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The hare’s head was so swelled up with pride at his many victories over the beasts of the forest, that he began to tyrannize over the weaker ones. He especially abused the snails, tormenting them so that they could no longer earn enough by their work to pay their taxes to the snail king. They laid a formal complaint before their king, and asked either for deliverance from the hare or a remission of taxes.
When the snail king heard this he flew in a rage, and went at once to the hare and asked him why he thus injured his subjects. "What are you good for that you should challenge me?" said the hare. "I am good at running races," said the snail; and challenged the hare to a trial of speed.
Choking with laughter, the hare agreed. The snail stipulated that, as he was an aquatic animal, he should run in the creek to the goal, which was to be fixed at the mouth of the creek. This provoked a fresh burst of mirth from the hare, who thought that, as the advantage of a straight course on shore was his, he was doubly sure of victory.
The match was arranged for the next morning. The goal and starting-points were fixed, and the snail went home and stationed one of his subjects at each bend of the river, while one was hid at the goal. The snail king went to the starting-place. The word "go" was given, and the snail king jumped into the river, and the hare trotted off gently, sure of victory. At the first bend of the river he shouted, "Hello, snail!" Far ahead the reply came back, "Here!" "Well that fellow runs well," thought the hare, and began to strain every nerve and make his best time, but at each curve a snail ahead shouted, "Here!" and when he came to the goal, a snail was quietly nibbling at the flowers placed there to mark it.
All snail look so much alike that the hare never suspected that the snail that he saw at the goal was not the same that started in the race. The hare was never beaten till he began to oppress the poor. (The snail King’s cheating of the powerful is not deemed disgraceful by the Karens.)