! Why, a tortoise could do that. I'll race you round the world and back by bedtime.'
'Round the world,' said Hare in surprise. 'How far is that?'

'Willow Brook, Beech Bend, Elm Tree Meadow, Lime Walk, Crooked Corner, Daisy Dell, Foxglove Hollow, Primrose Path, and back again,' said Mole.

Of course that was not all round the world, but it was a very long way.
'Very good,' said Hare. 'What is the prize?'

A sleepy Caterpillar, who was stretched out on a cabbage leaf, yawned and said, 'The winner shall have a big lettuce, a small cabbage and two carrots.’

'Splendid!' said Hare, who was certain that he would win easily. 'I shall enjoy them very much.'

'I should enjoy a fat worm better than carrots and such things,' said Mole with a twinkle in his tiny eye, 'but I’ll be content this time.’

'Are you ready?' said Caterpillar. 'Go!'
Off they went and Hare was soon far in front. As he went out of sight round Beech Bend, Mole turned round and came slowly back to the starting-place.

'Hullo! Have you come back already?’ asked the sleepy Caterpillar.
'Of course,' answered Mole. 'It did not take me long.'

Caterpillar was too sleepy to wonder how Mole could have gone round the world in fifteen minutes, so he said, 'Very good. Here's your prize.'
Mole took the basket and nibbled at everything in it. He left nothing but a dry, brown cabbage leaf, a lettuce stalk and two carrot tops. Then he said goodnight to Caterpillar and went home.
When it was nearly dark. Hare came back, tired and out of breath. He wakened the sleepy Caterpillar, and cried 'Hurrah! I've won the race. Give me the prize.'

'What nonsense!' answered Caterpillar, who felt cross at being wakened. 'Mole finished the race hours ago. He won the prize, but he left these pieces in the basket for you.'
At once Hare saw that Mole had tricked him. He was so angry that he kicked the basket in the air and went off to bed. Never again did he try to make fun of sharp-nosed, fur-coated Mr. Mole.