The Hare and the Hound by Aesop for ESL students with a video, list of vocabulary and related proverbs to improve your English naturally through interesting and meaningful short stories and fables.
The Hare and the Hound is now in the public domain available on Gutenberg Project.
Video of the Hare and the Hound
The Hare and the Hound
A hound started a hare from her form, and pursued her for some distance; but as she gradually gained upon him, he gave up the chase.
A rustic who had seen the race met the hound as he was returning, and taunted him with his defeat. “The little one was too much for you,” said he.
“Ah, well,” said the hound, “don’t forget it’s one thing to be running for your dinner, but quite another to be running for your life.”
English proverbs from the short story
It’s one thing to run for a meal, another for your life.
This captures the essence of the hound’s response to the goatherd.
Desperation fuels greater speed.
This focuses on the hare’s motivation to survive.
Vocabulary in real context
- hound: a type of dog bred for hunting
- hare: a fast-running mammal like a rabbit with large hind legs
- pursue: to follow and chase someone or something
- rustic (Noun): someone who lives in the country, e.g. a shepherd or goatherd
- taunt: to mock, tease, insult, ridicule someone
- desperation: recklessness brought on by great urgency and anxiety
Questions for discussion
- Why did the hound give up chasing the hare, even though the hare is much smaller?
- If the hound knew the hare was so fast, how could it have been more successful in catching it?
- Can you think of another situation where someone might be more motivated than another, even if they seem less capable?
It’s always time to catch something if you’re motivation is also there you can catch whatever you want.
It’s always time to catch something if you’re motivation is also there you can catch whatever you want.
– Robina
When you have enough Motivation then catch it.
-Rozita
Thank you for evaluating your own comment and replying to it.
Feedback
1. if you’re motivation = if you’re motivated
2. It’s always time to catch = There’s always enough time to catch …
That’s right, and thanks for your comment.
There’s an English old saying that reads: when there is a will, then there is a way. This meaningful maxim is all about having enough motivation in life.
1- The hound gave up chasing the hare, because the hare was running for saving her life. So, the hare used her smaller body as opportunity to run faster than the hound.
2- The hound could have been succeeded in catching the hare, if the hare had not feared and desperate.
3- I think that we are so motivated to do something, when we love it. We become tireless, when we love to do something. Our passion gives us more fuel to put towards success. Therefore, we work hard to achieve our goals and we enjoy our efforts.
Thanks for your well-written comment.
Feedback
1. as opportunity = as an opportunity
2. The hound could have been successful / could have succeeded in …, if the hare had not feared and felt desperate / had not been frightened and desperate.
3. Our passion gives us more fuel to put towards success. = Our passion channels more fuel towards success.
In this story, the hare was running for its life. Despite being smaller, it had to save its life. The hound’s motivation was minor in comparison to the hare’s.
You got the main ide of the short story correctly. The level of intensity between obligation and necessity is different. In fact, survival is the strongest instinct in all animals.
Please respond to one of the questions in the discussion section of the post.