The Snail and the Wolf

Long, long ago, there lived an old wolf in France. One night, he was running along a lonely country road on his way to Dijon, a French town, when he met a little snail. As it happened, the little snail was also traveling in the direction of Dijon. The snail had heard the wolf approaching. He turned around and saw the wolf about to pass by.

The Conversation

“Mr. Wolf, stop a minute!” the snail called out.

The wolf came to a sudden stop and looked down at the little snail.

“Good evening,” he said, “and how are you, my little friend? In the best of health, I hope?”

“Why, yes, Mr. Wolf. I am very well, thank you,” said the snail. “May I be so bold as to ask where you are going this bright, starry night?”

“I am going to Dijon,” replied the wolf. “And where might you be going at this late hour?”

“Oh, I am going to Dijon too,” replied the snail.

The Challenge

The wolf burst out laughing. For a short while, he could not speak because he was laughing so much. Finally, he managed to say, “Little snail, that is the best joke I’ve heard for a long time. For a little creature like you, with the speed at which you crawl, it will take at least three years to reach the town.”

The little snail was rather annoyed that the wolf was laughing at him. He knew it was a long way, but he was a determined little fellow. “If you think it is so funny, Mr. Wolf, I will show you who is the better and faster of us two,” he said crossly.

The rude wolf laughed again at the thought of the little snail reaching the town before him.

“I’ll bet you a good dinner that I will reach Dijon before you,” the snail declared.

“Very well,” replied the wolf, “I accept your offer, but I have no doubt about who will be the winner. After all, I am so much faster than you.”

“That may be so,” replied the snail, “but nevertheless, I will give you a start of three paces.”

The Race Begins

Still laughing to himself, the wolf took three paces forward. The crafty little snail crawled along the ground and onto the wolf’s bushy tail. Without looking around, the wolf asked, “Right, are you ready?”

“Yes,” said the snail.

“Then off we go,” said the wolf.

The wolf began to run, unaware that he was carrying the snail. Faster and faster he went, running at full speed over hills and valleys, meadows, and through forests. On and on he ran until he finally reached Dijon. Since it was nighttime, the gates to the town were closed. The wolf went up to them and shouted, “Open up! Open up!” but nobody answered. The gatekeeper was fast asleep, and nothing could wake him.

The Unexpected Outcome

Meanwhile, the little snail, who had been clinging to the wolf’s tail all this time, had slipped down and was now slowly crawling up the wall of the town. As the wolf sat down to wait for the gatekeeper to wake up and let him in, the snail called down to him from the top of the wall, “Well, here you are at last. What took you so long? Did you stop for a short nap on the way? I have been waiting for you for some time now and eagerly await the dinner that you promised me.”

The poor wolf sat there bewildered. A slow little snail had beaten him in a race. The wolf had to admit that he had been bested, and he treated the snail to a large dinner, but he never found out how the little creature had managed to beat him to the town.