In the Brothers Grimm tale “The Hare and the Hedgehog,” the hedgehog wins the race.
The boastful hare challenges the hedgehog because he mocks the hedgehog’s short legs. The hedgehog secretly arranges for his wife, who looks nearly identical, to stand at the opposite end of the course. Each time the hare reaches the finish line, the hedgehog’s wife announces that she is already there.
The contest exposes the hare’s arrogance rather than proving that a hedgehog is physically faster. The hedgehog wins through planning, teamwork, and exploiting the hare’s assumption that appearance alone identifies the racer. Some English versions title the story “The Hare and the Hedgehog,” while others use “The Hare and the Urchin.”
The tale is numbered KHM 187 and is associated with the Low German story tradition. Its final moral criticizes pride and contempt for those who seem less powerful.