It was a long time ago. The badger invited the snail to go with him to worship at the Ise Temple (Ise is an area in Japan where there are many ancient temples; the main one is called Ise.).
They were on the road for several days, and when they approached the Great Temple, the snail said:
- Mister Badger, why are you and I plodding along? Aren't you tired? Shouldn't we now try to race to the Great Ise Temple?
“Well, this will be interesting,” the badger agreed and prepared to run. The snail opened the edges of its shell and quietly attached itself to the tip of the badger's tail. The badger ran.
- Am I going to give in to some snail? - he said, quickening his pace. Soon he dived into the gates of the temple. - Well, I won! The badger waved his tail with joy, hit it on the stone step - and then he heard: “Krack!”
Half of the snail's shell, perched on the tip of his tail, broke off and fell to the ground. But the snail, overcoming the pain, said:
- Hey, Mister Badger, you're late! I've been here for a long time. You see, she came out of her shell to rest.
How could a cunning snail admit that it lost?!
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru